This article is part of Football FanCast's Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba's haircuts to League Two relegation battles...

West Bromwich Albion once again returned to the top of the table on Monday evening after defeating Preston North End 1-0 at Deepdale.

A moment of controversy in the final minute of the match sealed all three points - winger Kyle Edwards burst into the box only to be swiped down by home goalkeeper Declan Rudd, at least according to the referee.

Charlie Austin duly stepped up to dispatch his third goal in as many games, handing the Baggies their throne back ahead of Leeds United.

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The Championship is quickly becoming a two-horse race as the win has opened up a seven-point gap to those in the playoffs.

Albion may be the only team to have lost one game all season in the division, but Marcelo Bielsa's side have consistently kept the pressure on as in the past month alone, they have played before West Brom twice and taken the top spot only for Slaven Bilic's men to regain control soon after.

When you're averaging 2.2 points per game, complacency is surely prone to creep in, but this battle with the west Yorkshire club only ensures that such a sense of security never runs through the side as any one week they slip up, they will have lost ground as the league's leaders.

Last season, Norwich City were promoted averaging 2.06 so that should be enough encouragement to keep going at it. As of right now, the Baggies should surpass 96 points which has been guaranteed automatic promotion in four of the last five Championship campaigns.

If the west Midlanders started to run away with it, the character of the squad would certainly be tested - at one stage last season in the Premier League, Liverpool held a ten-point lead over Manchester City, but it was Pep Guardiola's side that came away as champions in the end.

That only goes to show what can happen in football, and even though those at the Hawthorns will constantly be looking over their shoulder, it provides the exact sort of test a team needs to pull over the line come the end of the season.

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In other news, Slaven Bilic's game-changing call against Preston North End fired them into life....