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Sport
Tom Coleman

Cardiff City, Blackpool, Huddersfield Town and Wigan's relegation run-ins compared and who has upper hand

Cardiff City are in a much healthier position than a few weeks ago, but remain nervously looking over their shoulder as we approach the final few weeks of the season.

The appointment of Sabri Lamouchi has given the Bluebirds a fresh energy in recent weeks, and after several well-deserved wins, they have not only hauled themselves away from the relegation mire, but have also managed to open up a cushion between themselves and the trapdoor.

However, with 10 games to go, there's more than enough time for a few more twists and turns. After all, two former Cardiff bosses are still bidding to suck City back into the thick of things in order to save their own teams.

READ MORE: The points tally Cardiff City will likely need to avoid relegation

Each team in the relegation picture will subsequently be studying the fixture list to try to figure out where the precious points are going to come from.

Here's a quick run down of where things stand with each of them.

21. Cardiff City

Next 10 games:

West Brom (h)

Rotherham (a)

Swansea City (h)

Blackpool (a)

Sunderland (h)

Sheffield United (a)

Watford (a)

Stoke (h)

Huddersfield (h)

Burnley (a)

Cardiff boss Lamouchi says his side will ideally need four wins to ensure safety this season, and he's probably right.

Having opened up a six-point gap on the relegation zone, the Bluebirds clearly have some breathing space, but taking the foot off the gas would clearly be a mistake. West Brom at home promises to be a tricky assignment, but the visit of Swansea City on derby day has to be seen as an opportunity for points given the Swans' poor run of form at the moment.

The trips to Rotherham and relegation rivals Blackpool either side of that game could also prove crucial given the next three games are against teams pushing at the upper end of the table.

Stoke at home looks a winnable game, while the visit of Neil Warnock's Huddersfield looks potentially important for both sides.

Lamouchi certainly won't want to head to Burnley on the last day of the season needing three points, but if he can take a couple of wins out of the next four games, things will undoubtedly look more comfortable approaching the season's finish line.

22. Blackpool

QPR (h)

Coventry (h)

Preston (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Luton (a)

Wigan (h)

West Brom (h)

Birmingham (a)

Millwall (h)

Norwich City (a)

The Tangerines will be hoping a first win under Gareth Ainsworth is just a flash in the pan for QPR, whom they entertain at Bloomfield Road in midweek.

Should they fail to claim three points there, it's tricky to see where the next win is coming from. Coventry and Preston are tough propositions, and Cardiff may well have built up further daylight by the time they visit Lancashire.

Beating the Bluebirds is likely to be an absolute must for former City boss Mick McCarthy, who's just not managed to inspire a turnaround in fortunes, having overseen just one win in 10.

Even if they do triumph over the Welsh side, it might not be enough given the ground that will need to be made up.

The visit of bottom-of-the-table Wigan is another must-win game, while the trip to Birmingham City may be similarly decisive in defining their season. Certainly the last two games, against play-off contenders, seem an unlikely source of points.

It's difficult to see how the Tangerines will have enough.

23. Huddersfield Town

Norwich City (h)

Millwall (a)

Middlesbrough (h)

Watford (a)

Blackburn (h)

Swansea City (a)

Sunderland (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Cardiff City (a)

Reading (h)

Neil Warnock admitted after the 1-0 defeat to West Brom that his side currently had 'no chance' of staying up if they couldn't produce an upturn in form.

The Terriers simply cannot score at the moment, having drawn a blank in their last four games, and they've conceded nine goals in that time. The next four games look very, very tough for them, and the brief might well be to ensure they're not completely cut adrift by the time they play Swansea on April 15.

Warnock would love a result at old club Cardiff anyway, but it seems likely that the trip to the capital will be an absolute must-win for his side, provided they aren't out of the running already.

Reading at home on the final day seems a favourable end to the season, but there's every chance their fate will be sealed before then.

24. Wigan Athletic

Coventry (h)

Watford (a)

QPR (h)

Sheffield United (a)

Swansea City (h)

Blackpool (a)

Stoke (a)

Millwall (h)

Reading (a)

Rotherham (h)

The next two games look difficult for the Latics, but the visits of QPR, Swansea and Rotherham, as well as trips to Reading and Blackpool, are all arguably opportunities for points.

The problem, of course, is that Wigan are on a horrific run of form, having won just one of their last 15 games. It seems unlikely they'll spring any shocks on sides pushing at the top end of the table, but if they're still somehow in touching distance by the time they travel to Reading on April 29, they may well feel they have a chance of pulling off a great escape.

Indeed, many will feel they have the more favourable run-in out of the sides down there.

Whether they have to quality to take advantage remains to be seen. On current evidence, you'd imagine the answer to that is no.

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