According to Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna and his Middlesbrough counterpart Kim Hellberg, the battle for the second automatic promotion spot in the Championship is set to unfold over the next 10 days.
After a thrilling 2-2 draw at Portman Road on Sunday, Ipswich has reclaimed second place, edging ahead of Millwall and holding a one-point lead over Southampton.
Crucially, Ipswich also possesses a game in hand against their rivals.
“We have three away matches in six days to close out the season, so it’s going to take a tremendous effort from everyone to potentially bring it back to Portman Road for the final game,” remarked McKenna.
This season has seen Ipswich struggle on the road, managing only eight victories from 20 away fixtures. Their upcoming matches include a visit to Charlton on Wednesday, followed by games against West Brom next Saturday and a pivotal showdown with fourth-placed Southampton on Tuesday, April 28.
“We have had periods of good away performances—such as winning against the league leaders—but we are aware that we have also let points slip against other teams,” added the Northern Irish manager.
“This season we’ve made significant progress, and to succeed in these three away games, we need to keep advancing.”
Ipswich has three away games remaining in their schedule. [BBC Sport/Getty Images]
Hellberg: We Must Win Our Next Two Matches
Middlesbrough’s manager Kim Hellberg emphasizes the need to win upcoming games. [BBC Sport/Getty Images]
Having been two points clear at the top of the Championship in mid-February, Middlesbrough now finds themselves three points away from the second position.
A streak of seven games without a win has left Hellberg’s squad on the fringes of the hunt for automatic promotion, trailing Ipswich, Millwall, and Southampton.
“We need to focus on winning our next two games to keep the possibility of automatic promotion alive or at least generate momentum heading into the playoffs,” he stated following the match against Ipswich, where his team had led 2-1 before conceding a late penalty to Jack Clarke.
“It’s frustrating because at 88 minutes we were competing with everyone else, but there are still chances to turn it around. We’ll see what happens in our next two games,” Hellberg added.
Since taking over on November 26 after Rob Edwards’ departure for Wolves, Hellberg enjoyed an unbeaten start but has since garnered only four points from a possible 21, shifting the team to chase instead of lead.
“We were very good early in the season, which raised the expectations for the top two spots—something nobody anticipated at the start of the campaign,” he reflected.
“While we had built a sense of confidence in our abilities, tough results have challenged us, and we’re just trying to stay level-headed.”
Millwall Fully Focused
Millwall aims for a strong finish; they have never been promoted to the Premier League since its inception in 1992. [BBC Sport/Getty Images]
After narrowly missing out on the playoffs last season, Millwall senses a unique opportunity to reach the top six, with an even larger prize looming with three matches left.
Victories over Southampton, Middlesbrough, and Hull City, along with two draws against Ipswich, have highlighted their potential. Coach Alex Neil remains optimistic that even if they fall short of securing second place, the team’s performance is encouraging.
“The outlook is very positive, considering our position and the upcoming matches,” he remarked.
“The only team that has won more matches than us this year is the title contender.”
Following a comprehensive win against QPR on Saturday, Millwall’s schedule includes a fixture against 17th-placed Stoke, as well as matches against Leicester and Oxford, who might be relegated by that point.
“I’ve told the players to maintain focus; we cannot control what happens around us,” Neil told BBC Radio London.
“Tuesday’s match against Stoke is our next target, and we must concentrate on our performance—nothing else matters.”
Southampton Emerging Force
Southampton is balancing league action with an FA Cup semi-final in their final stretch. [BBC Sport/Getty Images]
In mid-February, as Middlesbrough held the top spot, Southampton found themselves in 14th place, a staggering 18 points behind.
Since then, they have embarked on a 16-game unbeaten run, with 13 victories, which has propelled them to challenge for the second spot.
The nature of their recent performance, including a late win against Swansea, has only strengthened their case.
“Every club in the Championship will find facing Southampton daunting, both home and away,” opined former Saints player Jo Tessem.
“This is a serious challenge now. Just a couple of months ago, I doubted our playoff chances, but now we’re talking about direct promotion. Our focus must remain on winning each game.”
Having been relegated together with Ipswich last season, the impending clash at St Mary’s in ten days could prove pivotal in the promotion race.
With ten days determining the outcome of second place, will it end in a dramatic final day showdown?