Championship promotion race: Can anyone catch Coventry? | Football News

It has been one of the most unpredictable Championship seasons in years, with big guns struggling and unfancied clubs challenging near the top.

Boxing Day marks the halfway mark of the campaign, and with a hectic schedule to come over Christmas we will know a lot more about the promotion shake-up once we reach January 5 – when every team will have played four fixtures.

But can anyone catch Coventry? Are Middlesbrough the favourites for second? Or can anyone from further down the table contest the spots to reach the Premier League.

On the Sky Sports Essential EFL podcast, expert pundits Andy Hinchcliffe and Don Goodman discussed it all…

Can anyone catch Coventry?

Six points clear at the top of the table, and 11 clear of third, Coventry City have put themselves in an incredible position to return to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years.

Andy Hinchcliffe: “They are showing all the traits you need to get promoted. They have played some sparkling attacking football, but have also been defensively solid. Whenever they have lost a game they react well and returned to winning ways quickly.

“Home and away, Coventry are the best side in the division. They are the top scorers and have the joint-second-best defence. The balance in the team is excellent. There are no signs of things unravelling. The only way teams catch them is by going on an incredible winning run.

“Every time Coventry have been challenged, they have responded. When allowed to play, they simply outscore opponents. They have everything needed to win games.

“The challenge now is expectation. Everyone expects them to win the title. That pressure comes with being clear at the top, especially with the season not even halfway through.

“Things can always change, but there are no weaknesses in their game that suggest teams will catch them.”

Don Goodman: “They aren’t looking at Middlesbrough in second, they are looking at that 11-point gap to Ipswich in third.

“Since Frank Lampard arrived, the biggest improvement has been resilience. They now have one of the best defensive records. Having Carl Rushworth in goal helps enormously. He is the best goalkeeper in the league.

“What happened at the very end of last season has driven them. That pain can either derail you or fuel you. It has clearly fuelled this group. The disappointment at the Stadium of Light has been a major motivation.

“I do not see two teams overtaking Coventry. They will get promoted and make the step to the Premier League they have wanted for years.”

Can Middlesbrough hold off the chasing pack?

Sat in second place heading into Boxing Day are Middlesbrough, six points off Coventry, five ahead of the chasing pack.

They suffered their first defeat under Kim Hellberg at Bristol City on Saturday, but are still very well placed having won their first four under the Swede.

DG: “I have been really impressed with how Hellberg has changed the way they play. He is getting much more out of the attacking players than before.

“Rob Edwards’ job was to make them solid, resilient and hard to play against, which he did. They had one of the best defensive records, but he was still searching for balance and never quite found it before leaving.

“Since Kim Hellberg has come in, you immediately see the difference. Look at the number of shots, the chances they are creating and the goals they are scoring. Even in defeat, they played well. The second half against Bristol City was relentless pressure. On another day, Middlesbrough could easily have won.

“That is why, based on what I have seen, I would currently have them ahead of Ipswich.”

AH: “It is also worth praising Middlesbrough’s recruitment. After Rob Edwards left, there would have been plenty of coaches keen to take that job. Boro took their time and appointed the right man.

“If you look at how Kim Hellberg’s Hammarby team played, they were aggressive, front foot and dominant on the ball.

“That is exactly what he has brought to Middlesbrough. There has been clear development from the previous setup, which is what they needed with those attacking players. They needed more goals and more aggression going forward, and that is what we are seeing.

“In a strange way, the change of coach seems to have given them a boost. Instead of things drifting, there has been improvement. The character in the squad is strong. These players care. They have experience and leadership, with players like Luke Ayling and Hayden Hackney. The dressing room looks tight-knit.

“Hellberg has recognised that and bought into it. The blend of the right coach, the right style and the right group of players looks spot on.”

Can Ipswich keep the pressure on and push for top two?

Ipswich Town were pre-season favourites for the title but have only impressed in fits and bursts under Kieran McKenna this season.

Still, they find themselves in third place heading into Boxing Day. The primary challengers to the top two.

AH: “This is the best Championship squad this season and arguably one of the strongest in recent years, especially in terms of depth. They have genuine attacking options on the bench. The goalkeeper situation has settled and the back four now looks more consistent.

“I still believe what I believed at the start of the season. With this squad, they should be capable of putting five or six wins together. They have not done that yet, but the ability is clearly there.

“The Championship is a tough league and no one rolls over for Ipswich. That expectation makes every game intense. I would not be surprised if Ipswich win more games than any other team between now and the end of the season. The key is handling the pressure and turning performances into a run of results.

“The game against Coventry on the 29th is a huge test, particularly for Ipswich. If they want to finish in the top two, that is a game where they have to make a statement. They beat Coventry 3-0 earlier in the season, although that scoreline did not tell the full story. Going to Coventry now gives them the chance to show exactly what they are about.”

DG: “Player for player, pound for pound, Ipswich have the best squad in the league. That has not been reflected in either performances or results. Consistency has been the issue. They have not been able to put back-to-back wins together, while other teams have gone on strong runs. In such a congested table, three wins in a row completely changes the picture, especially over the Christmas period.

“The away form is the real concern. Losing at Oxford, drawing at Blackburn, and then a heavy defeat away at Leicester highlights a big contrast with their home form. That must be frustrating for Kieran McKenna.

“They go to Millwall next, and that is another test. Ipswich need to show resilience. We have spoken about Coventry’s resilience, and you do not quite see that same trait with Ipswich.

“There is a sense that everyone recognises the quality of their squad. Because of that, they are often the opposition’s biggest game. They are no longer a surprise package. Everyone knows their players, their manager and their strength. That can make every away game a cup final for the opposition, and Ipswich have struggled with that so far.”

And can anyone else challenge?

Ipswich Town are still in close proximity with the sides below them, but in a surprise season that sees the likes of Hull, Preston and Millwall occupying play-off spots, it remains to be seen whether any other side can be consistent enough to make a push for the top two.

DG: “I do not see any scenario where any team other than Ipswich can bridge the gap to Middlesbrough and Coventry at this stage. The likes of Southampton, Leicester and Sheffield United are simply too far back.

“As for the surprise packages like Hull, Preston, Millwall, QPR and Stoke, I do not see the level of consistency required to close that gap.

“This league is incredibly even. In 19 years covering it, I have never seen so many inconsistent teams, and I do not mean that negatively. Hull were widely tipped to struggle given the transfer embargo and a new manager unfamiliar with the league, yet they have done extremely well.

“Preston are another side many expected to be closer to the bottom. Stoke have not finished in the top half since relegation, yet they are right up there.”

AH: “Unpredictable is how we always describe the Championship, but this season has taken it to another level. When you look at the makeup of the league, if Leicester, Southampton and Sheffield United do not make the play-offs, we will be critical of them.

“Leicester have mitigating circumstances, but Southampton and Sheffield United are different. I still expect both to make the play-offs. If they do not, we will be asking serious questions.

“When you consider the unpredictability and the way everyone beats everyone else, those clubs should still be finishing in the top six. The teams above them right now, such as Preston, Hull, Millwall and Bristol City, still have a lot to do.”

Every Championship game LIVE on Sky on Boxing Day

3pm kick-off unless stated

Birmingham vs Derby, 12.30pmMillwall vs Ipswich, 1pmCoventry vs SwanseaLeicester vs WatfordMiddlesbrough vs BlackburnNorwich vs CharltonOxford vs SouthamptonPortsmouth vs QPRSheffield Wednesday vs HullStoke vs PrestonWest Brom vs Bristol CityWrexham vs Sheffield United (5.30pm)