Key Highlights
- The AI predicts Sheffield Wednesday, Oxford United, and Blackburn Rovers will be relegated at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
- West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City are also in danger but could avoid relegation with a better run of form.
- Sheffield Wednesday’s financial issues and poor form make them a likely candidate for relegation.
- Oxford United’s inability to score consistently is seen as their downfall, while Blackburn Rovers’ instability both on and off the pitch is highlighted.
The AI’s Prediction: Who Will Drop?
As we draw nearer to the end of the 2025-26 EFL Championship season, the relegation battle is heating up. According to an AI prediction, three clubs are set for a return to League One: Sheffield Wednesday, Oxford United, and Blackburn Rovers. Let’s dive into why these teams might be in trouble.
Sheffield Wednesday: A Financial Fiasco
Sheffield Wednesday remain rooted at the bottom of the table with -7 points. The AI cites their financial mess under Dejphon Chansiri as a primary reason for their likely relegation. The squad is decimated, and they haven’t scored in nine consecutive Championship matches. It’s a case of when, not if, Sheffield Wednesday will be relegated.
Oxford United: Struggling to Score
Oxford United are another team predicted for relegation by the AI. They’ve only managed three goals in six games under Matt Bloomfield. The pressure of avoiding defeat every week tightens up their players and destabilizes results between now and May.
Blackburn Rovers: Instability on All Fronts
The AI edges Blackburn Rovers to be relegated due to their instability both on and off the pitch. Their managerial search continues, and supporters have a fractured relationship with Venky’s due to lack of investment. On the field, they’ve won just one of their last ten Championship games, dropping points too easily after conceding the opening goal.
West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City: Relief at AI’s Prediction
Despite being in danger themselves, West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City will be relieved by the AI’s prediction. The Baggies have been well below-par this season under Ryan Mason and Eric Ramsay, with young managers leading inexperienced players. There is some optimism after Ramsay reverted to a four at the back system, which contributed to their first clean sheet in 11 league games.
Similarly, Leicester City are backed by AI to use their second-tier experience to survive despite their six-point deduction for breaching P&S rules and recent poor form.
They have players with Premier League or top-end Championship experience that can decide games, providing more technical quality than others around them in the bottom six.
Relegation to League One is a disaster for established top-flight outfits like West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City. The unpredictability of the Championship is part of its charm, but it only takes a collapse in form to see the table flip. Time will tell if AI’s prediction holds true as the season draws to a close.
