BANK HOLIDAY BONANZA
IT PROMISES to be a manic Monday in the eFL with plenty of promotion and relegation matters to be decided. Sportsmail takes you through all the permutations in all three divisions, plus the National League.
CHAMPIONSHIP
ISN’T IT A BIG DAY IN YORKSHIRE? YeS, SHEFFIELD UNITED have the opportunity to move three points ahead of LEEDS
UNITED in the battle for the second automatic promotion place when they play at Hull at 3pm.
Victory for Chris Wilder’s side would pile the pressure on Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds ahead of their teatime match at Brentford.
The two Yorkshire rivals have been engaged in a nip and tuck battle for automatic promotion for several months.
AND CAN NORWICH CITY SEAL PROMOTION TODAY?
YeS, the leaders, who start the day five points ahead of the Blades and Leeds, will go up if they win at Stoke and either of their promotion rivals drop points.
And if they both fail to win, the Canaries will clinch the title with victory.
However, given that the Leeds game won’t finish until around 7pm, there’s a chance
NORWICH fans travelling back from Stoke will be forced to celebrate the moment of promotion on the motorway home.
Norwich’s chances of victory will be boosted by the return from a three-game suspension of Argentine star emiliano Buendia. It’s no coincidence that Norwich have failed to win in his absence.
‘He’s a big important player for us and in the three games without him we couldn’t manage to win,’ said Norwich midfielder Mario Vrancic.
‘In those moments when you have to create something, he is there with magic passing and shots. He gives us those magic moments that we need.’
CAN ANYONE SECURE PLAY-OFF SPOTS TODAY?
oNLY WEST BROM, with the Baggies travelling to reading for a 3pm kick-off. MIDDLESBROUGH moved back in to the final play-off spot on Friday but they’re just a point ahead of BRISTOL CITY, who retain a game in hand.
DERBY, who are three points off sixth, could also still sneak in as they have played one game fewer.
AND AT THE BOTTOM?
IPSWICH and BOLTON already know they will be playing League one football next season.
The third relegated team looks likely to be either ROTHERHAM or MILLWALL. The Millers are three points adrift of safety and host Birmingham today while Millwall still have a game in hand.
LEAGUE ONE LUTON MUST BE ALL BUT UP?
YeS. LUTON, a non-League club as recently as 2014, are poised to return to the Championship for the first time since 2007.
They don’t play until tomorrow night when they host AFC Wimbledon and with their seven-point cushion to third, the Hatters need six more points from their final three matches to seal a return to the second tier after 12 long years away.
WHAT ABOUT THE FIGHT FOR SECOND?
THe race to finish in the other automatic place looks certain to go down to the wire.
PORTSMOUTH can move second if they beat Coventry at Fratton park this lunchtime before BARNSLEY, currently second, can respond when they play at plymouth at 3pm. SUNDERLAND, who could also end the day second if results fall in their favour, travel to peterborough. Both pompey and Sunderland, who meet on Saturday, still have games in hand after they reached the final of the Checkatrade Trophy last month.
AND THE PLAY-OFFS?
poMpeY and Sunderland are safely in, as are CHARLTON, while DONCASTER, PETERBOROUGH and COVENTRY will fight it out for sixth.
ISN’T IT MAYHEM AT THE BOTTOM?
YeS, it is manic. BRADFORD are already down, but there will be an almighty scramble to avoid the other three relegation places, currently occupied by WALSALL, SOUTHEND and AFC WIMBLEDON. With three fixtures remaining, just five points separate ACCRINGTON in 16th and Walsall in 23rd.
LEAGUE TWO ARE LINCOLN CHAMPIONS ALREADY?
No. LINCOLN became the first team in the eFL to be promoted when they drew with Cheltenham on April 13. The Imps are eight points clear at the top so they would secure the title with home victory over Tranmere rovers today.
Alternatively, they will be champions if they draw and second-placed MANSFIELD fail to win, or if both Mansfield and MK DONS do not win.
Second and third go up automatically, with BURY in fourth just a point behind MK Dons. Mansfield travel to oldham today, while MK host port Vale and Bury are at home to Northampton.
THE PLAY-OFF PICTURE IS FAR FROM CLEAR ISN’T IT?
YeS. TRANMERE and FOREST GREEN can both secure play- off spots today if they beat Lincoln and Cambridge respectively, with Forest Green also needing CARLISLE to drop points at Grimsby.
The scramble for the final play-off place, currently occupied by EXETER, is intense with Carlisle, COLCHESTER, STEVENAGE and
NEWPORT in hot pursuit.
AND AT THE BOTTOM?
TWo teams from NOTTS COUNTY, YEOVIL and MACCLESFIELD will drop in to the National League.
Sol Campbell’s Macclesfield are two points above the line ahead of their home game against Newport today, as Notts County head to Crawley and Yeovil host Colchester.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CAN LEYTON ORIENT REJOIN THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE TODAY?
YeS, they will be promoted to League Two as champions if they win at Solihull Moors and SALFORD CITY fail to beat Fylde.
The six clubs below the champions enter the play-offs — ORIENT, SALFORD, SOLIHULL and WREXHAM are already assured of their spots if they don’t go up automatically.
HARROGATE can join them in the play-offs with a win at home to Gateshead while seventh-placed EASTLEIGH can also secure a place if they beat Maidenhead and
EBBSFLEET, who are eighth, do not win at home to Dover.