Computer says... Bluebirds in play-offs but Swans to miss out

IT is now just a few weeks until the new season in the Championship begins and excitement has increased significantly since the full release of the schedule yesterday.

A new season means a blank slate for every team in the Championship, although the exception this year is Sheffield Wednesday who begin the campaign with a 12-point deficit.

Predicting just how the season will pan out is an extremely difficult task, particularly in a league as challenging as the Championship, but data-crunching experts have done exactly that.

A supercomputer from esports betting firm unikrn has worked out a predicted table for the final standings in the Championship, based on factoring a range of the most informative betting markets in terms of influencing the final outcome of the season including league winner, odds to finish in the top six and relegation odds.

According to that data, Watford will clinch an immediate return to the Premier League by winning the title and Brentford, having suffered defeat in the playoff final last term, will land automatic promotion courtesy of a second-place finish.

Norwich City and Bournemouth are tipped to secure a spot in the playoffs, alongside Stoke City and Cardiff City - with the former looking for significantly better fortunes this term than they encountered last season.

Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough and Swansea City are all being backed as contenders for a top-six finish, although it is expected the trio will eventually finish short of sealing a spot in the playoffs.

At the other end of the spectrum, League One winners Coventry City are expected to avoid relegation but the same isn’t the case for Rotherham United and Wycombe Wanderers, who are expected to drop down to the third-tier.

Luton Town, having completed a great escape last season, are backed to narrowly avoid the drop once again, with the final relegation spot taken by Sheffield Wednesday - who are predicted to be unable to fight back from their 12-point deficit.

2020/21 predicted table 1. Watford 2. Brentford 3. Norwich City 4. Bournemouth 5. Stoke City 6. Cardiff City 7. Nottingham Forest 8. Middlesbrough 9. Swansea City 10. Millwall 11. Preston North End 12. Huddersfield Town 13. Blackburn Rovers 14. Bristol City 15. Barnsley 16. QPR 17. Birmingham City 18. Derby County 19. Reading 20. Coventry City 21. Luton Town 22. Rotherham United 23. Sheffield Wednesday 24. Wycombe Wanderers