EFL Final Day: All the games with everything to play for

Ryan Fitzgerald-Nolan
7 May 2021

A win would be enough for Derby and manager Wayne Rooney to avoid the drop

The fate of EFL sides will be sealed by the end of this weekend as the regular season of the 2020/21 campaign draws to a close.

(All odds sourced from Sky Bet and are correct at time of writing, subject to change).

Budding promotion hopefuls and anxious relegation contenders alike await eagerly to ensure their destiny to set up some exhilarating action up and down the country.

Three sides battle to avoid the drop in the Championship, while another three are in the fight for a place to go the other way up from the third tier.

Meanwhile the EFL League Two offers up some fascinating encounters, with all those between first and ninth in the league having a shot at playing League One football next term.

Here are the games to watch out for this weekend:

Sky Bet Championship - The race for survival (All kick-offs Saturday 8th May, 12.30pm):

Derby County (21st) vs Sheffield Wednesday (23rd)

The blockbuster fixture that will attract much attention, as Wayne Rooney's Derby County look to avoid the drop against fellow relegation candidates Sheffield Wednesday. Both sides were handed a massive boost when Rotherham drew away to Luton Town at Kenilworth Road in a goalless draw on Tuesday. A win for the Rams on Saturday secures safety but they will be relegated should Wednesday emerge victorious, as Darren Moore's outfit possess a better goal difference. Nevertheless, the Owls' fate doesn't lie in their own hands as even with a victory relegation is an option, should Rotherham walk away with three points from the Principality Stadium. One not to be missed.

Outright match odds: Derby 13/10, Sheffield Wednesday 21/10

Odds of survival: Derby 8/13 (favourite), Sheffield Wednesday 3/1

Cardiff (8th) vs Rotherham (22nd)

Joe Bennett's late header secured victory for the Bluebirds when on their travels to south Yorkshire last time out, but Rotherham will be desperate for a change in fortunes on the final day of the Championship. Cardiff's own fate has been sealed before a ball will be kicked this Saturday, with Mick McCarthy's side sitting 10 points adrift of the play-offs in 8th. Rotherham, sitting a place and two points behind Derby, simply need to win and hope Derby don't do the same as they host 23rd-placed Sheffield Wednesday.

Outright match odds: Cardiff 11/8, Rotherham 15/8

Odds of survival: Rotherham 10/3

Sky Bet League One - The three-way shootout for the final play-off place (All kick-offs Sunday 9th May, 12pm):

Portsmouth (6th) vs Accrington Stanley (13th)

It's advantage Pompey ahead of Sunday's midday kick-offs, who currently occupy the much coveted last play-off position in 6th. Also boasting a point more than nearest rivals Oxford, Danny Cowley's men will still require maximum points should Oxford match their points haul on Saturday as the Fratton Park side have an inferior goal difference to the U's.

Outright match odds: Portsmouth 8/15, Accrington Stanley 19/4

Odds of a top 6 finish: Portsmouth 2/5 (favourites)

Oxford United (7th) vs Burton Albion (16th)

Substitute Daniel Agyei nabbed a late winner against Shrewsbury in the penultimate round of fixtures to keep United in with a chance of promotion, coming back from a 2-1 deficit to eventually win 3-2. A draw could even be enough for Oxford with their aforementioned goal difference advantage over Portsmouth, nonetheless a win may not even take them to the play-offs. All results for the Yellows and their consequential potential progression are very much dependent on other teams above and below them, making the billing for Sunday scintillating viewing.

Outright match odds: Oxford 4/6, Burton 19/5

Odds of a top 6 finish: Oxford 5/2

Charlton Athletic (8th) vs Hull City (1st)

Late goals have been the order of the day in League One recently. Chuks Aneke's late header earned Athletic a point away to Accrington Stanley, preceding a routine 3-1 victory over Lincoln on Tuesday to keep the south London side in the conversation for play-off football in May. With the odds seemingly stacked against the Addicks, who are a point and two places behind Portsmouth and trail Oxford by a four-goal difference, they will welcome the League One champions Hull to The Valley. Hull, who secured the title last week, return to the Championship at the first time of asking and are unbeaten in their last 14 games.

Outright match odds: Charlton 6/5, Hull 21/10

Odds of a top 6 finish: Charlton 9/1

League Two - EVERYTHING to play for (All kick-offs Saturday 8th May, 3pm):

Title contenders:

Cheltenham Town (1st) vs Harrogate Town (16th)

Cambridge United (2nd) vs Grimsby Town (24th)

Both title contenders will fancy their chances, with the prospect of facing opposition in the bottom third of the table. With their status in England's third tier of football next season already secured, the Robins also hold a two-point cushion over Cambridge in their bid to win the League Two trophy for the first time, having twice been promoted from the division previously by the way of play-offs.

Match odds: Cheltenham Town 4/7, Harrogate Town 9/2

Cambridge United 1/2, Grimsby Town 11/2

Title odds: Cheltenham Town 1/3, Cambridge United 9/4

Automatic promotion chasers:

Crawley Town (12th) vs Bolton Wanderers (3rd)

Morecambe (4th) vs Bradford City (14th)

It's not mathematically impossible for Bolton to walk away as League Two champions this Saturday. What it will require, nonetheless, is both Cheltenham and Cambridge to lose and for the Wanderers to overcome the massive goal difference of 13 that currently separates them and Cheltenham. Hot on their tails are Morecambe in fourth, currently separated by a point as the Shrimps take on Bradford City in a slightly more favourable fixture. Crawley have taken nine points from their last 16 available, while Bradford haven't won in their last six games.

Match odds: Crawley Town 4/1, Bolton Wanderers 4/6

Morecambe 8/13, Bradford City 4/1

Automatic promotion odds: Cambridge 1/33, Bolton Wanderers 4/11, Morecambe 13/8

Play-off hopefuls:

Southend United (23rd) vs Newport County (5th)

Tranmere Rovers (6th) vs Colchester United (20th)

Oldham Athletic (18th) vs Forest Green Rovers (7th)

Exeter City (8th) vs Barrow (21st)

Salford City (9th) vs Leyton Orient (11th)

While not totally out of the woods yet, Newport and Tranmere are heavily tipped to make their play-off berth. The Welsh side have made strides to improve on their 14th placed finish before the season was abandoned in 2020, while the Merseyside outfit endeavour to return to League One after being relegated last season. The former of the sides are coming off an impressive victory over the champions-elect Cheltenham, and face an already relegated Southend this weekend. After beating their nearest divisional rivals in Tranmere last time out, Forest Green Rovers will look to once again capitalise on any slip up from Tranmere and leapfrog them away from a lingering Exeter and Salford City. Only two points separate the latter and Forest Green Rovers, but Salford will however perhaps have the more unenviable task of taking on a Leyton Orient side in closer proximity to themselves in league standings.

Match odds: Southend United 10/3, Newport County 17/20

Tranmere Rovers 4/6, Colchester United 17/4

Oldham Athletic 3/1, Forest Green Rovers 4/5

Exeter City 4/6, Barrow 17/4

Salford City 11/20, Leyton Orient 5/1

Odds of a top 7 finish: Newport County 1/25, Tranmere Rovers 1/25, Forest Green Rovers 8/11, Exeter City 11/8, Salford City 9/2