Time for the new special computer that crunches the numbers to determine the final Championship positions for 2016/17.
Last season the Octopus feature was a regular feature for the Premier League, but whilst it was a late arrival for the Championship – well better late than never – it might have been having its tentacles given a Brazilian I don’t know.
Then again I still don’t know why I call a number crunching supercomputer an Octopus but some things are probably best left unasked.
In any event here are the updated Championship predictions for the season of 2016/17 after most sides have played at least 43 games of the campaign.
Who goes down?! Who is the current favourite to lift the title this year?
Well you don’t have to guess.
With most playing 44 games in the Championship in the season of 2016/17, the current favourite to lift the title is Brighton, but long favourites Newcastle United are in second place missing out by only one point.
The Play Off spots are also pretty nailed on if the predictions are to be believed – Reading, Huddersfield Town, Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday take their places in the hopes for Wembley success – with only Leeds United close, missing out by two points.
At the other end of the table it continues to be Blackburn Rovers, Wigan Athletic and Rotherham United who are set for life in League One in 2017/18 but the ordering above does change this month and Burton Albion pull away and 21st spot goes to Birmingham City who survive by two points.
The one thing that can’t be denied now with so few games remaining is a number of clubs will now be very disappointed with where they find themselves (irrespective of if they put any stock in predictions) and will be looking for a final change in form as the season comes to a close.
Prediction wise there are a number in midtable who will be delighted with their finish if it plays out like this, but clearly others will be horrified with how they are expected to fall off the pace come May.
But predictions are a reflection on the season so far, and absolutely nothing more, and in most cases the next fixture will more than firm things up as with a maximum of three games left that’s the end of the predictions for this season.
