One of the most gruesome leagues in Europe, the English Championship kicks off on Friday with another batch of 24 hopefuls reaching for a place in the Premier League. Last season saw Newcastle take the league by storm and go back up right after relegation, but the season was not so cheerful for Aston Villa and Norwich who yet remain to entertain us.

Newly relegated Sunderland, Hull and Middlesbrough are likely to be in the mix for quick return to higher level, but it’s been proven that there’s no easy way through the 48 games – not to mention the promotion playoffs.

With Accuscore simulation engine, we too are able to take a look in the future and predict who will earn the spot with the big boys – and who will need to pack their things and relegate to dreaded FA League One down below.

All of AccuScore's Championship Picks

Here is how the simulations play out for the Championship season 2017/2018:

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According to Accuscore’s simulations, Middlesbrough is the team this year to take the crown by rather clear margin. They have staggering talent for this level, as many of their better players continue after a disappointing season up top. To go with that, additional £42M spent on the transfer market this summer assures quality throughout the squad, which makes M’boro the biggest favorites to win straight promotion.

Other promotion candidates include the usual names, with Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, Fulham and Wolves in contest. Aston Villa’s nightmare season last year was full of disappointments and the 13^th placed team looks to bounce back with youthful squad – led by Chelsea-legend John Terry. Relegated Hull City and Sunderland still seem to be in some kind of a turmoil and it would seem to take at least another year downstairs before they’re ready for another run with the elite.

At the bottom of the table there’s the B-side: Barnsley, Burton and Bolton. Barnsley’s feisty battle was enough to keep them up last year, but this time it seems that competition is just too much for shoestring budget teams. Same goes with Burton, who pulled one sort of magic trick last season by staying up with a one single point difference. Newly promoted Bolton still has time to get stronger, but with a free transfer acquisitions and League One level core it’s likely to be a hurried return to Football League.

Positive surprises:

Derby County, 2^nd with 89 points – Derby has been almost there for so many seasons, this time they just might hit the jackpot. With ultra-competitive top half of the league, battle-scarred Rams have all they need to win the promotion. And there’s still time (and money) to add some skill alongside experienced Tom Huddlestone and Curtis Davies. Look for Derby to surprise many, especially in the dark, cold January evenings.

Sheffield Wednesday, 3^rd with 87 points – Slowly but surely approaching their pinnacle under the rule of Carlos Carvalhal, the Owls were oh-so-close to promotion last season but narrowly lost it in the end. With minimal adjustments to make the team better, Wednesday poses a serious challenge for the bigger teams on top of the table. Acquisition of Jordan Rhodes and George Boyd, both with Premier League experience, should help the Owls to do even better this season – maybe even all the way upstairs!

Disappointments:

Sunderland, 14^th with 57 points – Things are not going well at Stadium of Light. Tumultuous season(s) in the Premier League proved costly and the team’s reputation seems to be in tatters – despite receiving hefty fee from selling top-notch keeper Jordan Pickford to Everton, it seems impossible to lure any quality players to the banks of Wear. They’re not a bad team, but neither are they good enough to challenge for promotion – which they should be instantly after relegation from the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest, 21^st with 44 points – Forest have been in a steady slide for the past few seasons, with all sorts of problems on and off the pitch. It doesn’t seem to get any easier, especially with no reinforcements in sight for already depleted squad. The one bright light in the darkness, 14-goal-scorer Britt Assombalonga was sold to M’boro – with no replacement so far. It doesn’t look good for Mark Warburton’s boys and they just might have to battle by the relegation zone.