With under a third of the Championship season remaining, unless there is a dramatic change in fortune for them, then Aston Villa and Stoke City are heading for mid-table obscurity despite many pundits suggesting that both would challenge for promotion pre-season.

Both have changed managers during the campaign with Dean Smith's Villa currently in 11th spot, eight points off the play-offs, whilst Nathan Jones' side are down in 17th spot closer to the relegation zone than they are the play-offs.

So is it fair to say that Villa and Stoke have been the biggest under-achievers in the EFL this season?

We discuss.....

Gary Hutchinson

“Absolutely.

“Hard to tell them apart isn’t it.

“One has been mismanaged and is on the way up.

“The other is Stoke. They’ve got deeper problems within the squad.”

Jacob Potter

"By an absolute mile.

"Both squads have a number of players who could be playing in the Premier League, but they aren’t performing to the required standard this season.

"By some distance, they’re the biggest underachievers this season.

"I expected much more from them at the start of this year’s campaign."

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George Harbey

"Absolutely.

"Especially when you look at Stoke and the amount of money they spent in the summer, it has been a horrendous season.

"Villa have one of the best squads in the league on paper as well, so to finish below mid-table would be criminal."

Jay Taylor

“To say in the EFL is a little extreme – due to the nature of the division they are in.

“I think there are more sides in the whole league system that are doing worse than them two.

“There is so much money in the Championship and to be where they are is not a surprise to many.

“I would say they are underachieving but not the most in the EFL.”