Peterborough United can clinch a top-six finish

The average points total of the team finishing sixth in League One over the last decade is 74. Posh now have 55 so 19 points short of the average target.

Our look at the remaining matches of the current top 10 suggests 74 points could be enough this season.

Here is the Peterborough Telegraph’s prediction of how all the promotion contenders can expect to fare in the last two months of the season.

LUTON TOWN

Current points: 75

Current position: 1st

Remaining games: 11

Plymouth (a) L

Bradford (a) D

Gillingham (h) W

Doncaster (h) W

Bristol R (a) W

Blackpool (h) W

Charlton (a) D

Accrington (a) D

AFC Wimbledon (h) W

Burton (a) D

Oxford (h) W

Predicted points: 97

Predicted finish: 1st

Summary: Luton haven’t lost in League One since October 13 so they will surely get beaten before the end of the season? They look too strong at home so maybe an away game at a struggling team fighting for their lives, or one at promotion contenders Charlton, will be where they slip up.

It won’t stop them winning the title though.

BARNSLEY

Current points: 70

Current position: 2nd

Remaining games: 11

Accrington (h) W

Sunderland (h) D

Doncaster (a) D

Walsall (a) W

Coventry (h) W

Burton (a) D

Fleetwood (h) W

Shrewsbury (h) W

Plymouth (a) L

Blackpool (h) W

Bristol R (a) W

Predicted points: 94

Predicted finish: 2nd

Summary: It’s going to be tight between Barnsley and Sunderland for second place and it might even come down to goal difference. The game between the two later this month could be decisive and Barnsley follow that with a South Yorkshire derby at Doncaster. After that it looks to be plain sailing for the Tykes.

Barnsley need to keep star striker Kieffer Moore fit to have any chance of holding off Sunderland.

SUNDERLAND

Current points: 68

Current position: 3rd

Remaining games: 12

Wycombe (a) D

Barnsley (a) D

Walsall (h) W

Fleetwood (a) D

Burton (h) W

Accrington (a) W

Rochdale (a) W

Coventry (h) W

Doncaster (h) W

Posh (a) D

Portsmouth (h) W

Southend (a) D

Predicted points: 94

Predicted finish: 3rd

Summary: Sunderland should really have walked this division with the help of Premier League parachute payments, but they’ve drawn far too many matches.

They have some tough-looking games towards the end of the season including an Easter Monday game at Posh which is followed by a match with Pompey at the Stadium of Light. The race for automatic promotion looks set to go down to the wire.

PORTSMOUTH

Current points: 65

Current position: 4th

Remaining games: 11

Charlton (a) D

Walsall (a) W

Scunthorpe (h) W

Shrewsbury (a) W

Posh (h) W

Wycombe (a) D

Rochdale (h) W

Burton (a) D

Coventry (h) W

Sunderland (a) L

Accrington (h) W

Predicted points: 89

Predicted finish: 4th

Summary: Pompey have endured a rocky spell for most of 2019, but their remaining fixtures look easier than most. They should have booked their play-off spot by the time they take on Sunderland and Posh.

CHARLTON ATHLETIC

Current points: 60

Current position: 5th

Remaining games: 11

Portsmouth (h) D

Burton (h) W

Bristol R (a) D

Wycombe (a) L

Bradford C (h) W

Plymouth (a) L

Luton (h) D

Oxford (a) L

Scunthorpe (h) W

Gillingham (a) D

Rochdale (h) W

Predicted points: 76

Predicted finish: 5th

Summary: Charlton’s current five-point buffer to seventh-place should keep them ahead of Posh and the rest of the chasing pack. The Londoners’ remaining fixtures don’t look too scary apart from a home date with Luton.

DONCASTER ROVERS

Current points: 55

Current position: 6th

Remaining games: 12

AFC Wimbledon (a) W

Blackpool (a) D

Barnsley (h) D

Luton (a) L

Bristol R (h) W

Walsall (h) W

Bradford C (a) L

Plymouth (h) D

Sunderland (a) L

Accrington (h) W

Oxford (a) L

Coventry (h) W

Predicted points: 73

Predicted finish: 7th

Summary: Donny have shown frailty in recent weeks and their squad depth isn’t great. They still have the current top three to play which could mean they just miss out despite their strong goal difference .

POSH

Current points: 55

Current position: 7th

Remaining games: 11

Bradford C (a) L

AFC Wimbledon (a) W

Coventry (h) W

Southend (h) W

Portsmouth (a) L

Gillingham (h) W

Blackpool (a) D

Fleetwood (a) L

Sunderland (h) D

Walsall (a) W

Burton (h) W

Predicted points: 75

Predicted finish: 6th

Summary: If Posh had any sort of confidence when playing at the ABAX Stadium you’d fancy them to win all their remaining home games with the exception of Sunderland’s late season visit.

Away games within six days at Blackpool and Fleetwood could be crucial, but a strong finish to March could see Posh in decent shape. Should squeeze into the top six.

BLACKPOOL

Current points: 51

Current position: 8th

Remaining games: 11

Southend (h) D

Doncaster (h) D

Burton (a) D

Bradford C (a) L

Plymouth (h) D

Luton (a) L

Posh (h) D

Scunthorpe (a) L

Fleetwood (h) D

Barnsley (a) L

Gillingham (h) W

Predicted points: 60

Predicted finish: 10th

Summary: The Seasiders look to have the toughest run-in of anyone in the top 10. They could well drop into the bottom half by the end of the season.

COVENTRY CITY

Current points: 50

Current position: 9th

Remaining games: 11

Burton (h) W

Fleetwood (h) D

Posh (a) L

Oxford (h) D

Barnsley (a) L

Bristol R (h) W

Sunderland (a) L

Bradford C (h) W

Portsmouth (a) L

Shrewsbury (h) D

Doncaster (a) L

Predicted points: 62

Predicted finish:9th

Summary: Coventry’s young side have over-achieved this season and they also look to have too many tricky fixtures left to have a chance of finishing in a play-off place.

FLEETWOOD

Current points: 49

Current position: 10th

Remaining games: 11

Walsall (a) D

Coventry (a) D

Plymouth (h) W

Sunderland (h) D

Accrington (a) W

Southend (h) W

Barnsley (a) L

Posh (h) W

Blackpool (a) D

Bristol R (h) W

Wycombe (a) L

Predicted points: 68

Predicted finish: 8th

Summary: Fleetwood have plodded along in the top half of the table without threatening the top six, but they will have been encouraged by some indifferent results by Charlton, Doncaster and Posh.

Their run-in looks too tough though including as it does matches against Barnsley, Sunderland and Posh as well as a big derby against Blackpool.

CURRENT LEAGUE ONE TABLE

(Top 10)

P Pts

1 Luton 35 75

2 Barnsley 35 70

3 Sunderland 34 68

4 Portsmouth 35 65

5 Charlton 35 60

6 Doncaster 34 55

7 POSH 35 55

8 Blackpool 35 51

9 Coventry 35 50

10 Fleetwood 35 49

PREDICTED FINAL TABLE

(Top 10)

P Pts

1 Luton 46 97

2 Barnsley 46 94

3 Sunderland 46 94

4 Portsmouth 46 89

5 Charlton 46 76

6 POSH 46 75

7 Doncaster 46 73

8 Fleetwood 46 68

9 Coventry 46 62

10 Blackpool 46 60