ChatGPT predicts Championship club to be this season's "dark horse" as top sides battle for promotion
The Championship season has kicked off in earnest, with an abundance of teams battling for glory.
Roughly half the teams in the second tier of English football have played in the Premier League in the past 10 years - and most of them are in contention to return there once again.
Some clubs finished last season on the front foot, such as Coventry, and are looking to build upon this success in the coming season; elsewhere, other sides are looking to make their mark, such as the newly-promoted Wrexham.
Towards the bottom of the league, survival is the goal for quite a few teams, with the league seemingly split into a top and bottom half in terms of quality.
Last night, the Championship season began with Birmingham playing host to Ipswich Town, who were relegated from the Premier League last season.
Each year, there is one side that performs way above expectations, becoming the “dark horse” of the league - whether that’s pulling away from a presumed relegation scrap, or fighting for a spot in the play-offs.
We asked ChatGPT which club teams need to look out for this season, and it came to a conclusion that, frankly, raised some eyebrows in the newsroom.
The AI language service said: “Most experts tip the likes of Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton for automatic promotion. But Derby County could quietly disrupt the race.
“According to the Sun, they’ve “bolstered their attacking lineup,” suggesting a fresh offensive thrust that might catch opponents off guard.
“So, if you’re backing a team flying under the radar, Derby County may be the pick - balanced, quietly ambitious, and with just enough new attacking firepower to upset the established order.”
Last season, Derby County finished 19th in the league, with a goal difference of -8.
But summer transfers, including the recruitment of strikers Patrick Agyemang and Rhian Brewster, could help manager John Eustace transform his squad into the free-flowing goalscorers he needs to mount a challenge.
Can they fight for promotion? That would be a tall order, but it’s not unreasonable to suggest that a couple of the top teams will be upset at Pride Park this season.