The run-in: How race for Championship survival shapes up for Portsmouth, West Brom, Leicester City & Co
The battle lines are drawn with 10 games remaining in which Pompey have to secure their place in the Championship. The mid-week results saw the Blues’ gap to the drop zone cut to just two points, with John Mousinho’s side collecting one point from 12 and picking up two wins from past eight league fixtures.
At this critical juncture, The News today take a look at how things stand for Pompey and their chief relegation rivals in terms of their current form and remaining fixtures, in a fight for survival which looks set to go down to the wire.
Pompey
Form (past six)
W 2 D 1 L 3
Remaining fixtures
Derby (H)
QPR (A)
Norwich (A)
Oxford (H)
Boro (A)
Ipswich (H)
Leicester (H)
Coventry (A)
Stoke (A)
Birmingham (H)
Ten games remaining for Pompey, who have a game in hand against their relegation rivals - Ipswich Town on Tuesday, April 14. That makes it an even split of home and away fixtures for the Blues, with two of those matches immediately standing out - Leicester City and Oxford United. John Mousinho’s side have to play three of the current top four, two clear relegation rivals with Derby, QPR, Norwich, Stoke and Birmingham their other fixtures.
West Brom
Form (past six)
W 0 D 3 L 3
Remaining fixtures
Hull (H)
Bristol City (A)
Wrexham (H)
Blackburn (A)
Millwall (H)
Preston (A)
Watford (H)
Ipswich (H)
Sheff Wed (A)
West Brom are the team on the steepest downward trajectory with the Baggies winless in 14 league fixtures, though they’ve picked up a couple of draws in their last two under new interim boss James Morrison. Like many of Pompey’s relegation rivals, they still have to play Sheffield Wednesday who are dead and buried - with their match with the Owls on the final day. Of the rest, only Blackburn are relegation rivals with four of the top six still to come for Morrison’s men.
Oxford United
Form (past six)
W 3 D 1 L 2
Remaining fixtures
Charlton (H)
Southampton (A)
Hull (H)
Pompey (A)
Watford (H)
Derby (A)
Wrexham (H)
Sheff Wed (H)
Millwall (A)
Matt Bloomfield’s side have rejuvenated their fortunes with three wins on the spin, as they looked at the point of being cut adrift. That means it’s goal difference keeping Oxford out of the bottom three. The U’s have to come to Fratton Park on Easter Monday in what looks a relegation slugfest. Four of the top seven, marooned Sheffield Wednesday, Derby, Charlton and Watford make up the rest. Millwall away on the final day could be big for both clubs.
Leicester City
Form (past six)
W 1 D 3 L 2
Remaining fixtures
QPR (H)
Watford (A)
Preston (H)
Sheff Wed (A)
Swansea (H)
Pompey (A)
Hull (H)
Millwall (H)
Blackburn (A)
Five at home and four away for Leicester, with the trip to Fratton on April 18 potentially massive. It looks a presentable run coming up for the Foxes against an out-of-form quartet, though Watford have picked up a little on a run of two wins from 12. Their Pompey clash starts a testing finale against Hull, Millwall and a final-day trip to Blackburn which could be significant.
Blackburn Rovers
Form (past six)
W 2 D 1 L 3
Remaining fixtures
Millwall (A)
Middlesbrough (H)
Birmingham (A)
West Brom (H)
Stoke (A)
Coventry (H)
Sheff Utd (A)
Southampton (A)
Leicester (H)
The only team featured who have more away games than home, with just four fixtures to come at Ewood Park. Blackburn are also the only other team apart from Pompey featured who don’t play Sheffield Wednesday. Michael O’Neill’s men go up against four of the current top seven, including the top two in Boro and Coventry, as well as relegation rivals West Brom and Leicester. Birmingham, Stoke and Sheffield United make up the remainder of probably the toughest run-in featured.