As we are now at the midway point of the Premier League season, Liverpool are looking odds on for the title. However, what is a bit less clear is which three teams will be suffering relegation to the Championship.
Last season saw Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United go down, only the second time in Premier League history that all three newly promoted clubs made an immediate return to the second tier.
This season, the promoted trio once again make up the relegation zone, but can any of them survive, and if so, who will be making the drop instead? We look at the current bottom six and assess their chances of survival.
Who Faces the Premier League Drop?
20th Southampton (6 points)
If ever there was a team that seems destined for the drop its Southampton, who are currently bottom of the table having picked up just six points. For reference, the infamous Derby side who picked up just 11 points all season in 2008-09 had seven by this stage.
Of course it is still very early days since Ivan Juric replaced Russell Martin, but they are already ten points adrift of safety and have won just once all season- at home to Everton on 2 November.
19th Leicester City (14 points)
Whilst Leicester are second from bottom, there is an eight point gap between themselves and Southampton. They are just two points adrift of safety, but do have a vastly inferior goal difference which highlights one of the Foxes’ biggest problems.
They have scored 22 goals so far, the most of the bottom seven, with six coming from veteran striker Jamie Vardy. However, they have also conceded 42- the joint most in the division. Ruud Van Nistelrooy will likely want to shore up the defence this month.
18th Ipswich Town (15 points)
The Tractor Boys’ first home win of the season against Chelsea saw them move to within a single point of safety- and had it not been for added time goals their situation could have been very different.
Kieran McKenna’s side have conceded result changing goals beyond the 90th minute in draws against Southampton and Leicester, as well as defeat against Bournemouth. Without those goals they would be five points better off.
17th Wolverhampton Wanderers (16 points)
The classic new manager bounce has seen Wolves move out of the bottom three, having taken seven points from the three games since Vitor Pereira replaced Gary O’Neil last month- nearly doubling their tally of points for the whole season.
One thing that could be crucial to Wolves’ chances is keeping hold of Portuguese star Matheus Cunha, who has 14 goal involvements (10 goals, 4 assists) so far this season, although he is suspended for their next two matches.
16th Everton (17 points)
After recent relegation battles, this may feel like Groundhog Day for Everton fans. However, there is cause for optimism now that the protracted takeover by the Friedkin Group has finally been completed.
With their new stadium on the horizon, the Toffees will be desperate to keep their 71 year tenure in the top flight going. The biggest question mark seems to be whether Sean Dyche will be the man to see it.
15th Crystal Palace (20 points)
Few would’ve expected Palace to be struggling near the bottom given the remarkable run of form they enjoyed last season following the arrival of Oliver Glasner. However, it took the Eagles until 27 October to record their first win.
Since then they have become harder to beat, with only one defeat in their last 11. In that period they have five wins and five draws- and that ability to grind out results may well be what keeps them out of danger.