One of the most sought-after races in the world, the Premier League relegation battle has a story of its own. We have seen teams climb out of nowhere and some great downfalls too. The Leicester comeback started at just about this time of the year in the 2014-15 season. They were down and nearly out, only to see a final flourish to end the season with a fourteenth-place finish. Sunderland somehow managed to maintain their top-flight status for several seasons before ultimately going down in the 2016-17 campaign. While some teams are looking good going into the final quarter of the season, others are still looking for some light at the end of the tunnel.
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Here is the current table of the Premier League relegation contenders this season:
Going by the last five seasons trend, 35 points are just enough to avoid relegation. Only Newcastle had 37 points in the 2015-16 season and still faced the drop. Southampton, Crystal Palace, and Newcastle have 34, 33, and 31 points respectively. And you can guess that 4 or 5 points out of the 11 remaining matches will not be a big task for them. So, here are our top six picks for relegation places along with their recent performances and key matches that will define the battle:
Brighton:
Brighton have clinched 28 points in their share of 27 matches so far and sit fifteenth on the Premier League table. With no wins in their last five games in the league, Brighton does need some inspiration. Their goal difference (-7) is the best in the bottom half of the table after Everton. This may come to their advantage towards the end of the campaign. They will face Arsenal, Leicester, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City in subsequent weeks. But they will also play against five teams from the bottom half as well. You can easily see them winning 8-10 points and maintaining their top-flight status.
Bournemouth:
With 26 points in their set of 27 matches, Bournemouth sits two points above relegation places. With two wins in their last five encounters, it's fair to say that they are picking up the pace just at the right time. With games against Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham, Leicester City, and Manchester City yet to come, the road looks slightly tougher for the club. With no match against any rival contender of this race, you can see them winning 6-8 points in their next eleven matches. They will have to be brave to avoid relegation this time.
Aston Villa:
With 25 points in 27 matches so far, Aston Villa are seventeenth on the points table. Villa are just a point clear of the relegation zone. With only one win in their last five matches, they need better performances towards this final quarter of the season. They have the poorest defensive record in the league and have conceded 52 goals until now. They have games against Leicester, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal lineup up in subsequent weeks. You can see them winning at least 6-8 points in the remaining matches.
West Ham:
West Ham have 24 points in the 27 matches so far and sit eighteenth on the points table. They have lost four of their last five matches in the league but will have a relatively easy run of fixtures towards the end of the campaign. They will face seven of the bottom twelve sides in the current table. With an experienced gaffer like David Moyes to their side, you can see them winning at least 10-11 points from the remaining fixtures.
Watford:
They are tied on points with West Ham and find themselves in the relegation places at the moment. They have lost three and drawn two in their last five encounters. They are the joint lowest scoring sides (along with Norwich) in the league with just 24 goals to their name in the 27 matches so far. But they will face five of the sides from the bottom half in subsequent weeks and you can see them winning at least 6-7 points in those games.
Norwich City:
Norwich City is certainly down and out at the moment with just 18 points on the board in 27 matches so far. They are seven points behind the seventeenth-place Villa side. With just one win in their last five outings in the league, they will need a miracle to get out of this trouble. They have the joint lowest scoring record (24) in the league along with Watford. But the fixtures are kind for them and they will face six of the teams from the bottom half of the table.
Key matches in the relegation battle:
West Ham vs Southampton, Matchweek 28
Newcastle vs Aston Villa, Matchweek 31
Newcastle vs West Ham, Matchweek 33
Norwich City vs Brighton, Matchweek 33
Watford vs Newcastle, Matchweek 35
Watford vs West Ham, Matchweek 36
Brighton vs Newcastle, Matchweek 37
West Ham vs Aston Villa, Matchweek 38
