'Anything can happen on brilliant final day'

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'Anything can happen on brilliant final day'

The BBC's 72+ EFL podcast team look forward to an absolutely brilliant final day of the Championship season with automatic promotion up for grabs.

'Anything can happen on brilliant final day'

The BBC's 72+ EFL podcast team look forward to an absolutely brilliant final day of the Championship season with automatic promotion up for grabs.

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It is set to be an "absolutely brilliant" final day of the Championship promotion race on which "anything can happen", according to the BBC's 72+ EFL podcast team.

Tuesday's dramatic 2-2 draw between Southampton and Ipswich has left Town, Millwall and Middlesbrough to fight it out for the second automatic promotion place in the 46th and final round of games on Saturday (12:30 BST).

Ipswich are in pole position, a point ahead of Millwall, with a goal difference advantage of +17 on the Lions, but with Boro a point further back. Town know they must beat QPR at Portman Road to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.

Middlesbrough are at Wrexham, who need to secure a play-off spot, while Millwall host already-relegated Oxford United.

"It was a brilliant game," said EFL pundit Jobi McAnuff.

"We have spoken all season about how open the Championship has been. Coventry have been by far and away the best team, worthy winners, but for it to go into the last Saturday [is fantastic].

"Millwall, the team that just won't go away, they're still hanging in there, Middlesbrough, the team off the back of really poor form but with a couple of good results of late, anything can happen, it's going to be absolutely brilliant on Saturday."

Despite extending their unbeaten league run to 18 games, Saints bowed out of the race, sitting four points behind Ipswich, and will need to win the play-offs if they are to secure their own top-flight return.

"It's been a fantastic run. Everyone from afar was hoping they'd get in there, It's Roy of the Rovers stuff," said Bristol Rovers boss Steve Evans.

"In fairness, probably the teams that have been more consistent and better over the course of the season, they're the ones who are going to fight the final day shootout."

Even though he believes Ipswich have been "underwhelming" this season, McAnuff said he expects the Tractor Boys to prevail.

He said: "I expect them to go and finish the job now at home. They have got through what was a tricky run of away games ,which has really been their Achilles heel.

"Big win at Charlton, [point at] West Brom on Saturday and follow up by getting a point at the form team [Southampton].

"I think Kieran McKenna would have taken that before - make sure they're going into the last game of the season very much in control.

"We associate McKenna and Ipswich with that all-out attacking free-flowing football, they haven't found that rhythm this season, they have been a bit underwhelming, I have to say, with the quality they have in their squad.

"I believe they will get over the line but with this squad that's the bare minimum they should be doing this season."

Evans fears for McKenna's future if he is unable to guide Ipswich back to the Premier League.

"If Ipswich turn up and play as they can at Portman Road they'll be in the Premier League," he said.

"If they drop to the play-offs and lose and Kieran McKenna doesn't lead them to the Premier League then he might not lead them anywhere, that's how ruthless football is."

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