The battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season has been one of the most exciting in years, with five teams fighting for survival. Demotion to the Championship not only affects fans and players, but it can also lead to job losses and significant cuts to playing and non-playing staff.
With three games left to play, three teams will be relegated, and the fight to avoid the drop is intense. Southampton is all but confirmed to be relegated, leaving Nottingham Forest, Everton, Leeds, and Leicester locked in a survival battle.
Nottingham Forest, currently in 16th place, has had a strange season back in the Premier League. The team struggled with disjointed performances, particularly away from home, due to a large influx of players during the summer. However, after a World Cup break, they have been impressive at home and have boosted their survival hopes with crucial wins over Brighton and Southampton. Their remaining fixtures against Chelsea, Arsenal, and Crystal Palace are tough, but one more win should be enough to secure safety.
Everton looked doomed under Frank Lampard, but the appointment of Sean Dyche has turned things around. The team has won four games under Dyche’s leadership, including a shock emphatic victory over Brighton. While their next game against Manchester City may end in defeat, their fixtures against Wolves and Bournemouth are more important. Any performance like their win at the Amex should be enough to secure safety.
Leicester has had a strange journey from title winners to relegation candidates in just seven years. Despite having a squad packed with quality players, poor defending has seen them lose 21 times this season. With three tough fixtures remaining against Liverpool, Newcastle, and West Ham, the Foxes are staring relegation in the face. They are two points from safety and will need to find results from somewhere to stay up.
Leeds is embroiled in a relegation battle for the second consecutive season. After surviving on the final day of the season last year, they find themselves in a similar position this year. Relegation specialist Sam Allardyce has been brought in to replace Javi Gracia, and while they lost his opening game against Manchester City, they will take some positives from the 2-1 defeat. Their final fixtures against Newcastle, West Ham, and Tottenham are crucial, and they are currently two points inside the relegation zone.
Southampton has been bottom of the Premier League since New Year’s Eve and is onto their third manager of the season in Ruben Selles. With only three games to go and eight points from safety, relegation is all but confirmed. They are likely to be relegated this weekend unless they can pick up their first win since March.
In conclusion, the fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season is intense, with five teams battling for survival. While Southampton is all but confirmed to be relegated, Nottingham Forest, Everton, Leeds, and Leicester are locked in a survival battle with just three games left to play.