Eight managers, all who still believe they could be celebrating promotion come May 2.
Picking a winner of the Championship now is no easier than it was a month ago.
Yet with seven games to go, bosses will be bracing their squads for the crucial run-in during the final international break of the season.
Steve McClaren believes Derby need to win all of their remaining games to gatecrash the top two while Mick McCarthy, a week after ruling his side out the automatic promotion race, now says they're back in it.
After another weekend of twists and turns in which Boro, Derby and Watford all suffered potentially damaging defeats, we take a look at what the managers at the top are saying about the run-in.
Eddie Howe - Bournemouth
The Cherries jumped back to the top of the Championship thanks to the comprehensive win over Boro.
"The minute you try to predict or analyse it (promotion race) too much you can look stupid," he said following that game.
AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe
"I still feel everyone has got a chance down to the 8th place team.
"I think everyone's in it, it's wide open.
"There are still potentially many twists and turns to come, we just want to make sure we concentrate on us."
Slavisa Jokanovic - Watford
Watford missed a big opportunity to open a gap at the top when they leaked a late sucker punch at home to Ipswich.
"We gave Ipswich a present because I made a mistake," Jokanovic told the club website.
Aitor Karanka and Slavisa Jokanovic
"Okay, this game is finished now. The players must step forward again with their heads up.
"We must keep learning and start thinking about the next game.
"This is always what we have been doing and we will continue with this focus."
Alex Neil - Norwich City
Norwich City closed the gap on the top two to just two points with their impressive 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
"There might have been a few people who had written off our chances of finishing in the top two," said Neil.
Norwich manager Alex Neil
"I wasn't one of them. I still felt we had a good chance before this game and now it's a one-match swing."
He added: "We've got to keep steady, because over these next seven games there is going to be ups and downs I can guarantee.
"That will be with us and with every other team. Hopefully we can have more ups than downs, and if we can do that then the top two is certainly achievable."
Steve McClaren - Derby County
The long-time league favourites lost at Wolves on Friday night, their sixth game on the bounce without a win.
"When we get players back after the two week break, we are very capable of turning this around," McClaren told the club's website.
“We will start winning games again and finish the season strong, that’s what we have to do,” he said.
“I am not going to criticise individuals, things like this happen.
“There is a still a long way to go in the season.
Middlesbrough's manager Aitor Karanka and Derby Manager Steve McClaren
“We are not dealing with situations and it is costing us.
“When we look back on this, whether we go up or not, we will look at this spell and know that it can define things.
“I’m still very confident that we will turn this around, get back to winning ways and finish the season strongly.”
He added: “There are still seven games to go and a lot of football still to play and we want to get stronger now.
“There is a great determination in the squad and it is something that we have just spoken about in the dressing room.
“Let’s start playing, let’s start getting results. The performances have been okay, we just haven’t had the results to match them.”
Mick McCarthy - Ipswich Town
After the heavy defeat at the Riverside, Mick McCarthy ruled his side out of the fight for the automatic promotion places.
That was until they bounced back with two 1-0 wins on the bounce.
"I ruled myself out two weeks ago. I keep saying to everybody it's how many points we end up with and who knows what we'll end up with," said the Ipswich boss.
Aitor Karanka and Mick McCarthy watch on
"We've got Bournemouth next. I said with the next two games we could be really out of it or really back in it. At the moment we're back in it."
Asked if the international break had come at a good time for the Tractor Boys, McCarthy joked: "It's a great time, I'm going on the lash for a couple of days I think.
"I'll certainly be giving the players some time off. They need a break, we've played a lot of games and they've been great."
Mark Warburton - Brentford
Brentford missed the opportunity to gain some ground at the top but did come back from two goals down to grab a point at home to lowly Millwall last time out.
“It's two points dropped but it could be a very valuable point come May 2," Mark Warburton told getwestlondon.
Aitor Karanka and Brentford manager Mark Warburton
“We knew Millwall would be scrapping hard and we started in a scrappy manner. We never dominated the football like we do and paid the price.
“We had great character to respond as we did get an important point.”
Kenny Jackett - Wolves
Confident Kenny Jackett believes his in-form side can still secure their second promotion in as many years despite the fact they remain on the edge of the play-off spots.
"We're still in with a good shout of taking one of those three promotion places,” Jackett told the club website after the 2-0 home win over Derby.
“And once again, the Easter weekend looks like it's going to prove vital.
“A lot of the sides have each other to play and it will be interesting to see how it all comes out.
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Wolves manager Kenny Jackett
“The only thing that will really matter is our performance level over the last seven games.
“We have to gather ourselves up again, recognise where we are and understand what we need to do to improve.
“We have to try to take the opportunity that we have.
“Our results are good but the break comes now for everybody. We haven’t got too many people away which is a good thing.
“We can rest and get some work done and make sure that when we come back for the Easter weekend we are ready.”
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