The Championship relegation run-in analysed - and it's encouraging for Portsmouth

The scrap to stay in the Championship appears to be concentrated on Oxford United, Hull, Stoke, Cardiff, Derby, Luton, Plymouth and, of course, Pompey during the final eight matches.

So here’s a detail look at each club’s run-in - and their chances of avoiding League One.

Pompey

The Blues are presently four points above relegation zone with eight matches remaining - a position their rivals would dearly love to be in at this time of the season.

Encouragingly, they are also scheduled to meet just one of the top-eight clubs during the run-in - a trip to in-form Coventry on April 9.

However, overall, they will face five of the top 12 when you take into account, Blackburn, Millwall, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday.

Perhaps crucially, John Mousinho’s men host two of their relegation rivals at Fratton Park - Derby and Hull.

The latter takes place on the final day of the season, although the Blues will be hoping safety is assured by then.

Remaining games;

March 29 - Blackburn (H)

April 5 - Millwall (A)

April 9 - Coventry (A)

April 12 - Derby (H)

April 18 - Norwich (A)

April 21 - Watford (H)

April 26 - Sheffield Wednesday (A)

May 3 - Hull (H)

Oxford United

Presently placed 18th, Oxford may be four points above the relegation zone but have a hugely difficult run-in.

Gary Rowett’s men are faced with three of the top four - Leeds, Sheffield United and Sunderland - of which two are at the Kassam Stadium.

If you take into account a trip to Middlesbrough, then they are scheduled to play four of the top eight over the last eight games.

Of the others, they come up against just one of their relegation rivals - a trip to Cardiff on April 21.

Remaining fixtures;

March 29 - Middlesbrough (A)

April 5 - Sheffield United (H)

April 9 - QPR (H)

April 12 - Sheffield Wednesday (A)

April 18 - Leeds (H)

April 21 - Cardiff (A)

April 26 - Sunderland (H)

May 3 - Swansea (A)

Hull

The Tigers have one of the kinder run-ins, with Coventry representing the only club in the top nine they’ll be facing.

Overall, with Watford and Sheffield Wednesday on the fixture list, that’s three of the top 12 teams during their remaining eight fixtures.

Crucially, they are also scheduled to meet three of their relegation rivals - Luton, Derby and Pompey - of which two are at home.

Remaining games;

March 29 - Luton (H)

April 5 - Sheffield Wednesday (A)

April 8 - Watford (A)

April 14 - Coventry (H)

April 18 - Swansea (A)

April 21 - Preston (H)

April 26 - Derby (H)

May 3 - Pompey (A)

Stoke

The Potters will optimistically look at three clashes with three of their relegation rivals - Luton, Cardiff and Derby - as an opportunity to climb the table.

However, they must also face two of the top three in Leeds and Sheffield United, with the latter at the Bet365 Stadium on April 26.

Overall, with Sheffield Wednesday taken into account, they are scheduled to meet three of the top 12.

Remaining games;

March 29 - QPR (H)

April 5 - Preston (A)

April 8 - Luton (H)

April 12 - Cardiff (A)

April 18 - Sheffield Wednesday (H)

April 21 - Leeds (A)

April 26 - Sheffield United (H)

May 3 - Derby (A)

Cardiff

The Bluebirds are tottering one place above the relegation zone, but at least they have home fixtures against rivals Stoke and Oxford in their remaining eight games.

However, they will also come up against top of the top six - Sheffield United and West Brom.

If you include Sheffield Wednesday, that’s three of the top 12 and none of the bottom three during the run-in.

Remaining games;

March 29 - Sheffield Wednesday (H)

April 5 - QPR (A)

April 8 - Preston (A)

April 12 - Stoke (H)

April 18 - Sheffield United (A)

April 21 - Oxford (H)

April 26 - West Brom (H)

May 3 - Norwich (A)

Derby

A run of three successive wins have provided crucial momentum for Derby of late, albeit they are still one point short of safety.

Concerningly for the Rams, they must face two of the top six in the remaining eight matches - Burnley and West Brom.

On the flip side, they will draw encouragement from the fact they are scheduled to play four of their relegation rivals - Pompey, Luton, Hull and Stoke.

Of those, two are at home and two are away, with Stoke at Pride Park on the final day of the campaign.

Remaining games;

April 2 - Preston (H)

April 5 - Swansea (A)

April 8 - Burnley (H)

April 12 - Pompey (A)

April 18 - Luton (H)

April 21 - West Brom (A)

April 26 - Hull (A)

May 3 - Stoke (H)

Luton

Second-from-bottom Luton are four points adrift of safety - and have a difficult run-in to claw that back.

At least they face two of their relegation rivals in Hull and Derby, albeit both away from Kenilworth Road.

However, they are also scheduled to play three of the top six - Leeds, Coventry and West Brom - which is a huge ask for any relegation-threatened side.

In fact, taking into account Bristol City and Blackburn, of their remaining eight matches, five are against the leading nine clubs in the Championship.

Remaining games;

March 29 - Hull (A)

April 5 - Leeds (H)

April 8 - Stoke (A)

April 12 - Blackburn (H)

April 18 - Derby (A)

April 21 - Bristol City (H)

April 26 - Coventry (H)

May 3 - West Brom (A)

Plymouth

The bottom club are currently six points adrift with eight games left, so of course their Championship future looks bleak.

If that position wasn’t precarious enough, of their remaining fixtures they face three of the top five - Leeds, Sheffield United and Coventry.

In fact, five of their matches are against the top 10, when you also include Watford and Middlesbrough.

Throw in the fact they’re not scheduled to play any side below 16th-placed Swansea and it represents a hugely difficult run-in.

Remaining games;

March 29 - Watford (A)

April 5 - Norwich (H)

April 9 - Swansea (A)

April 12 - Sheffield United (H)

April 18 - Middlesbrough (A)

April 21 - Coventry (H)

April 26 - Preston (A)

May 3 - Leeds (H)

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