City’s healthy gap has been reduced by six points in the past few days
Southampton boss Tonda Eckert celebrates the win over Norwich City(Image: Robin Jones/Getty Images)
Hull City have seen their nine-point cushion between themselves and seventh-place eroded in the space of less than a week, as the race for the Championship play-offs gathers pace.
After winning impressively at Wrexham last Tuesday night, Sergej Jakirovic’s men were sitting pretty in fifth with a healthy cushion to the chasing pack, but their awful display in losing 3-0 at West Brom on Saturday, coupled with Southampton’s fine win against leaders Coventry City, saw that gap cut to six.
Results this week have changed the picture again, with Derby County, Wrexham and Southampton all playing their games in hand on the Tigers, who have stuttered in recent weeks with three defeats in their last six.
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Derby kicked off the week with a 1-0 win away at Portsmouth to move six points behind the Tigers, having played the same number of games. Sammie Szmodics’ early goal was enough to claim a ninth away win of the season. Pompey, as they did against City a couple of weeks ago, had 20-odd shots from miles out, but never looked a threat, and the game was largely comfortable for John Eustace’s men.
Next up were Wrexham, who beat Swansea City on Friday night, before losing 3-1 at Watford on Tuesday and their troubles were compounded 24 hours later when Southampton battled to beat Norwich 1-0 at St Mary’s and move into the top six at the Welsh side’s expense.
Since losing at home to City, the Saints have gone unbeaten with eight wins and three draws in their 11 outings and now sit just three points behind the Tigers with both sides having played 38 of 46 games.
Everybody around City, aside from Ipswich Town, has now played 38 games, with the Tractor Boys playing their game in hand away at struggling Portsmouth on April 14.
After last weekend’s dismal display in the Black Country, Sergej Jakirovic will expect his side to respond against already relegated Sheffield Wednesday in a game he’s already described as must-win.
Here’s how the table looks after the midweek fixtures
And these are this weekend’s fixtures involving the teams around City in the promotion race
Blackburn Rovers vs Middlesbrough (12:30)
Derby County vs Birmingham City (12:30)
Ipswich Town vs Millwall (12:30)
Sheffield United vs Wrexham
Southampton vs Oxford United
Watford vs Leicester City
Swansea City vs Coventry City (17:15)
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