The tension for three Championship teams within reach of automatic Premier League promotion on the season’s final day was high.
Supporters of all three clubs will not be sending thank you cards for the anxiety and palpitations, as West Bromwich Albion, Brentford, and Fulham all were level late in their final regular season matches in England’s second tier.
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Slaven Bilic and West Brom ultimately won the day by drawing QPR and seeing Brentford lose late at relegated Barnsley. Fulham also drew but would’ve finished behind the Baggies on goal differential.
THE BAGGIES ARE BACK IN THE @premierleague!!! 🎉🎉🎉 pic.twitter.com/poHF0yt8il
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) July 22, 2020
Brentford 1-2 Barnsley
West Brom 2-2 Queens Park Rangers
Wigan Athletic 1-1 Fulham
The Baggies got a gift from Barnsley but they won’t care as the Hawthorns will see Premier League football in 2020-21.
A win from Brentford over their relegated visitors would’ve been enough to ensure PL football thanks to West Brom’s 2-2 draw with QPR, but the Bees were never better than level on the day. Barnsley could still survive if Wigan loses 12 points for entering administration.
Fulham needed a win and losses from both West Brom and Brentford. They only got one and will have to settle for the fourth-seed in the playoffs.
Cardiff City 3-0 Hull City
Reading 1-4 Swansea City
Nottingham Forest 1-4 Stoke City
Swansea City and Cardiff City joined Nottingham Forest in knowing there were two playoff spots left for the three of them, and the Welsh rivals got their spots.
That means Brentford is the No. 3 seed, Fulham four, Cardiff five and Swansea six. That’s a lot of London and Wales.
Elsewhere
Luton Town is staying up after a remarkable run free of the bottom three thanks to a nail-biting defeat of Blackburn. Charlton was waxed by Leeds and could not escape relegation.
Leeds United 4-0 Charlton Athletic
Birmingham City 1-2 Derby County
Millwall 4-1 Huddersfield Town
Luton Town 3-2 Blackburn Rovers
