Sheffield Utd. Sunderland. Coventry. Bristol City. Only one can earn promotion to the Premier League.

EFL Championship playoff contenders for 2024/25 and their chances of promotion:

League finish: 3rd (90 points – extremely high)
Strengths: Excellent season-long consistency, one of the best goalkeepers in the league (Michael Cooper), good creative presence (Gustavo Hamer), and a strong home record.
Weaknesses: Lack of a reliable goalscorer, playoff history is poor (0 promotions in 5 attempts).
Form: Solid overall, but didn’t dominate either end of the pitch.

🟢 Verdict: The most statistically favored team – but the weight of playoff history and a lack of firepower could haunt them again.

League finish: 5th
Strengths: Huge improvement under Frank Lampard, strong xG metrics, set-piece threat (most headed goals), creative stars like Rudoni.
Weaknesses: Leaky defense (58 goals conceded – worst among the four), squad may lack depth.
Form: Impressive turnaround, ending the season strongly with a decisive final-day win.

🟢 Verdict: The form and xG metrics make them dangerous. If they can patch up the defense, they could be the dark horse.

League finish: 6th
Strengths: Youthful energy, strong overall squad quality, Premier League pedigree (most games played of the four), strong first half of the season.
Weaknesses: Limped into playoffs with 5 straight losses, key scorer (Isidor) out of form, penalty issues, and historical shootout woes.
Form: Terrible – worst run into the playoffs in EFL history.

🔴 Verdict: Right now, too cold to trust. Unless they snap the losing streak immediately, Coventry may overwhelm them.

League finish: 6th (lowest playoff point total in over a decade)
Strengths: Stable squad with consistent starters, strong home form, resilience from losing positions, two double-digit scorers (Mehmeti & Wells).
Weaknesses: Weak away form, recent dip in results, lowest squad rotation in the league, lowest goals among the four.
Form: Mixed – good home record, but poor away and only one win in five.

🟡 Verdict: Could spring a surprise at home but will likely fall short over two legs. Needs to punch above their weight to advance.

🔮 Promotion Prediction (Most Likely to Least Likely)

Sheffield United – Solid season, third-place advantage, but beware the playoff curse.
Coventry City – Dangerous on a good day, riding a momentum wave under Lampard.
Bristol City – Limited ceiling but tough at home. Could reach the final if they win the first leg.
Sunderland – Out of form, vulnerable, and facing the in-form Sky Blues.