It's crunch time in the Championship. With less than a fortnight of the Championship season remaining, incredibly eight teams are still involved in the play-off race - including Sunderland.
And as we enter the finishing straight, Tony Mowbray's side is sitting in a play-off spot after last weekend's victory at top six rivals West Bromwich Albion. It has been a dramatic week already, with Burnley clinching the Championship crown with a win at Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday and then Sheffield United making sure of second place - and the second automatic promotion berth - on Wednesday night with a win against West Brom.
Luton Town and Middlesbrough are already guaranteed two of the four play-off places, leaving the rest of the chasing pack to scrap it out for the final two places. Every team between fifth place and 12th is still in the mix and there are bound to be twists and turns, particularly with so many of the sides involved playing each other during the run-in.
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But here James Hunter takes a look at the run-in and how it could play out.
5th Coventry City
Points: 66 Goal difference: +10
Fixtures: Birmingham City (h), Middlesbrough (a)
Form: WDWDDLWD
Mark Robins' Coventry are in the box seat in the play-off race, with a point advantage over their nearest rivals, the joint-best goal difference, and opponents in their last two fixtures who have little to play for. However ... Birmingham may be safe from relegation but local pride will be at stake when they meet at the CBS Arena this weekend, so there is little chance of the Blues rolling over.
Their last-day fixture at Middlesbrough is against a side already assured of a top six place and looking ahead to those games, but Michael Carrick's side will want to end the season with a win to keep confidence high going into the play-offs.
6th Sunderland
Points: 65. Goal difference: +10
Fixtures: Watford (h), Preston North End (a)
Form: WDWWDDDL
Sunderland's season continues to surpass all expectations and they could follow last season's play-off promotion from League One with another appearance in the play-offs this term in the Championship. Mowbray's team is one of three teams locked on 65 points, but their goal difference edges them ahead of Millwall and is far superior to that of Blackburn.
A win at home against Chris Wilder's out-of-form Watford - whose play-off hopes died last weekend with a defeat at Hull City - this weekend would be a massive step towards booking one of those top six places. And, regardless of results this weekend, the odds are that they will go to play-off rivals Preston on the last day still in with a chance.
7th Millwall
Points: 65. Goal difference: +7
Fixtures: Blackpool (a), Blackburn Rovers (h)
Form: LLWLDDLW
Back-to-back defeats against Birmingham and basement side Wigan Athletic have proved a big setback for Gary Rowett's Millwall, with the Lions dropping out of the play-off places. They are right on Sunderland's heels, however, and they will be favourites to beat Blackpool this weekend to keep the pressure on. That said, Blackpool know they cannot afford to lose if they are to keep alive their slim hopes of avoiding relegation.
But they then have a tricky final day fixture against Blackburn, which could be an all-or-nothing game where only the winner has a chance of making the play-offs.
8th Blackburn Rovers
Points: 65. Goal difference: -3
Fixtures: Luton Town (h), Millwall (a)
Form: LDDDDLLL
Blackburn looked on course for a play-off place not long ago, but Jon-Dahl Tomasson's team has had a miserable time of it lately, picking up just four points out of a possible 24. They had a game in hand of most of their top six rivals but, after losing to neighbours Burnley this week, that has now gone.
Blackburn have two tough fixtures to round off the season but will hope that Luton minds are already on the play-offs this weekend. Even then, a trip to The Den to face Millwall on the last day for a game that could decide both club's play-off ambitions is no-one's idea of an easy game.
9th West Bromwich Albion
Points: 63. Goal difference: +6
Fixtures: Norwich City (h), Swansea City (a)
Form: LLWWDLDD
West Brom have stuttered at just the wrong moment.
Their defeat against Sunderland last weekend saw them lose their long unbeaten home record, and saw the Black Cats leapfrog them and move into the top six. They still had a game in hand, though, but that was used up this week when they lost to Sheffield United.
They face a tough run-in against two of their play-off rivals, and Carlos Corberan's side are in danger of falling short. Norwich have ground to make up and to have any realistic chance of forcing their way into the picture, they need to win at The Hawthorns, and then on the last day they go to Swansea who are the form team in the division at the moment and on a play-off charge.
10th Preston North End
Points: 63. Goal difference: -8
Fixtures: Sheffield United (a), Sunderland (h)
Form: DLLWWWLW
Ryan Lowe's Preston are level on points with West Brom, but with a vastly inferior goal difference. They were going well until recently, but have now picked up just a single point from a possible nine.
They visit Sheffield United this weekend and will be hoping the Blades have a promotion hangover after making sure of second place this week, although Bramall Lane is never an easy place to go and a defeat could leave them with nothing to play for on the final day, depending on how other results go. Sunderland are the visitors on the last day and, if Preston are still in with a chance, that could be a fascinating game at Deepdale.
11th Norwich City
Points: 62. Goal difference: +5
Fixtures: West Bromwich Albion (a), Blackpool (h)
Form: LDLDWLDD
Norwich have dropped off the pace and, while they are still in with a chance, David Wagner will likely need two wins and other results to go his way. This weekend's game against West Brom will be crucial - anything less than a win will probably kill off the Canaries' chances.
If they beat the Baggies they will go to Blackpool confident that they can win at Bloomfield Road on the last day, but will it be enough?
12th Swansea City
Points: 62. Goal difference: +3
Fixtures: Hull City (a), West Bromwich Albion (h)
Form: WWWWDWWL
Swansea are on a great run and, if there were still five, or even three or four, games to go, they would be serious contenders. The worry for Russell Martin and his team is that they may have left it just too late to make up ground on the teams above them.
It is hard to see Hull slowing them down this weekend, and that might mean they go into the final day needing to win and several other results to go their way.
Predict the final table
Where will Sunderland finish? Use our tool below to predict the final two games of the season - and produce a final league table.
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