Millwall manager Kenny Jackett says the tight nature of the Championship benefits his side.
A win at Derby on Saturday will not only secure a fourth successive season in the second tier for the Lions but also take them to 59 points, which could see them finish only eight points shy of the play-offs.
And Jackett admits the challenge facing him is to attempt to bridge that small gap next season.
"It's a high points total and should we finish the job on Saturday we'll all be looking how far we are from the play-offs and seeing if we can make it up," he said.
"Cardiff have been oustanding and Hull and Watford have been very good but after that it's hard to call and hard to predict. Almost every side after that has been on long runs without winning.
"It's very tight and very competitive and as one of the smaller clubs in the division I see that as an advantage. Over the summer we will work hard to find that formula to get us in the top six and ultimately into the Premier League."
Sheffield United are sweating over the fitness of on-loan striker Jonathan Forte.
The Southampton forward, who began his career with the Blades, is struggling with a hamstring injury and only returned to training on Thursday.
Manager Chris Morgan will assess him with a view to putting him on the bench.
Defender Danny Higginbotham will return to the squad after he overcame a hamstring complaint of his own, though Tony McMahon's Achilles injury will keep him out.
Morgan has hinted that places are up for grabs as Sheffield United go into a seventh play-off campaign still waiting for success, with last season's penalty shootout defeat to Huddersfield in the final still fresh in the memory.
"This week's training has been good and everyone is filled with anticipation," Morgan said.
"The one thing that pleases me is that there are going to be some tough decisions. For me if the players are pushing each other then that's what we want."
Yeovil manager Gary Johnson will give his injured defenders as long as possible to prove their fitness.
The former Bristol City manager was forced to field a make-shift back four in the 3-2 defeat to Bury last weekend with Jamie McAllister (ankle), Byron Webster (hamstring) and Dan Burn (ankle) all missing out at Gigg Lane.
And Johnson says he will give his walking wounded until Friday to declare their fitness for one of the biggest matches in the club's history.
Matt Dolan and Nathan Ralph are also doubtful with knee injuries but Reuben Reid could be included on the bench having returned from his loan spell at Plymouth.
The Glovers ran out 2-0 winners at Bramall Lane in the League One meeting between the sides back in January and midfielder Ed Upson says the Glovers can take heart from that result.
"We played well there this season so that is a big positive for us and it would be great if we could recreate that," he said.
"Obviously it will be a different game but if we can get anywhere near that level we'll be doing alright."
Gary Johnson's squad left Huish Park for St George's Park, the new FA Football Centre at Burton, on Thursday morning.
The Glovers will be based there for three days with hydro-pool therapy planned on Saturday morning in preparation for Monday's second leg.
