Any team hoping to finish in the top six will have a difficult task ahead of them if they want to beat Norwich City for the final play-off spot in the Championship, which appears to be a close race.
After the weekend’s games, the Canaries are presently three points ahead of Hull City and four ahead of Coventry City in the second tier, though both teams have a game coming up to close the difference.
Since the calendars changed to 2024, David Wagner’s team has improved; only Leeds United has more points this year than they have (37), and rivals Ipswich Town and their neighbours have both accumulated 27 points.
That kind of form is difficult to match, particularly with so many important games coming up quickly at the end of the season, and the Norfolk team doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
Norwich City 23/24 Championship season
The Canaries’ season got off to a great start this year, winning five of their first six games across all competitions. This gave them confidence to challenge for automatic promotion.
Those thoughts were put on hold when Wagner’s team went on to win just two of the next eleven Championship games, raising the possibility of another season of middling performance and demands for Wagner’s dismissal.
Though the German has overseen quite the transformation in the last three months to get his side back on track at the right end of the division, the Carrow Road hierarchy has been rewarded for their patience.
The team in green and yellow started to regain their form in the final weeks of 2023 after dropping as low as 17th in the table in early November. However, they really started to click from Christmas onwards.
Josh Sargent’s comeback to the starting lineup has been crucial to their ascent up the standings; his goal in last weekend’s 3-0 victory over Stoke City was his tenth in fifteen games following his injury recovery.
This season, City was rendered toothless in the final third due to the 24-year-old’s absence from the centre of the front line. It is no coincidence that his team’s stellar play has coincided with his comeback.
Since leaving Sao Paulo for Manchester United last summer, Gabriel Sara’s skill has always been clear, but as evidenced by his five goals in his last seven games—including a gorgeous volley against Rotherham United—the Brazilian has recently really found his game.
Hull has only accrued 19 points from their 12 games since New Year’s Eve, compared to Coventry’s 23 points against Norwich.
Mark Robins will have his work cut out for him keeping his team focused on two competitions so late in the season, as the Sky Blues’ FA Cup exploits this past weekend put them in their first semi-final since 1987. This could come back to haunt them later in the season.
Liam Rosenior’s Hull team has played themselves out of a playoff spot in recent weeks with four straight draws in the league. If they hope to make it into the end-of-season lottery, they will have to overcome some difficult opponents in the final stretch of the season.
Norwich City, Coventry City, Hull City Championship remaining fixtures
The Tigers will play the unstoppable Leeds United on Easter Monday after hosting relegation-threatened Stoke City on Good Friday. Daniel Farke’s team has not lost a league game since 2024.
They will soon be targeting Watford, QPR, Middlesbrough, Cardiff, and Coventry before facing off against them in the final three games, which could end one of their individual playoff hopes, if any.
Ipswich Town, a team chasing promotion, will be the final team to play at MKM Stadium before finishing the season away in Devon against Plymouth Argyle.
In addition to facing Manchester United in the FA Cup semifinal, Coventry’s final nine league games will see them take on three of the current top four teams: Leeds, Southampton, and Ipswich.
Before playing friendly matches against Sheffield Wednesday, Bristol City, Swansea, and Birmingham before the season ends, Norwich also has games against Leicester City and Ipswich Town.
When you combine that with their incredible form this year, it will be difficult to ignore the Canaries’ chances of finishing in the top six at the end of the season. Once they are in the mix, their unwavering form could give them the opportunity to win at Wembley.
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