Division One hots up

By Paul Fletcher

HOW THEY STAND Norwich P32 63pts West Brom P32 60pts Wigan P32 54pts Ipswich P32 50pts West Ham P31 49pts Sheff Utd P31 49pts Sunderland P30 48pts Reading P31 48pts Millwall P31 47pts Palace P33 47pts Cardiff P32 46pts Preston P31 46pts Stoke P32 44pts Coventry P32 43pts

The race for the Premiership could well be over after the weekend's results left Arsenal seven points clear at the top of the table.

The situation could not be more different in Division One with a whole host of clubs still in with a shout of winning promotion.

Norwich and West Brom, the top two in the table, have a six-point lead over the chasing pack and must be a reasonable bet for automatic promotion.

But underneath an almighty scramble is gathering pace as the race for promotion moves into its final stretch.

Wigan, Ipswich, West Ham and Sheffield United currently occupy the four play-off places.

Whether they will be there come 9 May when the regular season ends is anyone's bet.

Snapping at their heels are a whole host of teams still believing a place in the Premiership might be theirs.

The stark fact is that although the eight teams beneath Sheffield United may have had mixed campaigns they are all within six points of the Blades.

Stoke had a troubled start to their season, winning just five and losing 11 of their first 21 league games.

But Tony Pulis' side held high-flying Wigan at the weekend and are now just five points off the play-offs.

The Potters may still have a negative goal difference and have lost as many games as they have won, but they cannot be discounted.

Coventry and Palace have also suffered managerial changes, but remain firmly in the hunt.

Crystal Palace are an even more remarkable illustration of why you should never give up hope in Division One.

Eagles chairman Simon Jordan sacked manager Steve Kember in November after a 5-0 thrashing at Wigan left his team languishing in 20th place.

Step forward Iain Dowie from Oldham and talk of relegation has now given way to a dream of Premiership football.

Going into Saturday's game at Derby, Palace had won five straight league games including a 5-1 win at Watford and a 6-3 thrashing of Stoke.

When Palace went 1-0 up at Pride Park another win seemed inevitable, but struggling Derby, battling for all their worth against the drop, bounced back to pull off a 2-1 win.

It is a perfect illustration of how Division One is so wonderfully unpredictable.

All the teams have played between 30 and 33 games, meaning that each club has at least 13 games left.

Dowie has transformed Palace

And despite the chronic inconsistency that characterises the division most managers are refusing to give up the ghost.

Preston lost 2-1 at home to Millwall on Saturday.

It was the club's third defeat in four games - the win in that sequence a 3-0 thrashing of high-flying West Brom.

Afterwards manager Craig Brown, no doubt aware that his team are still currently only three points off sixth place, remarked: "I am still optimistic about moving up into the top six."

The Lions, like Palace, have also changed manager this season.

Dennis Wise was given his chance after Mark McGhee was sacked, ironically after defeat to Preston in October.

The Lions ambled along after Wise's appointment but a good recent run of form - three wins and a draw in their last four games - has put them within two points of the play-off places.

The situation has left Wise plotting grand things.

"It's fantastic," remarked Wise. "We have got a great result which has pushed us up the table. Now we have two home games coming up and we do okay at home."

The Premiership might be sown up, Division One certainly isn't.

Norwich and West Brom are favourites for the top two spots but the situation is far from cut and dried.

And while they try to solidify their positions, the battle underneath promises a thrilling finale to the regular season.