Championship relegation battle: How Portsmouth’s run-in compares to rivals Cardiff City, Derby County & Co
The race for Championship survival is heating up, with less than two months to go in the season.
Pompey’s battle for safety took another twist on Saturday when they fell to a disappointing 1-0 defeat to relegation rivals Luton at Kenilworth Road.
The Blues missed the opportunity to increase the gap to the bottom three to 12 points and instead sit just eight clear of the dropzone in 17th place.
John Mousinho’s men will have to do it the hard way, too, after the club confirmed Hayden Matthews and Rob Atkinson will be missing because of long-term injuries - continuing the inuury problems Pompey have endured all season.
With just 11 matches of the campaign remaining, the Blues will have to make every game count if they wish to maintain their Championship status and avoid an imminent return to League One.
As a result, we’ve taken a look at the remaining games for Pompey and each of their relegation rivals and calculated which club has the hardest run-in based on their opponents’ current league placing. Here’s what we discovered.
Who has the hardest Championship run-in?
16th - Swansea City
Preston (A - March 4th); Middlesbrough (H - March 8th); Watford (A - March 12th); Burnley (H - March 15th); Leeds (A - March 29th); Derby (H - April 5th); Plymouth (H - April 9th); Sunderland (A - April 12th); Hull (H - April 18th); QPR (A - April 21st); Millwall (A - April 26th); Oxford United (H - May 3rd).
Average opposition position: 13th.
17th - Pompey
Leeds (H - March 9th); Plymouth (H - March 12th); Preston (A - March 15th); Blackburn (H - March 29th); Millwall (A - April 5th); Coventry (A - April 9th); Derby (H - April 12th); Norwich (A - April 18th); Watford (H - April 21st); Sheffield Wednesday (A - April 26th); Hull (H - May 3rd).
Average opposition position: 13th.
18th - Oxford United
Norwich (A - March 7th); Hull (A - March 12th); Watford (H - March 15th); Middlesbrough (A - March 29th); Sheffield United (H - April 5th); QPR (H - April 9th); Sheffield Wednesday (A - April 12th); Leeds United (H - April 18th); Cardiff (A - April 21st); Sunderland (H - April 26th); Swansea (A - May 3rd).
Average opposition position: 11th.
19th - Stoke City
Coventry (A - March 8th); Blackburn (H - March 12th); Millwall (A - March 15th); QPR (H - March 29th); Preston (A - April 5th); Luton (H - April 8th); Cardiff (A - April 12th); Sheffield Wednesday (H - April 18th); Leeds (A - April 21st); Sheffield United (H - April 26th); Derby (A - May 3rd).
Average opposition position: 12th.
20th - Cardiff City
Burnley (H - March 4th); Sunderland (A - March 8th); Luton (H - March 11th); Blackburn (A - March 15th); Sheffield Wednesday (H - March 29th); QPR (A - April 5th); Preston (A - April 8th); Stoke (H - April 12th); Sheffield United (A - April 18th); Oxford United (H - April 21st); West Brom (H - April 26th); Norwich (A - May 3rd).
Average opposition position: 11th.
21st - Hull City
Plymouth (H - March 4th); Bristol City (A - March 8th); Oxford United (A - March 12th); West Brom (A - March 15th); Luton (H - March 29th); Sheffield Wednesday (A - April 5th); Watford (A - April 8th); Coventry (H - April 12th); Swansea (A - April 15th); Preston (H - April 21st); Derby (H - April 26th); Pompey (A - May 3rd).
Average opposition position: 15th.
22nd - Luton Town
Burnley (A - March 8th); Cardiff (A - March 11th); Middlesbrough (H - March 15th); Hull (A - March 29th); Leeds (H - April 5th); Stoke (A - April 8th); Blackburn (H - April 12th); Derby (A - April 18th); Bristol City (H - April 21st) Coventry (H - April 26th); West Brom (A - May 3rd).
Average opposition position: 11th.
23rd - Plymouth Argyle
Hull (A - March 4th); Sheffield Wednesday (H - March 8th); Pompey (A - March 12th); Derby (H - March 15th); Watford (A - March 29th); Norwich (H - April 5th); Swansea (A - April 9th); Sheffield United (H - April 12th); Middlesbrough (A - April 18th); Coventry (H - April 21st); Preston (A - 26th); Leeds (H - May 3rd).
Average opposition position: 12th
24th - Derby County
Blackburn (H - March 8th); Coventry (H - March 11th); Plymouth (A - March 15th); Preston (H - March 29th); Swansea (A - April 5th); Burnley (H - April 9th); Pompey (A - April 12th); Luton (H - April 18th); West Brom (A - April 21st); Hull (A - April 26th); Stoke (H - May 3rd).
Average opposition position: 14th.