Having faced all the contenders home and away this season, Nigel Clough says he cannot pick a winner in the League One play-offs, except that he does not think it will be Doncaster Rovers.
Sunderland, Portsmouth and Charlton Athletic were separated by thee points in the final league table, and now go into the play-offs to decide who will follow Luton Town and Barnsley into the Championship.
Ffith-placed Sunderland host Portsmouth on Saturday, with the return leg on Thursday. Charlton’s games against Doncaster – the first in South Yorkshire – take place the next day. The Wembley final is on May 26.
Clough, born in Sunderland to legendary Roker Park striker Brian, is loathe to predict the outcome.
“Having seen all the teams twice, I couldn’t pick one,” he told Derbyshire Live .
“I think Sunderland against Portsmouth will be fascinating, and ultimately you would say you’d fancy the winner of those.
“But Charlton are probably going into it in as good form as anybody, they are probably the form team.
“The only thing you’d expect is them over two games to beat Doncaster. After that, it could be anything.
“But then Donny might do it! It’s so up and down.”
Clough’s Burton Albion finished ninth in League One, ten points behind Doncaster.
Burton, who played Championship football against Sunderland in 2017-18, beat them at home and drew away this season, took a point off Portsmouth in October, and lost 2-1 home and away to Charlton.
The Black Cats’ 85 points is the highest for a fifth-placed side since 2014, when Preston North End had the same tally. No fifth-placed team has won more since three points for a win was introduced in 1981.
Charlton missed automatic promotion by three points.
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