It’s been Manchester United this, Ruben Amorim that all week. So it’s easy to forget that there are other Premier League clubs to discuss and a tasty weekend at the bottom is on the horizon.
While another three-club Premier League title race *could* be on the cards, a mini-league of six teams has formed at the bottom as Southampton, Wolves, Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace, Everton and Leicester City battle to avoid relegation to the Championship.
Very little is set in stone at this point of the season, but it feels pretty likely that these six teams will be the only ones in the relegation dogfight. This is obviously barring 14th-placed Man Utd immediately plunging into new depths of misery under Amorim, which is as improbable as it would be hilarious.
So from least to most likely to go down, here’s our ranking of the relegation-fearing sextet on their chances of falling to the Championship…
6) Crystal Palace
Rueing the untimely end of the 2023/24 campaign, Crystal Palace’s recent woes have been one of this season’s surprises in the Premier League. But really, we should have seen it coming.
Under respected head coach Oliver Glasner, Palace suddenly became the Premier League’s most exciting team at the end of last season. But with the Eagles ending the campaign at their peak in terms of xG, there was bound to be some drop-off in their output in front of goal.
This decline has been sharper than the Palace faithful would have feared and they have also been negatively impacted by a frustrating summer which saw them lose two of their best players, Michael Olise and Joachim Andersen.
The timely visit of Dr Tottenham last weekend gave Palace their first Premier League win of the season. But this came at a price as Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton were forced off with injuries, which will keep the pair out for around a month.
Palace’s season won’t be anywhere near as thrilling as first suspected, but Glasner’s men should have more than enough quality to ease clear of their five rivals and avoid relegation again.
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5) Everton
Just when you think Everton are properly f***ed, they manage to pull a positive run of results out of their arse to ease their relegation fears.
This has been a hallmark of Sean Dyche’s tenure as manager, which reportedly came within a couple more bad results away from ending earlier this campaign as Everton plotted sanctioning a ‘sensational return’.
While Dyche’s dogged approach can be extremely uninspiring at the worst of times, it does tend to bear fruit for a side in the thick of a relegation battle and Everton – who are unbeaten in five Premier League games – have hauled themselves off the canvas of late.
Everton beat Ipswich Town after earning a similarly vital win over Crystal Palace and could hammer the final nail in Russell Martin’s coffin this weekend.
More dark days will come for Everton this season and they will make life difficult for themselves at times; because that’s just what they do. But by hook or crook, Dyche will get them over the safety line before he’s replaced in the summer as their takeover kickstarts a much-needed new era after the club bid farewell to Goodison Park in a stereotypically arduous fashion.
4) Leicester City
Enzo Maresca has surprised us all at the start of this season as the former Leicester City boss is moving towards justifying Chelsea’s needless decision to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino.
But Maresca was not without his critics last season as Leicester made hard work of getting promotion despite the riches of quality in their squad. His exit and subsequent change of playing style at The King Power Stadium have arguably improved their survival chances.
Steve Cooper was another manager under pressure in the early weeks of this season and his pragmatic approach is still yet to win over the Leicester masses. But without it, the Foxes risked doing a Southampton and going down with a whimper while being dragged down by the naivety of the man in the dugout.
While Leicester’s current squad is arguably weaker than last season, some wise transfer dealings (particularly the loan arrival of Facundo Buonanotte) have given Cooper’s side a boost. After vitally avoiding a pre-season points deduction, they currently look to have the most fight of the three promoted Championship teams.
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3) Ipswich Town
The optimism surrounding Ipswich Town’s chances of survival understandably increased over the summer as they invested heavily and – on paper at least – made some excellent signings.
Did they sign too many players? Perhaps. But they at least made a statement of intent and showed they were unwilling to lie down and have their belly tickled by the big hitters upon making their long-awaited Premier League return.
Under Kieran McKenna, Ipswich were riding the crest of a wave heading into this season. But a year in the Premier League would always be a whole other kettle of fish.
McKenna and a large portion of his squad are still getting accustomed to the rigours of the Premier League and their inexperience showed in their damaging recent home defeat against Everton.
There have been signs of promise that Ipswich supporters can hang their hats on and several players (Liam Delap for sure) should do enough to earn a prolonged Premier League stay. But like Luton Town last season, McKenna’s side will likely come up short while having a bloody good go before being primed for an immediate return to the Premier League following their relegation.
2) Wolves
Gary O’Neil being mooted as the next Manchester United manager feels like a lifetime ago as the under-fire Wolves boss’ stock has fallen drastically.
The teases of Wolves’ imminent downfall were evident from last season’s run-in as O’Neil’s side finished the 2023/24 campaign poorly and this negativity has carried over into this campaign.
Wolves have shown signs of life against Manchester City and Brighton and were somewhat unfortunate to come away with just a point from these games. Still, they remain winless in the league and desperately need to enter the winners’ column when they host Palace on Saturday evening.
Last season, Wolves were a thorn in the side of Big Six teams as they earned a few scalps, but this has looked far less likely this season as they have been hopeless defensively.
Wolves’ embarrassing tally of 25 goals conceded in nine games gives them the unwanted tag of the Premier League’s worst defence. O’Neil may well be an innovative coach, but patience is wearing thin at Molineux and his side is at risk of a disastrous campaign.
1) Southampton
The Saints stunk of Vincent Kompany’s Burnley ahead of this season as Martin and his team were at risk of being exposed by higher quality opposition if they were unwilling to adapt and become more difficult to beat.
Infuriatingly, Martin has fallen into the same trap as Kompany, albeit with an even worse squad as Southampton have been pretty dire.
Failing to win against 10-man Newcastle United on the opening day set the tone for what’s come since as their alarming lack of goal threat and charitable defence makes them the worst side in the Premier League this season.
The seemingly imminent Martin sack and subsequent change of approach may give them more of a fighting chance, but the damage is likely already done as Southampton stare down the barrel at another relegation from the Premier League.
