5 things to watch for in the EFL – Matchday 45

It’s the penultimate matchday of the 2022/23 EFL season: songs will be sung, goals will be cheered, and tears will be shed. Burnley and Sheffield United can take a victory lap having secured promotion from the Championship, and Leyton Orient are up from League Two – but there’s remarkably little else that’s set in stone as we head into the weekend.

At the foot of the Championship, Wigan, Blackpool and Reading are all staring into the abyss of relegation but aren’t sunk yet. The play-off picture sees Luton and Middlesbrough locked in but below them there’s still eight teams who could snatch the other two spots.

In League One, Plymouth and Ipswich can both clinch promotion with wins on Saturday, with Argyle potentially lifting the title if results go their way. At the bottom, Morecambe and Accrington Stanley are desperate for victories to avoid joining Forest Green Rovers in the fourth tier. While in League Two, wins for Northampton and Stevenage can seal their promotions.

Here are five key things to watch for in the EFL this weekend.

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Seasiders looking to move clear of the drop zone

It’s do-or-die for Blackpool, with the Seasiders potentially nosediving down a division if results go against them this weekend. They host Millwall on Friday night and are desperate for a win to keep their survival bid alive.

The Lions have been a favourite opponent of Blackpool in recent years, with the Tangerines winning five of their last six home games against Millwall. The home side may also be finding form at just the right time, with two wins in their last three games – as many as they had managed in their previous 24 games combined.

Blackpool are 23/10 to continue that uplift in results with another win on Friday. Millwall’s play-off dream is still alive, but they are stumbling a little in the home straight, with just one win in seven (D2 L4). However, the Lions haven’t lost three in a row since August and are 6/5 to get three points.

Royals hoping to avoid a dreadful dozen

The game of the day on Saturday in the Championship is in Berkshire, where Reading and Wigan will both be desperate to win. It’s the last chance saloon for the Latics, who will be relegated if they lose. Wigan are battling hard, though, winning their last two league games, and are 17/10 to keep their hopes alive for another week with an away win.

The Royals are on a miserable run of 11 games without a win – it’s over a decade since they went a dozen matches without tasting victory. Things have perked up slightly with the appointment of Noel Hunt, though, with Reading holding both Luton and Burnley to creditable draws in their last two home games.

One more win could be enough to keep the Royals in the second tier, and they have a solid record against Wigan, winning five of their last seven league meetings. A home win is 13/8, while a draw – which would be little use to either side – is 21/10.

Warnock to turn from home hero to villain?

Neil Warnock is back in the Welsh capital on Sunday and is sure to get a fine reception after his successful stint with Cardiff. This time, though, he’ll be hoping to put one over on the Bluebirds by helping his current side, Huddersfield, take a big step towards safety.

The Terriers are just a single point outside the drop zone heading into this weekend but do have a game in hand on the teams below them, so a win would be huge. Huddersfield have already beaten Cardiff this season, and are 14/5 to get a vital victory on Sunday. But Warnock has only won two of his last 15 league meetings with Cardiff (D7 L6), although he did win on his last visit here as manager of Middlesbrough.

Cardiff are winless in their last four at the Cardiff City Stadium, and a point may be enough to secure their own Championship status – we have the draw at 9/4, while the home win is EVS.

Argyle chasing silverware

Plymouth are closing in on a return to the Championship and will seal it with a win in front of their own fans on Saturday. The visitors are mid-table Burton, so Plymouth will certainly fancy their chances of signing off their home campaign in style against a team they haven’t lost to since 2018. The home side are odds-on to win, and it’s 7/2 that the Pilgrims score four or more goals.

Argyle’s Callum Wright has bagged a goal in his previous two appearances against Burton, while playing for Cheltenham. He’ll be hoping to continue his fine form against the Brewers. Wright is 11/5 to score anytime and 11/2 to get the opener.

Could the away side spoil the Pilgrims potential celebrations? Burton are 11/2 to pick up three points – they’ve already beaten Plymouth’s promotion rivals Sheffield Wednesday this month.

Cobblers closing in on promotion

Northampton host Bradford knowing that a win will seal promotion back to League One, although the visitors also have plenty to play for. Mark Hughes’ Bantams are hunting a play-off place and will be keen to spoil the Cobblers’ promotion party. Bradford have only lost one of their last 11 league trips to Northampton (W7 D3), and are 19/10 to stun the home crowd with an away win.

Northampton, though, will be desperate to celebrate promotion in front of their own fans. Victory would give them a first league double over Bradford since 1975/76, and the Cobblers are 7/5 to get the win that would fire them back to the third tier.

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