EFL Tips | Gab Sutton

Sunderland kept themselves firmly in the thick of the Championship’s automatic promotion race on Monday night, overturning a 3-2 deficit to win 3-2 at Middlesbrough, their Play-Off chasing neighbours.

Visiting fans could have been forgiven for fearing that fielding Enzo Le Fée on the left wing, in the absence of Romaine Mundle and Tommy Watson, might be a hindrance for the Black Cats, but it’s been quite the opposite.

Le Fée produced a man-of-the-match performance, playing with a real swagger on the flank, showing great imagination with his technique to open the game up, and set up the winner, making it easy to see why he arrived on loan from Roma in January with rave reviews from across the continent.

Watford, meanwhile, are in freefall: the Pozzo family have long been reportedly set to sack popular head coach Tom Cleverley in favour of another manager, and whether it happens or not, there’s bound to have been a breakdown in trust – the Hornets have lost their last three.

After beating in-form promotion contenders Bradford 1-0 last weekend, AFC Wimbledon are now two points off the automatic promotion spots with a game in hand on third-placed Notts County, and two on second-placed Doncaster, who are four points better off.

Johnnie Jackson’s side are right in the mix, demonstrating a defensive efficiency that’s seen them concede just 20 goals in 27 league games this season, and only two in their last six.

Isaac Ogundere brings pace and strength in recovery to the backline, Joe Lewis is a brave, last-ditch defender in an industrious, tight-knit side, that now has the class of fit again Jake Reeves in midfield, and the creativity of Marcus Browne, who was poached as a free agent.

As such, the Dons should have what it takes to secure victory at 21st-placed Accrington Stanley, who have won one of their last four.

Sheffield United have given themselves fresh firepower, following the signing of Tom Cannon on a permanent deal from Leicester, after a successful first half of the season at Stoke.

As well as scoring nine goals in 22 for the Potters, including four in one game against Portsmouth back in October, Cannon also fired in eight goals in 20 for Preston North End in the second half of the 2022-23 campaign.

Despite having accumulated the joint-highest points return in the Championship this season (they’re two points off leaders Leeds because of a two-point deduction), the Blades haven’t really had a potent marksman just yet, with Kieffer Moore scoring five goals in 20 appearances; Tyrese Campbell has six goals to his name but is often preferred off the bench.

With Cannon arriving, United should become even more productive in the final third, and away strugglers Pompey won’t be pleased to see the 22-year-old line-up against them once again.

With 37 and 38 points already accumulated, from 10 fewer games respectively, Fleetwood and Cheltenham have already put plenty of distance between themselves and the bottom two, while a Play-Off push seems fanciful.

As such, neither side has a huge amount to lose, which could lead to an open, entertaining encounter on the Fylde coast.

Pete Wild has already got his high-pressing methods across at Highbury, where the Trawlermen have scored in each of the Royton-born boss’ eight games in charge.

The visitors, on the other hand, have seen both teams score in 18 (64%) of their 28 league games with, in Ethon Archer, Jordan Thomas and George Miller, forwards who can cause problems.

The fact Shrewsbury Town are still 23rd, seven points adrift of safety, even with the significant turnaround in club morale, performances, and results under Gareth Ainsworth, shows just how important that was.

The Shrews had taken eight points from their first 15 league games, and had that 0.53 PPG return continued, they’d currently be on 15 points – the same number of points as they would be adrift.

Instead, Salop have accrued 15 points from 14 games – nothing revolutionary but tangible improvement all the same – with victories over big-spenders Birmingham and rivals Wrexham, which have given the Shropshire outfit a fighting chance.

And, given that Gareth Ainsworth is consistently proven to build teams that can perform well above the sum of their collective parts, it’s not unthinkable that they could win at midtable Rotherham, who have lost two of their last three.

* Odds correct at the time of writing. 18+ only. GambleAware.