Rotherham United lead the way as Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Huddersfield Town close the gap - Power Rankings

Huddersfield Town, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Doncaster Rovers have all made welcome upward moves ahead of the festive season. Here’s the latest, with form based over our club’s last six matches in all competitions.

1: Rotherham United DDWWWW (=) Reassuringly consistent, while some would go much further and say just one word - awesome. The Millers are unbeaten in 21 matches in all competitions, including 16 in the league. They are just two games shy of equalling the club’s longest ever unbeaten record at league level. They are top of League One’s form guide over the six, eight, ten and 12 games respectively. Truly outstanding. Bravo.

2: Sheffield United LDWWWW (+1) The Blades well and truly have their mojo back under Paul Heckingbottom. Ranked in second place in the Championship’s latest six-match form guide, United have won four league matches in a row for the first time since October 2018, with their latest victory coming in eye-catching fashion at high-flying Fulham - with play-off talk now rife.

Still a bit of a disparity in their season-wide form, it must be said. United’s away record is rated as the 4th best in the second-tier. On home soil, it’s a different story with their form being the 20th best. After a Boxing Day trip to Preston, the Blades face big Bramall Lane encounters with Hull and Chris Wilder’s Boro.

3: Middlesbrough DLWWDW (+4) Just like the Blades, Boro are flexing their top-six muscles at long last. Under Wilder, the Teessiders have lost just once in six games and claimed their most impressive scalp of the season last time out with a fine win over Bournemouth as they recorded a third successive clean sheet. Boro, who have taken ten points from the last 12, are ranked 6th in the Chamionship’s latest six-match guide. They welcome another form side in Forest in a big Boxing Day fixture.

4: Hull City WWWDDL (-2) Pretty fortunate to go down at the City Ground last weekend as the Tigers suffered their first loss in seven matches. Still, the wider picture is decidedly healthy - albeit with plenty of work still to do. City have taken 14 points from the last 21 available and are ranked at an impressive 5th in the Championship’s latest six-match form guide. Another test at home to a strong Blackburn Rovers side on December 26.

5: Sheffield Wednesday WWDLDW (-1) The Owls’ momentum, league-wise, was stymied by their Covid call-off versus Accrington. League-wise, their numbers have been much improved throughout the autumn. Unbeaten at league level since early October, Wednesday have not seen their colours lowered in 12 matches in League One. They are ranked as the fifth best side over the past six games in the division, according to the latest statistics.

6: Huddersfield Town WLLDDW (+2) Afforded the fillip of their first away win in eight matches last time out at Bristol City - a potentially timely moment in Town’s season which had been in danger of stalling a little. Ranked tenth in the Championship’s latest six-match guide, the Terriers - whose victory at Ashton Gate was their first three-pointer in five matches - welcome Blackpool on Boxing Day.

7: Harrogate Town DWLLLW (-1) League form has been a tad patchy of late, but the Sulphurites are going great guns on two fronts in knock-out competitions, with Simon Weaver’s side booking their place in the next stage of the Papa John’s Trophy by virtue of a midweek win at Tranmere.

League-wise, it’s not been as satisfactory with Town having lost their last three matches. Harrogate - whose away form is the fifth best in League Two, while their home statistics are ranked at a modest 18th - are inactive on Boxing Day with their derby at Bradford City postponed due to Covid.

8: Leeds United DWDLLL (-3) It promised to be a torrid run of fixtures against the division’s big-hitters and so it is emphatically proving. Excruciating losses to Arsenal and Manchester City mean that depleted Leeds go to Anfield on Boxing Day in hardly the best frame of mind. It might get worse before it gets better.

United, who have lost three successive league games for the first time under Marcelo Bielsa, then face successive home games with Burnley and Villa. Within the context of Leeds’s season, they look like being huge ones.

9: Doncaster Rovers LLLLLW (+2) Rovers’ priceless recent victory against Shrewsbury kept them in touch with their rivals above them, but they need much, much more if they are to get out of the relegation quicksand in League One. Ranked 19th in the division’s latest six-match form guide, Rovers have yet to win an away match so far this season and will be glad to see the back of 2021, that’s for sure.

10: Barnsley LLDDLD (-1) With just two league wins in 23 games this term, no victory on their travels and just 15 goals scored, it does not take a rocket scientist to deduce that Barnsley are in big, bug trouble at the foot of the Championship.

They are at least showing some defensive application under Poya Asbaghi, but the 36-year-old is yet to taste the sweet sensation of victory after five matches at the helm. The Reds, who are inactive on Boxing Day due to Covid issues at scheduled opponents Stoke, are ranked bottom in the division’s latest six-match guide.

11: Bradford City DLDLDD (-1) Winless in ten matches in all competitions, albeit with just two defeats along the way. Yet in anyone’s language, it’s been a very underwhelming late autumn and early winter for City, who have not won at league level since October 23.

The Bantams have drawn 11 of their 21 League Two matches thus far in 2021-22. They will be hoping for consistency of a much better variety in the second half of the campaign if they are to be among the division’s movers and shakers at the top end of the table.