Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield Town on the rise as Barnsley and Doncaster Rovers head towards drop – Power Rankings

Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United and Huddersfield Town are flexing their muscles and showing a strong jaw, but it’s a tale of woe at the bottom where several are disintegrating.

Barnsley and Doncaster Rovers are destined for the drop and Rotherham United and Middlesbrough are enduring fraught form at the worst possible time, while Harrogate Town and Bradford City probably can’t wait for the season to end. Here are the current standings ...

1) Sheffield Wednesday DWWDWW: The only side in the top four divisions to have registered a half century of home points so far this term and the impressive statistics don’t stop there.

Since January 2, Wednesday have won 13 of their last 19 league games and if it wasn’t for a couple of draws, they would have a very strong chance of finishing in the top two of League One instead of an outside one, with Darren Moore’s side probably being destined for the play-offs. But you never know.

Work still to do though for the Owls, who face a big game at Wycombe on Saturday.

Wednesday are the current form side in the division over the past six matches along with Sunderland.

2) Leeds United LLWWDW: Have picked the best possible opportunity to embark on their best run of form during a difficult second season back in the big time.

In a period of key games, Leeds have delivered with 10 points from the last 12 available to provide themselves with some valuable respite towards the wrong end of the Premier League.

It is useful insurance with games against Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea following Monday’s game at Crystal Palace.

Leeds - ranked an impressive sixth in the top tier’s latest six-match form guide - are holding their nerve. One last push.

3) Huddersfield Town LLWWDW: Questions were being asked after a dodgy run of form before the last international break.

All good sides with strong characters and united dressing rooms react and Town certainly have in impressive fashion, taking seven points from nine in key encounters against three sides around them in the play-off reckoning in Luton Town, QPR and Middlesbrough.

The Terriers, who have lost just twice in the league since November 27, can secure play-off qualification with victory over Barnsley on Friday.

Town are ranked eighth in the Championship’s latest six-match form guide.

4) Hull City WLLWWL: The phrase of choice was ‘Hallelujah’ on Saturday when City ended a grim and embarrassing six-match losing sequence at home with victory over Cardiff.

The Tigers may have lost at play-off chasing Millwall two days later, but recent wins over the Bluebirds and Boro have at least brought a few smiles back to faces as they seek to end the season with a modicum of encouragement before a big summer.

Two of City’s final three Championship matches are on home soil, starting with Reading this weekend.

5) Sheffield United WLWDLD: Having a bit of a wobble, but should be consoled by the fact that so are several other play-off aspirants, with the Blades’ still resident in the top six despite three Championship games without a win.

United, who have won just once in their past five matches, have two of their final three second-tier fixtures at Bramall Lane in 2021-22 where they have been strong since the appointment of Paul Heckingbottom.

They welcome Cardiff on Saturday.

6) Rotherham United LWLLWL: A long and pretty successful campaign is starting to catch up with Rotherham United.

Their fates, mercifully, are still in their own hands in their quest for automatic promotion and to avoid the League One play-offs, but it has become oh-so-tense following four defeats in their past five league games.

A huge game beckons at home to Oxford on Saturday followed by another huge one at Sunderland three days later.

Can the Millers - 19th in League One’s latest six-match form guide - hold their nerve when it truly matters amid their worst run of the season?

7) Doncaster Rovers DLLWLD: Down and almost certainly out.

Rovers’ awful goal difference means that they are pretty much relegated to League Two, barring the inevitable mathematical confirmation. That will arrive on Saturday.

In truth, it’s a minor miracle that Doncaster’s fate was not sealed earlier after a wretched run of one win in nine League Two matches.

Rovers, who have lost 10 home games since Christmas, are ranked 20th in the division’s form guide over the past six games.

8) Middlesbrough LWLLDL: Untimely injury? Check. Key suspension? Check. Difficulties to score goals and create chances? Check. An off-the-field hullabaloo they could do without? Check.

Those factors have derailed Boro’s Championship playoff quest when it was looking so positive just over a fortnight ago.

Boro still have a sniff, but a painful Easter Monday loss to Huddersfield represented a major psychological blow with the speculation over Chris Wilder’s future amid strong links to the vacant Burnley job - which is not going away - compounding matters and being something that they really could do without.

Boro have won just three of their last 10 league matches and have lost three on the spin at the Riverside without scoring a goal. Worrying.

9) Barnsley WLDLDL: As with Doncaster, the fat lady is clearing her throat and about to break into a relegation song.

Just like their South Yorkshire neighbours, Barnsley only have themselves to blame, ultimately.

Hope has been extinguished after a run of one victory in nine Championship games and the Reds will be relegated if they don’t win at Huddersfield on Friday.

Barnsley are ranked 22nd in the division’s latest six-match guide.

10) Bradford City LDLDDL: Without a win in six League Two matches, City are playing out the games before starting again in the summer.

Only relegated Scunthorpe have a worse home record in League Two than the Bantams, who incidentally welcome the Iron this weekend.

City are ranked 21st in the division’s current form guide over the last six matches.

11) Harrogate Town LWLLLL: On the crest of a slump and are having a torrid time of it in terms of injuries, form and results and like the Bantams, they will be keen for the season to end.

Town are on a run of four straight losses and have lost eight of their past ten League Two matches.

Simon Weaver’s side have not won at home since February 5 and will be grateful for small mercies in that they still have breathing space above the relegation positions.

Only Scunthorpe have conceded more League Two goals than the Sulphurites, who are ranked 22nd in the league’s latest form guide over six games.