We’re set for an exciting final day of the Championship season
Ryan Giles will hope he can help City over the line at the weekend (Image: Sean Troup/Shutterstock)
April may have been a month to forget for Hull City and their supporters, but according to Opta, May will start in terrific fashion for the Tigers.
City have failed to win any of their six league games in the month, and that’s seen their position in the play-offs come under heavy pressure from Wrexham and Derby County.
In the past two games, the Tigers have collected just one point from trips to Leicester City and Charlton Athletic, and because of that, Sergej Jakirovic’s side have dropped out of the top six with just one game to play despite being in there for four months.
Champions Coventry City did at least do the Tigers a favour on Sunday by beating Wrexham 3-1, which sets up the final day beautifully.
Wrexham and City are tied on 70 points, with the Rams a point further back on 69, though their goal difference is superior to both their rivals, should it come down to that.
Despite sitting outside the top six and looking in, and boss Sergej Jakirovic is pessimistic, Opta still believe the Tigers will sneak in on the final day on goal difference ahead of Wrexham, who host Middlesbrough at The Racecourse. Derby face a Sheffield United side who have endured a poor campaign at Pride Park.
Their modelling has City leapfrogging Phil Parkinson’s side to finish sixth and make the end-of-season play-offs, with Derby coming in behind in eighth.
Ultimately, for City and their rivals, it will come down to what happens on the pitch at the weekend, and how they can hold their nerve and get the result they need.
A point would be enough for Wrexham as long as City and Derby do not win. Victory for City would be enough, provided they can overcome the goal difference which is one less than Parkinson’s outfit.
Derby need a positive result, and hope that the other two drop points. If either Wrexham or City claim maximum points, then their result becomes irrelevant.