Southampton, Wrexham and Derby County's fixture run-in compared | OneFootball

How Southampton, Wrexham AFC, and Derby County's fixture run-ins stack up, as the play-off race heats up in the Championship.

How Southampton, Wrexham AFC, and Derby County's fixture run-ins compare, as the three sides compete for the final spot in the Championship play-offs.

From next season onward, finishing eighth will be enough to see you finish in the play-offs in the second tier, but until these changes take effect, a top six finish is still required to earn a chance of promotion to the Premier League under the Wembley arch.

Southampton and Derby currently find themselves in hot pursuit of sixth-place Wrexham for the final play-off spot, with the Red Dragons looking to become the first team in English football history to secure four consecutive promotions.

As we now enter the business end of the season, time is running out for the Rams and the Saints to deny the Welsh club a shot at history, with less than ten games left to play for all three clubs.

With the race for the final play-off spot heating up, Football League World decided to look at which of the three contenders has the most favourable run-in, and what the table may look like when all is said and done.

Wrexham face tough test from top two in their final two games

Starting off with the team currently occupying sixth place, Wrexham, who have been somewhat of a surprise package this season, despite their big spending in comparison to the rest of the division.

Phil Parkinson's side sit just three points ahead of both Southampton and Derby with eight matches left to play, but still have plenty of work to do to secure a spot in the play-offs, and gain what would be another historic promotion.

Following their 3-1 defeat to Watford on Tuesday evening, Wrexham head to Sheffield United on Saturday, before taking on relegation-threatened West Brom at the Hawthorns on April 3rd.

They make their return to the Racecourse Ground on Tuesday, April 7th, hosting play-off rivals Southampton, then travel to St Andrew @ Knighthead Park to face Birmingham City the following Sunday, April 12th.

Wrexham's final four games are at home to Stoke City (18th April), away to Oxford United (21st April), a trip to league leaders Coventry City (25th April), before they end the season at home to second-place Middlesbrough.

This run-in is certainly set to be a real test of Wrexham's mettle, as their opponents have an average of 1.44 points-per-game, and an average league position of 11.4.

Home comforts the key for Southampton

Southampton are set to take on Norwich City on Wednesday evening, in what could be a crucial game in their season, after Wrexham were defeated at Watford on Tuesday evening, meaning the Hampshire side can go level on points with the Red Dragons should they triumph over the Canaries.

Following their match against Norwich, the Saints have eight more opportunities to collect as many points as possible and knock the Red Dragons off their perch, starting with a visit from in-form Oxford on Saturday.

After they welcome Premier League leaders Arsenal to St Mary's in the FA Cup quarter-finals, Tonda Eckert's side then head to the Racecourse Ground on April 7th as previously mentioned, before hosting their other play-off competitors, Derby, just four days later, and a second trip to Wales in 11 days to face Swansea City on April 18th.

Their final four matches then see them play three consecutive home games, starting with Bristol City (21st April), which is followed by Blackburn Rovers (25th April), and promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town (28th April).

Then, on the final day of the season, the Saints travel to Deepdale to face struggling Preston North End, and they will hope by the time the final whistle goes, they have accumulated enough points to break into that top six threshold.

With the Hampshire side's remaining opponents boasting an average points-per-game of 1.38 and an average league position of 12.4, their run-in is no walk in the park, but with six of their last nine league games being at St Mary's, they will be looking to make the most of home advantage.

Derby County face most favourable final four

Derby find themselves as outsiders in the race for the final play-off spot, sitting three points behind Wrexham, and could also fall three points behind Southampton, should they beat Norwich on Wednesday evening.

All John Eustace's side can do is pick up as many points as they can, which allows them to control their own destiny, rather than worry about what other teams around them do.

Derby's final eight kicks off with the visit of Birmingham on Saturday, which is then followed up by a trip to league leaders Coventry when they return from the international break on April 3rd.

Stoke City then come to Pride Park on April 6th, before the Rams travel to St Mary's to face play-off rivals Southampton, which could prove to be a crucial clash in regard to the outcome of both teams' respective seasons.

Their final four sees Oxford visit Pride Park on April 18th, followed by consecutive away games at Norwich (21st April), and QPR (25th April), before they end the season in their own backyard on May 3rd, with Sheffield United coming to town.

On paper, the play-off outsiders face a difficult battle in their respective run-in to try and break into the top six, as their next eight opponents have an average of 1.41 points-per-game, and an average league position of 12, although three of their final four opponents currently reside in the bottom half of the Championship table.