This weekend has shown Derby County how even a small slip-up can be costly in the Championship.
The late defeat to Swansea ended a terrific four-game winning run for John Eustace’s side, and it has unfortunately come on a weekend where every other side in the bottom seven picked up at least a point.
It means, with six games to go, that Derby sit outside the relegation zone on goal difference alone, with 22nd-placed Cardiff now level on points after their draw at QPR.
It’s perhaps good news then that, even at this late stage of the season, there are lots of teams in the battle at the bottom.
Preston and Swansea, sitting seven points clear of the bottom three in 14th and 15th, are probably only one result away from safety, but the nine sides below that are definitely in the battle, QPR dragged back in with a seven-game winless run.
With more twists and turns to come, and some big fixtures on the horizon, here DerbyshireLive takes a look at the final six games and how they compare to their relegation rivals.
QPR – 16th – 46 points
April 9: Oxford United – A
April 12: Bristol City – H
April 18: Preston North End – A
April 21: Swansea City – H
April 26: Burnley – H
May 3: Sunderland – A
Average position of remaining opponents: 10th
Portsmouth – 17th – 45 points
April 9: Coventry City – A
April 12: Derby County – H
April 18: Norwich City – A
April 21: Watford – H
April 26: Sheffield Wednesday – A
May 3: Hull City – H
Average position of remaining opponents: 14th
Oxford United – 18th – 45 points
April 9: QPR – H
April 12: Sheffield Wednesday – A
April 18: Leeds United – H
April 21: Cardiff City – A
April 26: Sunderland – H
May 3: Swansea City – A
Average position of remaining opponents: 12th
Hull City – 19th – 44 points
April 8: Watford – A
April 14: Coventry City – H
April 18: Swansea City – A
April 21: Preston North End – H
April 26: Derby County – H
May 3: Portsmouth – A
Average position of remaining opponents: 14th
Stoke City – 20th – 43 points
April 8: Luton Town – H
April 12: Cardiff City – A
April 18: Sheffield Wednesday – H
April 21: Leeds United – A
April 25: Sheffield United – H
May 3: Derby County – A
Average position of remaining opponents: 14th
Derby County – 21st – 41 points
April 9: Burnley – H
April 12: Portsmouth – A
April 18: Luton Town – H
April 21: West Brom – A
April 26: Hull City – A
May 3: Stoke City – H
Average position of remaining opponents: 15th
Cardiff City – 22nd – 41 points
April 8: Preston North End – A
April 12: Stoke City – H
April 18: Sheffield United – A
April 21: Oxford United – H
April 26: West Brom – H
May 3: Norwich City – A
Average position of remaining opponents: 12th
Luton Town – 23rd – 39 points
April 8: Stoke City – A
April 12: Blackburn Rovers – H
April 18: Derby County – A
April 21: Bristol City – H
April 26: Coventry City – H
May 3: West Brom – A
Average position of remaining opponents: 12th
Plymouth Argyle – 24th – 37 points
April 9: Swansea City – A
April 12: Sheffield United – H
April 18: Middlesbrough – A
April 21: Coventry City – H
April 26: Preston North End – A
May 3: Leeds United – H
Average position of remaining opponents: 8th
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