EFL Championship Play-Offs – Promotion Odds & Preview
We have EFL Championship Play-Offs promotions odds for you as we preview the race for the final Premier League promotion spot.
EFL Championship Promotions Odds
Middlesbrough 13/8
Middlesbrough finished the season comfortably in fourth position with 75 points but that was not always the case. On 24 October 2022, Michael Carrick was appointed as manager of the club with them languishing in 21st position in the league with 17 points from 16 games played, one point above the relegation zone.
Carrick would actually lose his first game in charge 2–1 away to Preston North End on 29 October. However, Carrick got things right at the club and by December he had been nominated for November’s manager of the month award.
By the time of their 1-2 victory over Blackburn on the 29th of December this team were sixth and did not leave their playoff spots for the remainder of the season despite not winning their final three league games.
Middlesborough were the second top-scorers in the Championship with 84 goals scored a large part of that being Attacking Midfielder Chuba Akpom who scored 28 goals and 2 assists this season along with Cameron Archer who had 11 goals and 6 assists since coming on loan from Aston Villa.
Irishman and CB Darragh Lenihan is a mainstay in the side to watch also. It remains to be seen whether Carrick can guide the side to success in the playoffs, but they will face Coventry in the first leg away from home on Sunday, May 14th and at home on Wednesday 17th for a place in the playoff final.
Former Man United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has come out in belief of Carrick’s management abilities stating, “I am 100 per cent sure that Michael [Carrick] will be the manager of #mufc if he wants to be.”
Luton 5/2
Luton followed up their sixth-place finish last season with a third-place finish this season on 80-points. That tally put them five points clear of fourth place Middlesborough but eleven points behind Sheffield United for the final automatic promotion spot.
Luton have been remarkably consistent this second half of the season as they have not been outside the top-six since their 1-0 victory over Cardiff on the 31st of January. However, the team did have to deal with Nathan Jones leaving the club for Southampton on the 10th of November.
Rob Edwards, who came in to replace Jones on the 17th of November, was still able to guide this side to the playoff spots. While not prolific in attack with only 57 goals scored this season their success has been built off their solid foundation at the back with only 39 goals conceded. Only runaway league winners Burnley had a better defence with 35 goals conceded.
Their three players to watch will be Carlton Morris who has 20 goals and 7 assists in the Championship this season which means he contributed to 47% of their league goals directly. Their star man in defense is Welsh International Tom Lockyer who has won four man of the match awards this season per FotMob.
In terms of an Irish connection, they have Louie Watson who is a former Ireland U18 and U21 International that played five games this season and also played 90 minutes in their final league game of the season against Hull City.
Luton will face Sunderland in the first leg away from home on Saturday, May 13th and at home on Tuesday 16th for a place in the playoff final.
Sunderland 3/1
Sunderland was only promoted to the Championship last season following their League One playoff final 2-0 victory over Wycombe. Sunderland strung a good run of results toward the end of this season with three wins and two draws to secure a place in the playoffs for the second season in a row coming ahead of Blackburn in seventh purely down to their +13goal difference compared to Blackburn’s -2.
Manager Tony Mowbray came in on the 30th of August and if he can get through the playoffs he will forever be the man who brought an end to the turmoil that was Sunderland Till I Die as they potentially return to the Premier League. Sunderland’s 68 goals scored this season is good enough for the fourth-best attack in the division while defensively they were poorer conceding 55 goals.
They have three main players to watch in the playoffs. The first being Left Winger/Midfielder Jack Clarke who has contributed 9 goals and 11 assists this season, and Man United loanee Amad Diallo who has 13 goals and 4 assists this season.
From an Irish perspective (while being an England Underage International) LB Dennis Cirkin has been in flying form this season with 5 goals and 1 assist but his form has been so strong that he is being linked with a move further afield and potentially back to former club Tottenham.
Sunderland faces Luton at home in the first leg on Saturday, May 13th and away from home on Tuesday 16th for a place in the playoff final.
Coventry 10/3
BoyleSports partners Coventry City are having a phenomenal season following their 12th place finish last season. Manager Mark Robins has done a fantastic job guiding this squad to a fifth-place finish and a playoff spot following three wins and two draws in their last five matches.
This strong finish to the season ensured they earned their spot in an extremely competitive end to the season for the final two spots. Coventry has been modest in attack this season with only 58 goals scored. However, defensively Robins has built a strong unit who have only conceded 46 goals this season which makes them the fourth-best defence in the league.
Coventry City are a massive club that were inaugural members of the Premier League in 1992 and stayed in England’s top flight until relegation in 2001. It would be a great story if Coventry could return to the top level of English Football.
Coventry’s main man to watch during the playoffs is their Star Swedish Striker Viktor Gyökeres who has scored 21 goals and contributed 10 assists this season for the club which is a direct goal contribution for a staggering 53% of their league goals. Their second player to watch is Brazilian Midfielder Gustavo Hamer who has been putting in some phenomenal displays this season not only has he 9 goals and 10 assists, but per FotMob he was the best-rated player on the pitch a colossal 12 times in 41 matches.
From an Irish perspective, former League of Ireland hitman Sean Maguire joined the club on loan in January and has been used sporadically since featuring in six matches. Another Irishman who joined on loan in January was CB Luke McNally who has become a mainstay in defence starting 19/19 games and earning huge plaudits for his performances at the back.
Coventry faces Middlesbrough at home on Sunday, May 14th and away on Wednesday 17th for a place in the Championship Play-Offs Final.
In the top flight of English football the title race looks to have swung Man City’s way who are now in search of completing a historic treble.
Click Below For All Our EFL Championship Play-Offs Promotion Odds
*Prices subject to fluctuation
Related Articles