Swansea started the Championship playoffs on Sunday with a statement in Wales, defeating promotion favorites Brentford 1-0, with Andre Ayew scoring after left back Rico Henry was sent off for Brentford. There are still four more matches to play before a third promoted side is determined, as two home-and-away ties will be contested before soccer's most valuable game, the Playoff Final, which is to be played Tuesday, August 4.
The other semifinal features two sides that were relegated from the Premier League last year, as London club Fulham faces Welsh side Cardiff City. This leaves the possibility for an all-London or all-Wales Playoff Final, both of which would be hotly contested.
Brentford is likely the promotion favorite, having led the league in goals scored and goal differential, and finishing just two points off of automatic promotion. The Bees also have the best record against the three other promotion candidates:
Fulham also look to pose a serious threat for promotion, as striker Aleksandar Mitrovic leads a high-spending Cottagers side that looks to return to the Premier League just a season after suffering relegation. It is worth noting that Brentford and Fulham (both with 81 points) finished eight and eleven points higher than Cardiff and Swansea, respectively, and it will be interesting to see if this gap holds true in the playoffs.
But remember, anything can happen in the EFL Championship.
Premier League Promotion Hopefuls:
Brentford: 3rd place (81 points)
Key Players: Said Benrahma (LW), Ollie Watkins (ST), Pontus Jansson (CB), Ethan Pinnock (CB)
Why the Bees will get promoted: BMW front three and key defensive signings
Brentford has the Championship version of Liverpool's "Big Three," as attackers Said Benrahma, Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins have accounted for 57 goals and 18 assists in the league. The BMW trio helped the Bees score a league high 80 goals this season and were a big reason the club won eight straight after play resumed.
The signings of center backs Pontus Jansson and Ethan Pinnock (from Leeds and Barnsley, respectively) helped the Bees concede 21 fewer goals this year, providing the defensive boost the team needed to become a Championship contender.
Why they won't get promoted: Youth and unfavorable history
Brentford manager Thomas Frank has put his trust in youth throughout the season, and the team was just a win away from automatic promotion. But a young Bees side lost its last two games of the season (a third if you count the Swansea match) in high pressure matches against inferior opposition. The club has not played in England's top flight since the 1946-47 season and has never achieved promotion through the playoffs, and the players will certainly be feeling the weight of those failures.
Fulham: 4th place (81 points)
Key Players: Aleksandar Mitrovic (ST), Tom Cairney (CM), Ivan Cavaleiro (LW), Joe Bryan (LB)
Why the Cottagers will get promoted: Proven goal-scorer and Premier League vengeance
Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic was the Championships's leading goal-scorer, netting 26, an ability which could prove decisive over a two-legged tie or final. He is one of numerous members of the club that experienced Premier League relegation last year, and will be hungry to be back in the top flight, where he scored 11 times. He is supplemented by the left-side of the Fulham team, where fullback Joe Bryan and winger Ivan Cavaleiro have combined for 14 assists (seven each).
Why they won't get promoted: Shaky backline and lack of a secondary goal-scorer
Tim Ream is not a Premier League-quality defender, and at times he's not a Championship quality defender either. The 32-year-old American has often been a weak-link in a backline that already isn't the strongest.
Fullbacks Joe Bryan and Dennis Odoi are quality players, but both are attack-minded and often get caught too far up the field. The lack of a goal-scorer outside of Mitrovic has also hurt the side, as the Cottagers have often outplayed their opponents but have been unable to finish off attacking opportunities.
Cardiff City: 5th place (73 points)
Key Players: Sean Morrison (CB), Joe Ralls (CDM/CM), Lee Tomlin (CAM), Joe Bennett (LB)
Why the Bluebirds will get promoted: Set piece prowess and offensive contributions from the backline
A classic Championship side, Cardiff has scored 23 goals this season from set pieces, more than any other team. Center back Sean Morrison leads a backline that has recorded nine goals and 13 assists. The Englishman demonstrates his aerial prowess in both penalty areas and has four goals and two assists of his own. Joe Ralls and Lee Tomlin provide quality dead-ball deliveries, with Tomlin tied for third in the league in assists.
Why they won't get promoted: Win-less versus playoff teams this season and lack of star power
Despite a fifth place finish, Cardiff has been unable to beat the big boys. The Bluebirds have just one win and four draws in ten matches against top six sides. On paper, the club simply doesn't have the big names or touted talents of other clubs, which could contribute to its lack of success against better sides.
Swansea City: 6th place (70 points)
Key Players: Andre Ayew (RW/ST), Matthew Grimes (CDM), Rhian Brewster (ST), Conor Gallagher (CAM)
Why the Swans will get promoted: Late-season momentum and Andre Ayew
Swansea lost much of its talent after Premier League relegation in 2018, but attacker Andre Ayew stayed with the Welsh side and was one of the Championship's best players this year. The Ghanaian tallied 16 goals and seven assists for the Swans, forming a dangerous attack trio with Premier League loanees Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) and Rhian Brewster (Liverpool). It's also worth noting that Swansea has won the second most points in this league after falling behind.
Why they won't get promoted: Lack of secondary goalscorers
Ayew and Brewster are both in double figures in the goals column, but the next leading scorer is 35-year-old Wayne Routledge with four goals. While Ayew is extremely talented, it is likely that the Swans will only go as far as their Ghanaian star can carry them.
