Championship: Sunderland Lose Footing as Playoffs Get Closer - Odds Watch

It was quite a weird Championship match'day', starting on a Tuesday night. However, the league has gone as it normally does and given us a few shakes at the top and bottom of the division.

Sunderland Drop Slightly as Top Three All Win

We're going to start with the feature team here, Sunderland. The Black Cats have recently been putting together a bit of a title push, but we have to admit that this weekend's draw with Watford may put them a bit too far away.

Chances of them lifting the title were slim before, and the odds represented this, but we were looking at a second-place spot for value. Whilst it still may be possible, their draw has now left them five points adrift.

It is not impossible, but it will be difficult to claw back, especially considering there is a team above them also vying for that spot, but more on them later.

Let's go to the top, and who else would it be than Leeds United? The Whites marched on to another victory in this matchday, this time picking up three points against Frank Lampard's transformed Coventry side.

Going to the Ricoh is no easy feat, so picking up a 2-0 win is a huge result for an already impressive side, and they are showing why, once again, they deserve to be sitting top of the pile.

In second, Sheffield United are still mounting a fight for the title, and only sit two points away from their Yorkshire rivals. However, I must admit that I'm feeling slightly doubtful of Wilder's side.

Their win against Portsmouth was not the most convincing, and their results in recent months have not been as dominant as they may have been once upon a time, so I'd be tempted to look away from the Blades.

Burnley are definitely giving more of a reason to do so too, I must admit. A 1-0 win against Oxford could be put in the same category as Sheffield United's win, however, with an FA Cup tie to play at the weekend, a slightly more conservative performance was to be expected.

If they continue on the same path, and if Marcus Edwards can hit the ground running, they could be great value for money I must admit.

Leapfrog Central in the Playoffs

Six teams are hoping for a place in the promotion places at the end of the season and given we have covered four teams already, it is pointless to then cover the same teams in this area, so we're going to look at fourth and below.

It's been a bit of a Leapfrog zone in the Playoffs, and this week is no different, with West Brom reclaiming fifth after their win at the weekend against Sheffield Wednesday. I've said how much I'm wary of the Baggies under Mowbray, but a 96th-minute winner after conceding a 93rd-minute equaliser is the kind of spirit required in the playoffs.

Following them, Blackburn Rovers' defeat has left them vulnerable to dropping out of the playoffs, and perhaps the only reason why they have not is because Middlesbrough are yet to play their Matchday 31 fixture at the time of writing this post.

QPR, who beat Rovers, could be a team to watch for a top-six place in the next few weeks given they are only a few points away. However, my favourite outsider remains Coventry, despite the loss to Leeds.

What Is Going On at the Bottom?

At the bottom end of the division, things are equally as entertaining and at least from the outside, I can imagine it's quite horrible for the teams fighting down there currently.

Plymouth still sit bottom of the division, but they are worth mentioning because of their victory against Liverpool, perhaps this is a result that can kickstart their safety push, and with the rest of the division being how it is, it is not an outlandish thought.

A draw against Norwich is certainly not a bad result for Derby, especially at Carrow Road, and with the Rams hoping to appoint John Eustace, they could also rise very quickly in the next few weeks.

Portsmouth lost this weekend, which leaves them looking slightly vulnerable to teams below them, especially with games in hand.

Stoke City, Cardiff City, Hull and Luton all did not play this weekend, but with teams that did play failing to create a huge gap, things could get tight very quickly at the bottom of the division.