Supercomputer makes new Championship title prediction after Middlesbrough and Coventry City twists
Middlesbrough are now being backed to win the Championship by stats gurus Opta after a clear drop-off in form from league leaders Coventry City.
The race for promotion from the Championship is reaching its final stages, with less than three months until the 2025-26 campaign ends.
Coventry have been the standout team in the second-tier for the majority of the season, but their form has not been that of league winners since the start of December.
Frank Lampard added Romain Esse and other quality players to his ranks in January, but the Sky Blues have won just two of their seven league games since the turn of the year.
Their 0-0 draw with Oxford United on Saturday means Boro have the chance to go top of the table with a win over Sheffield United on Monday, and Opta‘s latest calculations have backed Kim Hellberg‘s side to lift the title come 2 May.
Middlesbrough backed to win the Championship over Coventry
Middlesbrough have gone from strength to strength throughout this season, even after manager Rob Edwards was poached by Wolves in November and replaced by Hammarby boss Hellberg.
The Teessiders have won nine of his 14 games in charge so far, including a 4-1 win over Hull City and 4-0 triumphs over both Southampton and Preston North End.
They defeated Norwich 1-0 last weekend to move level on points with Coventry at the top of the Championship table, and now sit one behind ahead of their trip to Bramall Lane on Monday night.
Opta have updated their predicted second-tier table for the end of the campaign as a result, with Boro now on course to win the league with an expected points total of 83.91.
Coventry are only very slightly behind them on a predicted total of 83.84, while third-placed Ipswich Town are backed to reach 80 points, with Hull on 76.
Which clubs are expected to make up the Championship playoffs?
Ipswich and Hull are each on 54 points in third and fourth as it stands, but the former do have a game in hand that could take them into the race for automatic promotion.
They are each expected to finish in the top six come May, with a seven-point buffer separating them and seventh place, which is currently occupied by Preston.
Paul Heckingbottom’s side have been in the playoff places for most of this season, and Opta believes that they will clinch sixth place, on 67.35 expected points, compared to Wrexham’s 67.08.
Millwall are on course to remain in fifth, with Bristol City, Derby County, Birmingham City and Stoke City expected to make up the rest of the top half.