Sheffield United's next six fixtures compared with Championship rivals as play-off race intensifies
Despite being 17th in the table with 15 games to go, Sheffield United should still have the belief a play-off finish is achievable.
The Championship play-off race has never felt closer.
Following the latest batch of fixtures, just eight points currently separate sixth-placed Wrexham and 17th-placed Sheffield United. Predicting who might extend their season by a minimum of two more matches is proving almost impossible.
United missed out on the opportunity to move within five points of the final play-off spot on Monday night, being edged out by title hopefuls Middlesbrough 2-1 at Bramall Lane. First half goals from Tommy Conway and Riley McGree put the visitors in charge before Patrick Bamford set up a tense finale with his eighth league goal in United colours.
Nevertheless, despite sitting 17th ahead of Saturday’s trip to Portsmouth, United should still have the belief a top six finish is achievable amid the current density of the league standings. Any one of the teams currently sitting between sixth and 17th will be believing bagging a play-off spot is achievable.
With mid-February almost upon us, The Star has had a close look at United’s next six league fixtures and those of their rivals who are also chasing down a play-off berth.
United - 17th (39pts)
- Portsmouth (A) - February 14
- Sheffield Wednesday (H) - February 22
- Coventry City (H) - February 25
- QPR (A) - February 28
- West Bromwich Albion (H) - March 7
- Norwich City (A) - March 10
Norwich City - 16th (39pts)
- Birmingham City (H) - February 21
- Sheffield Wednesday (H) - February 25
- Leicester City (A) - February 28
- Southampton (A) - March 7
- Sheffield United (H) - March 10
- Preston North End (H) - March 14
Swansea City - 15th (42pts)
- Derby County (A) - February 14
- Bristol City (H) - February 21
- Preston North End (H) - February 24
- Ipswich Town (A) - February 28
- Stoke City (H) - March 7
- Portsmouth (A) - March 10
Stoke City - 14th (43pts)
- Charlton Athletic (A) - February 11
- Leicester City (H) - February 21
- Oxford United (H) - February 25
- Coventry City (A) - February 28
- Swansea City (A) - March 7
- Ipswich Town (H) - March 10
QPR - 13th (44pts)
- Blackburn Rovers (H) - February 14
- Hull City (A) - February 21
- Southampton (A) - February 24
- Sheffield United (H) - February 28
- Middlesbrough (H) - March 8
- Birmingham City (A) - March 11
Watford - 12th (44pts)
- Preston North End (A) - February 14
- Derby County (H) - February 21
- Ipswich Town (H) - February 24
- Bristol City (A) - February 27
- Wrexham (H) - March 7
- Sheffield Wednesday (A) - March 10
Derby County - 11th (45pts)
- Swansea City (H) - February 14
- Watford (A) - February 21
- Hull City (A) - February 24
- Blackburn Rovers (H) - February 28
- Sheffield Wednesday (H) - March 7
- Millwall (A) - March 10
Birmingham City - 10th (46pts)
- Norwich City (A) - February 21
- Millwall (A) - February 25
- Middlesbrough (H) - March 2
- Charlton Athletic (A) - March 7
- QPR (H) - March 11
- Sheffield United (H) - March 14
Southampton - 9th (46pts)
- Charlton Athletic (H) - February 21
- QPR (H) - February 24
- Sheffield Wednesday (A) - February 28
- Norwich City (H) - March 7
- West Bromwich Albion (A) - March 11
- Coventry City (A) - March 14
Bristol City - 8th (46pts)
- Wrexham (H) - February 17
- Swansea City (A) - February 21
- Blackburn Rovers (A) - February 24
- Watford (H) - February 27
- Coventry City (H) - March 7
- Leicester City (A) - March 10
Preston North End - 7th (47pts)
- Watford (H) - February 14
- Blackburn Rovers (A) - February 20
- Swansea City (A) - February 24
- Millwall (H) - February 28
- Oxford United (H) - March 6
- Coventry City (A) - March 11
MORE: Opposition verdict offers Sheffield United encouragement after frustrating Middlesbrough setback
Wrexham - 6th (47pts)
- Bristol City (A) - February 17
- Ipswich Town (H) - February 21
- Portsmouth (H) - February 24
- Charlton Athletic (A) - February 28
- Watford (A) - March 7
- Hull City (H) - March 10
*All fixtures are subject to change.