Sports

Who finishes second in Championship? Pundits, fans & managers have their say

Published

2 hours ago

May 1, 2026

Daniel, Ipswich fan: Surely we’ve got it in the bag. QPR are possibly the most ‘on the beach’ a team can be, I cannot see us not winning. Millwall and Boro have been outstanding this season, probably performed better than us, but unfortunately it seems like we’ve just edged it.

Andrew, Millwall fan: I hold out absolutely no hope whatsoever that QPR will do us a favour at Ipswich. QPR were on the beach when they played us and I’d expect something similar on Saturday.

Paul, Middlesbrough fan: We blew it a while back. Home games against weaker teams where we dropped points. Oxford and Pompey spring to mind. Those wins would’ve had us up.

James, Ipswich fan: I just have this uneasy feeling that Ipswich will lose against QPR whilst Boro and Millwall both win, thus putting Town in the play-offs where they will fall short. Hope to be proved wrong but Ipswich have a unique way of putting us through it!

Fozzie, Millwall fan: I hope Millwall finally get some last game luck – a win for Lions and draw for Ipswich. Having missed out on play-off places in recent years, we really need some good fortune.

If we don’t, we will look back at the home game against Blackburn as a major injustice. Very dodgy red card, which was overturned, strange refereeing decisions and three lost points. A good season could still turn out to be an amazing season.

Andy, Middlesbrough fan: I have to say that if you asked me eight months ago ‘Would Boro be in the play-offs?’ I’d have had your hand off! Retrospectively, I’d now say we have blown second place, but there’s a slim chance we can do it Saturday.

Proud to support the Boro, I feel we are the best team in the mix, just that spell without a win in seven killed us. I think Ipswich deserve second place on their recent form… But who knows.

Ian, Ipswich fan: If we play against QPR with the determination we showed v Saints we will be too strong for them. But if we fail we will not have the resistance to win the play-offs. Millwall will beat relegated Oxford and I fancy Wrexham to beat Boro.

Regardless, Saints look strong, they are the form team and will win the play-offs as they did two years ago.

Sports

Kai Havertz: What does the future hold for Arsenal’s Germany forward

Published

5 minutes ago

May 1, 2026

qasimgillani

Havertz has said that this season is not what he “expected it to be” and has been “stop and start”.

The 26-year-old also said earlier this campaign that it was a new experience going through a major injury and he “hasn’t really faced a challenge like this before”.

He looked disappointed by the latest setback when he was taken off after just 34 minutes of Saturday’s 1-0 win against Newcastle United.

The Gunners have been criticised for their attacking play this season and their reliance on set-piece goals.

Havertz is one of Arteta’s favourite players on and off the pitch and they have missed his ability to link play.

Since his return he has played as both a midfielder and a forward, and Arteta has missed having that versatility when Arsenal are trying to break sides down.

Havertz has three goals and one assist in five Champions League games this season and scored the winner in Arsenal‘s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting.

He has only started one game in Europe though, against Kairat Almaty in January, but came off at half-time as he built up match fitness.

Despite his availability issues, Havertz has five goals and four assists in 20 appearances, giving him a goal involvement of nearly one every two games which highlights how Arsenal miss him when unavailable.

But they have not been able to call on him nearly enough and Havertz has been restricted to just six starts in the Premier League.

As the season has progressed, there have been doubts about whether Gyokeres is the right fit for Arsenal, particularly against elite opposition.

When Havertz was fit, he started and scored against Manchester City, with Gyokeres on the bench in what was a glimpse at what would likely have been Arteta’s strategy for big games if the German was fit more often.

Havertz scored by pressing City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, and without his work-rate and intelligence for large parts of this season, the Arsenal attack has looked clunky at times.