article: The top of the Championship with five games to go . After another barmy day in the Championship we are still no closer to finding out which three clubs will be promoted to the Premier League. Eight sides still have a chance of claiming one of the two automatic promotion places, even with just five games left to play of the regular season. And then there are the play-offs – notoriously hard to call but surely even more so this season given the fine margins that separate this year's promotion-chasing crop. Regardless of who goes up though, there have been some stellar individual performances this season that will no doubt have attracted top flight attention. Here are eight players - one each from Bournemouth, Norwich, Watford, Middlesbrough, Derby, Wolves, Brentford and Ipswich - that could well be playing in the top flight next season regardless of whether their club goes up or not. Troy Deeney scores as Watford beat Middlesbrough on Monday in a crucial clash in the Championship . Matt Ritchie . Club: Bournemouth. Position: Winger. Age: 25. Games: 41. Goals: 11. Though left-footed, Ritchie operates on the right flank and his energy and eye for a goal sum up Eddie Howe's attacking side. A product of Portsmouth's academy, he never got a look-in at Fratton Park and has risen through the lower leagues and now looks destined for the top flight. It was the Scotland international's £400,000 move to Bournemouth from Swindon in January 2013 that triggered Paolo di Canio's dramatic resignation at the County Ground. Bournemouth winger Matt Ritchie celebrates as Bournemouth beat Birmingham on Easter Monday . Bradley Johnson . Club: Norwich. Position: Midfielder. Age: 27. Games: 38. Goals: 13. Norwich did well to hang on to Johnson after being relegated last summer and if they don't make an immediate return he will surely still be back in the Premier League - where he proved a reliable performer for the three seasons prior to this - come August. A powerful, deep-lying midfielder with a solid all-round game, the ex-Leeds man has added goals to his repertoire this season, scoring more in 38 games than he had in his previous four seasons. Experienced midfielder Bradley Johnson has been in prolific form in front of goal this season . Troy Deeney . Club: Watford. Position: Striker. Age: 26. Games: 37. Goals: 20. Deeney has plundered 63 goals in the Championship in the past three seasons and with his 27th birthday approaching in the summer he surely has to be playing in the Premier League next season. A product of Walsall's academy, Deeney served three months in prison for affray in 2012 and has impressively rebuilt his career and life since. Deeney has been consistently excellent for Watford over the last three seasons . Patrick Bamford . Club: Middlesbrough. Position: Forward. Age: 21. Games: 34. Goals: 15. Having spent spells on loan from Chelsea at MK Dons, Derby and Boro in League One and now the Championship, the next step in Bamford's progression will be in the Premier League next season. If Boro go up, Jose Mourinho will surely be happy for the England Under 21 international to continue under the tutelage of his former No 2 and Boro boss Aitor Karanka. If not, there will be plenty of other suitors for the tall, versatile forward. Patrick Bamford (centre) moved to the Riverside on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea last summer . Will Hughes . Club: Derby. Position: Midfielder. Age: 19. Games: 39. Goals: 2. Not 20 until later this month, Hughes will be a name familiar with many of our readers given his exploits for Gareth Southgate's England Under 21 side, for whom he has 14 caps. Making his debut as a 17-year-old, the elegant left-footed midfielder has already played over 130 times for Derby and has no shortage of admirers among the Premier League's elite. Derby midfielder Will Hughes has plenty of experience despite still being a teenager . Bakary Sako . Club: Wolves. Position: Winger. Age: 26. Games: 36. Goals: 13. When Sako moved to Wolves for £4million from St Etienne he would have had hopes of playing in the Premier League before too long. Instead, he found himself  in League One a year later. To his credit though, he stayed and spearheaded Wolves' romp to the League One title last year and has been the key man in their bid to make it back-to-back promotions. His contract is up this summer and a new one will only be signed if Wolves achieve that. Bakary Sako (centre) has become a cult hero at Molineux but looks certain to leave if Wolves don't go up . Alex Pritchard . Club: Brentford. Position: Attacking midfielder. Age: 21. Games: 41. Goals: 9. Another side bidding for back-to-back promotions are Brentford and Tottenham loanee Pritchard has been key in their surprise success story. Short, agile, quick and versatile, Pritchard is in the Spanish mould of midfielder we have been craving for so long in this country. Given Mauricio Pochettino's track record of developing youth it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in Spurs' squad next season though they may opt to loan him out  to a smaller Premier League club. Alex Pritchard takes on Liverpool's Emre Can during an Under 21 international last month . Tyrone Mings . Club: Ipswich. Position: Left back. Age: 22. Games: 35. Goals: 1. Linked with Arsenal and Crystal Palace in January, Mings' form has tailed off of late with Ipswich's but he has all the attributes required to succeed at the highest level. Tall for a full back at 6ft 5in Mings is nonetheless quick and full of attacking intent. He was let go by both Southampton and Bristol Rovers as a teen before arriving at Ipswich in 2012 via non-league. Giant Ipswich defender Tyrone Mings attracted interest from Premier League clubs in January . We’ve also come up with a composite XI made up by the best players from the eight clubs. This side would surely stay up in the Premier League with ease... Composite XI (4-2-3-1): John Ruddy (Norwich); Dominic Iorfa (Wolves), Russell Martin (Norwich), Steve Cook (Bournemouth), Tyrone Mings (Ipswich); Will Hughes (Derby), Bradley Johnson (Norwich); Matt Ritchie (Bournemouth), Alex Pritchard (Brentford), Bakary Sako (Wolves); Troy Deeney (Watford).
highlights: Championship top eight separated by just nine points with game to go .
  Three teams will be promoted to the Premier League, with five missing out .
  Sportsmail picks out eight players who should be in the Premier League next season whether their club is promoted or not .
  We have also compiled a composite XI made up from the eight teams .
prediction: The top of the Championship with five games to go . 
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