How Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Coventry and Luton are shaping up ahead of intriguing play-off semi-finals

The Championship play-offs get under way on Saturday – but what can we expect from the semi-final match-ups?

Sunderland will face Luton Town, with the first leg taking place at the Stadium of Light, while Middlesbrough will come up against Coventry to see who reaches this month’s final at Wembley.

We’ve taken a closer look at how each side is shaping up and what’s being said ahead of the upcoming fixtures.

MIDDLESBROUGH

FORM

Boro have gone off the boil a little in recent weeks after securing their play-off place, taking just one point from their last three games.

Before that they scored eight goals in two fixtures against Nowrich and Hull, highlighting the attacking firepower in Michael Carrick’s squad.

The Teessiders were 21st when Carrick took charge at the end of October but have won 18 of 32 league games since the appointment.

KEY PLAYERS

Chuba Akpom is the Championship’s top scorer with 28 league goals this season.

Fellow forward Cameron Archer has also scored 11 times for Boro this campaign, despite only joining the club on loan from Aston Villa in January.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

After drawing 1-1 against Coventry on the final day of the regular season, Carrick says there will be a different feeling when Boro face the Sky Blues in the play-offs.

“It’s just different isn’t it? I think naturally there will be a different feeling to the two games ahead, certainly in terms of the atmospheres we’ll play in front of.

“There is no hiding from that, it’s something we’ve got to relish. We’re in a privileged position and you’re fighting for something that’s worth achieving. So we’ll look forward to it."

COVENTRY

FORM

Despite a potentially damaging 4-0 defeat by Stoke at the start of April, Coventry then went on a seven-match unbeaten run to reach the play-offs.

In fact, that Stoke loss was only their third defeat since the turn of the year, with the Sky Blues recovering from a difficult start when they couldn’t play at home and ended up with a fixture backlog.

Mark Robins’ side have been strong at the back in recent weeks, conceding just five goals in their last seven matches.

KEY PLAYERS

Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres has scored 21 Championship goals this season and is the side’s obvious attacking threat.

Midfielder Gus Hamer has also been influential, contributing with nine league goals and ten assists.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

Despite reaching the play-offs, Robins says his side have achieved nothing yet.

“People will say what a great season it’s been, but that was for last week. I’m echoing the words of Michael Carrick. He came out and said they’ve achieved nothing yet and that’s right.

“Everyone sees that we’re in the play-offs and I don’t think many people would have given us a chance of doing that earlier in the season and we’ve had to overcome so many obstacles along the way and I think getting into the play-offs is fully deserved.

“We’ve played some really good football along the way and going into these games we will embrace it and we will give it everything we’ve got.”

LUTON

FORM

Luton head into the play-offs on a 14-match unbeaten run, despite securing their place in the top six with three games to spare.

Only Burnley have conceded less goals than The Hatters in the Championship this season, with Rob Edwards’ side keeping eight clean sheets in the aforementioned 14-match unbeaten run.

Edwards was also able to rest some of his key players during a goalless draw against Hull on the final day of the regular season, knowing the team’s play-off place was already secure.

KEY PLAYERS

While Luton have an excellent defensive record, they also have a potent strikeforce with Carlton Morris (who has scored 20 league goals this season) and Elijah Adebayo leading the line.

Central midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, on loan from Aston Villa, and centre-back Tom Lockyer have then formed a strong spine.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

Edwards hopes his side can draw on last year’s experience when Luton were narrowly beaten in the play-off semi-final by Huddersfield.

“You can’t guarantee that you are going to win football matches, but we can learn from that experience, we can talk about it.

“The one thing that I’m looking for is the performance, doing our basics and those things really well because that’s what has served us well throughout the season so far.

"If we do those things right you give yourself a good chance of getting a result, but we can’t guarantee that win so I can’t say ‘yeah, we’re going to go one step further.”

SUNDERLAND

FORM

Sunderland are also on a lengthy unbeaten run of nine matches, despite several injury setbacks.

The Black Cats’ away results have really stood out, taking 10 points from the last 12 available on the road (including wins at Norwich, Cardiff, West Brom and Preston and a draw against champions Burnley).

KEY PLAYERS

Despite Ross Stewart’s season-ending injury in January, Tony Mowbray’s side have still found ways to score goals and are the fourth highest scorers in the Championship.

Talented playmakers Amad, Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts have been key during the side’s late play-off push.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

While Sunderland’s squad remains depleted, Mowbray says the team’s setbacks has created a unity within the squad during a challenging situation.

“We are sitting here going to play against a physically strong, direct team who are very connected and work extremely hard for each other without really any central defenders,” said Mowbray when discussing the upcoming Luton fixtures.

“I hope it’s gelling us together, the adversity of it. I think the team are enjoying the fact that we can try to find a way, trying to find a way to stay in games and find a way to win games. I think they are enjoying that.”