Sunderland sweat; Brighton on the brink – What can be decided this weekend?

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As we come towards the end of the season we can take a look at what issues can be resolved in the English leagues this weekend.

PREMIER LEAGUE

:: SUNDERLAND can be relegated after Saturday’s game with Bournemouth if they fail to match HULL’s result at Southampton. If the Black Cats and Hull both lose, a SWANSEA win at Manchester United on Sunday would seal the fate of David Moyes’ team.

:: CHELSEA could secure Champions League football this weekend with a point at Everton on Sunday.

 

CHAMPIONSHIP

:: Brighton and Newcastle are already promoted. BRIGHTON will clinch the title against Bristol City on Saturday evening if they match the result achieved by the Magpies at Cardiff on Friday.

lewis dunk brighton 3

:: Huddersfield are secure in the play-offs. READING  and SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY will join them if they match seventh-placed Leeds’ result, while FULHAM need a better result than Leeds if they are to make mathematically sure with a game to spare (although the Cottagers’ goal difference is superior by 13). Leeds host Norwich, Fulham and Reading are also at home against Brentford and Wigan respectively and Wednesday travel to Ipswich.

:: WIGAN will be relegated unless they beat the Royals, Birmingham lose to Huddersfield and Blackburn drop points against Aston Villa.

wigan loss

:: BLACKBURN could also go down if Birmingham win and Nottingham Forest, who travel to QPR, better Rovers’ result.

:: BURTON, who face Barnsley, and BRISTOL CITY will be mathematically safe from relegation with a point. QPR will be safe unless they drop points and Blackburn win.

:: Rotherham are already down.

 

LEAGUE ONE

:: SHEFFIELD UNITED are already certain of the title. Victory over Chesterfield on Sunday would take them to 100 points.

:: Victory over Peterborough would see BOLTON promoted. A draw would be enough unless third-placed FLEETWOOD beat Port Vale by at least eight goals.

:: Scunthorpe and Bradford, like Fleetwood, cannot drop out of the top six. MILLWALL would secure the final play-off place by winning at Bristol Rovers, but if they drop points they will open the door to Southend or Rochdale to move ahead of them.

:: ROCHDALE would need a win over Bradford to give themselves a chance, and would rely on both their rivals dropping points. A draw with Bury could be enough for SOUTHEND, but only if Millwall lose and Rochdale do not win.

:: PORT VALE realistically must beat Fleetwood to give themselves hope of avoiding relegation – they would then need GILLINGHAM to drop points against Northampton or BURY or SHREWSBURY to lose – the Shrews travel to Oxford and it would take a 10-goal swing for Vale to move ahead of them.

:: The only way Vale could survive with a draw is if Gillingham lose by six goals or more.

 

LEAGUE TWO

:: Doncaster, Plymouth and Portsmouth are already promoted. DONCASTER can secure the title if they beat Exeter and Plymouth drop points against Crewe.

:: LUTON can clinch their play-off spot with a point against Accrington.

:: EXETER, BLACKPOOL and STEVENAGE occupy the remainder of the top seven places. Exeter could secure play-off football if they better the results of all three of MANSFIELD (against Portsmouth), WYCOMBE (at Morecambe) and CARLISLE (against Newport), as could Blackpool as long as they beat Notts County. Stevenage would require even more assistance if they are to get there with a game to spare.

:: HARTLEPOOL’s relegation could be confirmed if NEWPORT win and Pools fail to beat 21st-placed Cheltenham.

:: YEOVIL, hosting Stevenage, need only a point to secure survival, as do CHELTENHAM by virtue of playing against Pools.

 

NATIONAL LEAGUE

:: LINCOLN will be back in the Football League next season.

:: TRANMERE, FOREST GREEN and DAGENHAM will be in the play-offs. ALDERSHOT will join them unless they lose to Braintree – who must win to have any chance of avoiding relegation – and DOVER beat Barrow while effecting a six-goal swing over the Shots.

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