Race for the Premier League assessed: Who is in contention?

There is an enthralling race in progress for promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.

Fulham currently lead the way, with Bournemouth behind them in second, and Luton, Huddersfield, Sheffield United and Blackburn occupying the remaining top-six places. Up to seven teams below them will still believe they can make the cut, too.

Here, we assess the runners and riders, their form and their key remaining fixtures as they bid to break free of the Championship’s clutches and reach the Premier League…

The automatic promotion front-runners

Fulham

Position: 1st
Games played: 37
Points: 77
Sky Bet promotion odds: Currently suspended

Key fixtures: QPR (A) (April 2, 3pm), Middlesbrough (A) (April 5, 7.45pm), Bournemouth (A) (April 23, 3pm), Nottingham Forest (H) (April 26, 7.45pm), Luton (H) (April 30, 3pm), Sheffield United (A) (May 7, 12.30pm)

Bournemouth

Position: 2nd
Games played: 36
Points: 69
Sky Bet promotion odds: 1/12

Key fixtures: West Brom (A) (April 5, 8pm), Sheffield United (A) (April 9, 12.45pm), Middlesbrough (H) (April 15, 3pm), Fulham (H) (April 23, 3pm), Blackburn (A) (April 30, 3pm), Nottingham Forest (A) (May 3, 7pm), Millwall (H) (May 7, 12.30pm)

The congested play-off battle

Luton

Position: 3rd
Games played: 38
Points: 63
Sky Bet promotion odds: 6/1

Key fixtures: Millwall (H) (April 2, 3pm), Huddersfield (A) (April 9, 7.45pm), Nottingham Forest (H) (April 15, 12.30pm), Fulham (A) (April 30, 3pm)

Huddersfield

Position: 4th
Games played: 39
Points: 63
Sky Bet promotion odds: 8/1

Key fixtures: Luton (H) (April 11, 7.45pm),QPR (H) (April 15, 5.30pm), Middlesbrough (A) (April 18, 12.30pm)

Sheffield United

Position: 5th
Games played: 38
Points: 61
Sky Bet promotion odds: 9/4

Key fixtures: QPR (H) (April 5, 7.45pm), Bournemouth (H) (April 9, 12.45pm), QPR (A) (April 30, 3pm), Fulham (H) (May 7, 12.30pm)

Blackburn

Position: 6th
Games played: 39
Points: 61
Sky Bet promotion odds: 10/1

Key fixtures: Coventry (A) (April 2, 3pm), Bournemouth (H) (April 30, 3pm)

Middlesbrough

Position: 7th
Games played: 37
Points: 59
Sky Bet promotion odds: 10/3

Key fixtures: Fulham (A) (April 5, 7.45pm), Bournemouth (A) (April 15, 3pm), Huddersfield (H) (April 18, 12.30pm)

QPR

Position: 8th
Games played: 38
Points: 59
Sky Bet promotion odds: 28/1

Key fixtures: Fulham (H) (April 2, 3pm), Sheffield United (A) (April 5, 7.45pm), Huddersfield (A) (April 15, 5.30pm), Sheffield United (H) (April 30, 3pm)

Nottingham Forest

Position: 9th
Games played: 36
Points: 58
Sky Bet promotion odds: 4/1

Key fixtures: Luton (A) (April 15, 12.30pm), West Brom (H) (April 18, 8pm), Fulham (A) (April 26, 7.45pm), Bournemouth (A) (May 3, 7pm)

Millwall

Position: 10th
Games played: 38
Points: 57
Sky Bet promotion odds: 22/1

Key fixtures: Luton (A) (April 2, 3pm), Bournemouth (A) (May 7, 12.30pm)

The chasing pack

As we have come to expect, the list of contenders does not simply end there and, with less than 10 games to play, three more teams are a little further adrift but, by no means, out of the picture.

Coventry sit 11th on 55 points after 38 games (50/1 to be promoted), while West Brom (16/1) are a point and a place behind also after 38 games and even Blackpool (150/1)can still be factored in given that they are 13th on 52 points and with a potentially valuable game in hand, to boot.

Sky Bet Championship football returns on Friday April 1, following the final international break of the season. A gripping run-in will soon be upon us.