Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit issues bleak prediction for Luton Town, Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively to FLW, Lee Hendrie has handed a worrying prediction over the Championship fates of Luton, Derby and Cardiff.

The Championship relegation battle looks set to go right down to the wire for a number of clubs that are dancing with the drop.

Plymouth Argyle, Luton Town, Derby County, Cardiff City, Stoke City, Hull City and even the likes of Oxford United and Portsmouth; there are fanbases of a multitude of clubs that will all be heading into the final eight games of the season sweating over the possibility of relegation to League One.

However, as fans up and down English football's second division will testify - anything is possible, and it's never over until it's over.

As such, we look set for a thrilling end to the season in the Championship, with many twists and turns still sure to come over the next few weeks.

"My three would be" - Lee Hendrie drops Championship relegation claim

Speaking exclusively with Football League World, we asked Sky Sports pundit and former player Lee Hendrie: 'Gut feeling, which three teams are going down in the Championship in your opinion?'

Hendrie said: "It's such a difficult one, it really is.

"I mean, it just feels like the teams that are scrapping down there are coming up with results. Derby feel like they've turned a little bit of a corner even though they sit in the bottom three.

"Luton - I think they've been so inconsistent, and have been nowhere near what they can be even with that squad that they have and changing the manager.

"I do feel that looking at the league table as it stands, I do feel that Derby will get out of it. I think Luton might find themselves in trouble. Plymouth as well.

"My third team, I would probably go Cardiff City. I think the three of them could go down, I really do.

"But as we know, this is the Championship, and it's really difficult to call. But, my three would be Cardiff, Luton and Plymouth."

Luton and Plymouth have tough run-in ahead - Derby and Cardiff appear to have easier final eight games

We're at the point of the season where form, league positions and what results on paper should happen, often become irrelevant.

With just eight games to go, now is the time when those clubs who handle the pressure, expectation and need for results best will be victorious in their respective missions.

However, going off what is coming down the road for Cardiff, Derby, Luton and Plymouth respectively, it's the latter two that would appear to have the toughest tests to come.

Six of Derby's last eight come against teams currently sitting in the bottom-half of the Championship, with just West Brom and Burnley their two fixtures against current top-half sides before the curtain falls.

It's a similar story for Cardiff too, with games against Sheffield United, West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday their only remaining clashes with current top-half sides.

As for Luton, they still have to face Leeds, Blackburn, Bristol City, Coventry City and West Brom before the end of the campaign, with monumental relegation clashes with Hull, Stoke and Derby on the agenda too.

For the side currently sitting rock-bottom of the Championship, Plymouth, they still need to take on the likes of Watford, Norwich, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough, Coventry and Leeds - not an ideal set of opponents with your league status on the line.

Therefore, the Hatters and the Pilgrims would appear to require a minor miracle if they are to avoid the drop to League One this season, but miracles can and do happen, so it may not be wise to start penning their Championship eulogies just yet.

Meanwhile, Derby and Cardiff's similar strength of opponents means that it could go down to the final day to decide which of those two clubs will be dropping into the third tier for next season.