Championship xG table: Where Sunderland, Burnley and Middlesbrough ‘should’ sit according to the experts - gallery

It would be all change at the top of the table if Championship sides had performed as their xG expect they should have.

With just eight matches remaining of the Championship season and still plenty to settle, fans will be carefully analysing the league table.

Play-off spots could still shift while relegation-threatened sides will be looking for an all-important win to drag one of the clubs teetering above them into a dogfight.

For Sunderland, a loss and a draw before the international break seems to have put to bed any hopes for a last-minute play-off push, but what if it has all been different for Tony Mowbray's side?

Below we look through the Championship table based on expected goal (xG), which allows a different look at performance. Experts believe that in a low-scoring game such as football, final match score does not provide a clear picture of performance.

Analysts say more and more sports analytics turn to advanced models like xG, which is a statistical measure of the quality of chances created and conceded.

The goal of xG was to create the most precise method for shot quality evaluation. Let's see which clubs have overperformed and which have underwhelmed in the Championship this season.

For Sunderland, a loss and a draw before the international break seems to have put to bed any hopes for a last-minute play-off push, but what if it has all been different for Tony Mowbray's side?

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