League One promotion race: Supercomputer predicts title winners between Cardiff and Lincoln City
Lincoln City are now favourites to finish as League One champions ahead of Cardiff City this season according to the Opta supercomputer.
Cardiff suffered their first loss since 20 December last Saturday as Plymouth Argyle inflicted a 5-2 defeat on them at Home Park.
Brian Barry-Murphy’s men have led the way in League One for the majority of the campaign, and have not fallen from the top of the table since beating Northampton in mid-November.
Lincoln, meanwhile, are putting together one of the club’s best seasons in the modern era, and their 2-0 win over Mansfield last time out took them to within a point of the Bluebirds in second place.
It looks set to be a two-horse race to see who becomes champions of League One this season, with Opta now backing the Imps to oust their promotion rivals and finish on top come May.
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Lincoln backed to win League One ahead of Cardiff
Lincoln have been pipped to the League One playoffs in each of the last three seasons, and this term looked set to follow a similar theme as they sat fifth heading into the Christmas period.
Their 2-1 win over Cardiff on 20 December sparked the start of a fantastic recent run of form that has seen them win 10 and draw three of their last 13 games.
The Bluebirds have been top of the third tier at the end of every gameweek so far, but that could change if they fail to beat an in-form Doncaster side this Saturday and Lincoln are victorious over struggling Blackpool.
Opta’s latest calculations have reflected that likelihood, while also using their current patterns of form and upcoming opponents to predict who will end as champions of League One, with Lincoln now backed to do so for the first time this season.
Michael Skubala‘s side have been given a 53 per cent chance of winning the title, on 91 expected points, compared to Cardiff’s 90 expected points and 46.60 per cent chance of doing so.
Which teams do Opta think will be relegated from League One?
Down at the wrong end of the table, at least 8 teams that are not in the bottom four remain concerned about potentially dropping into League Two for next season.
Port Vale are currently occupying 24th place, and Opta have reflected their struggles with a 95.92 per cent chance of relegation this season as it stands.
Both Rotherham and Northampton have been predicted to fall into the fourth tier too, with 84.54 and 80.46 per cent chances of relegation respectively.
The final drop-zone spot is predicted to be a close battle between five sides, but Wigan are the club that Opta believe will take it up in May, with a 38.08 per cent chance of being relegated this term.