The race to the Premier League is as competitive as ever in the Championship this season with eight or nine clubs in with a strong chance of picking up one of the places in the top-flight for the 2021/22 campaign.
We've taken a look at three teams who look well placed for promotion and how they might fare if they did reach the Premier League next season.
Norwich
Norwich know all about how tough the Premier League is. Last year they finished bottom of the standings after winning just five of their 38 matches. They will also see Sheffield United, who are as short as 1/16 in the Premier League odds for relegation, as an example of how difficult it can be if you get off to a bad start to a season.
The Canaries are likely to be much better prepared for another shot at the top-flight if they do gain promotion. They have had a fantastic campaign in the Championship where they look well-placed with just months to go.
Norwich have some excellent young players, with the pick of them being Todd Cantwell and Max Aarons who are getting better with every game. They look destined to play in the Premier League with or without Norwich.
Manager Daniel Farke will know he needs to add some quality in the right areas for them to compete next season. He will not have the biggest budget of the 20 teams if they get there, but with the help of one or two smart signings, they may just survive this time.
Brentford
A lot of credit must go to Brentford for the way they have bounced back from the disappointment of missing out on promotion last season. Not only were they in the top two at various stages at the back of the 2019/20 campaign, but they were also beaten by Fulham in the play-off final at Wembley.
The Bees also lost two of their stars back in the summer as Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma joined Aston Villa and Brentford respectively. Given the goals they lost from those players, the West London club have done well to win 11 of their opening 22 games this season.
You only have to look at Brentford's results in the EFL Cup this season to see how competitive they are likely to be if they make it to the top-flight. They managed to beat four Premier League clubs in that tournament, including Southampton, West Brom (penalties), Fulham and Newcastle before succumbing to Tottenham. Their squad looks ready now to perform well against the best teams in the country.
Bournemouth
When Eddie Howe departed Bournemouth last summer, it marked the end of an era on the south coast. In many ways though, there was very little change as Howe's assistant, Jason Tindall, picked up the reins, and that is proving to be a good move by the club.
The Cherries are third in the standings, just five points off leaders Norwich. A lot of the players in the squad have experience of playing in Premier League football, so not only should that help them in their push for promotion, but if they do get there, they will be familiar with the standard required.
In order to stay up, Bournemouth would most likely need investment otherwise they could suffer the same fate as last season. At least three or four players would be needed to give them a good chance next year.
It is going to be an exciting finish to the Championship campaign, and it would be no surprise if there were still things to play for on the final game of the season.
