Burnley, Everton and Leeds United are battling it out for Premier League survival.
It is getting heated at the bottom end of the Premier League table and with one week remaining of the 2021/22 campaign two teams have already been confirmed relegated, and a further three clubs are in the mix to join them in the Championship next season. Norwich City and Watford are both due a return to the second tier after a single season back in the top-flight and Norwich have been relegated six times from the Premier League, including thrice since 2016.
The battle for safety goes on… pic.twitter.com/7mVP8Q4cNk
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 11, 2022
Norwich have raked in a disappointing 21 points from 36 games, winning just five times and conceding a league-high 78 goals at an average of more than two goals per game. Norwich and Watford have each lost 25 games this term and both clubs drop down for the second time in three years. Norwich are winless in their last five while Watford have not won a football match in their last seven.
For many years 40 points has been widely perceived as the benchmark to avoid relegation from England’s premier division. Only three times has a team succumbed to relegation after collecting 40 points or more since the Premier League was adjusted from 22 teams to a 20-team league in 1995, and all of the last 19 PL campaigns have seen 40 points suffice for survival.
Everton
Of all the teams in danger of going down, Everton are undoubtedly the biggest surprise contender as the Toffees find themselves in a real sticky situation. Despite the uncertain appointment of Rafael Benítez last year, it is safe to say next to nobody could have foreseen Everton being caught up in a relegation battle to this extent.
Benítez stringed three wins from Everton’s first four league games of the season however they subsequently took just one victory from 11 matches across the final three months of 2021. The 62-year-old Spaniard was shown the door in January with Everton in 16th place and six points above the bottom three. Under Benítez, the blues of Merseyside collected 19 points from as many games and the ex-Liverpool boss tasted defeat in half of his 22 games in charge of Everton.
Frank Lampard has somewhat steadied the sinking ship at Goodison Park, taking 17 points from his first 15 league outings in the dugout. In recent weeks Everton lost once in their last six matches, with three wins (versus Manchester United, Chelsea and Leicester City) and two draws during that run.
Everton have been in the top-tier of English football every year since 1954, and four points from their final three games this term should be enough for the Toffees to retain their Premier League status for at least another year. Everton tackle Brentford and Crystal Palace, both at Goodison Park, before they close out an underwhelming season with a battle away to UEFA Champions League hopefuls Arsenal.
👍 @Everton have earned 10 points from their last four home matches, as many as in their previous 11#EVEBRE pic.twitter.com/8Q8W8MogSn
— Premier League (@premierleague) May 15, 2022
Burnley
Burnley were the most recent club to make way for a managerial casualty with the surprising sacking of Sean Dyche last month. A run of one win and five losses in seven games meant the Burnley board had to bite the bullet and Dyche lost his job after ten years at Turf Moor. Since then the Clarets have lost once and taken 10 points from five matches under caretaker Mike Jackson.
Burnley are averaging less than a point per game with 34 points from 35 matches, and are currently outside of the relegation places by virtue of goal difference. Before the season wraps up Burnley travel to both Tottenham and Aston Villa before they end their campaign with a home bout with Newcastle.
Leeds United
Similarly to both Everton and Burnley, Leeds Utd have undergone personnel changes in management following the dismissal of Marcelo Bielsa in February. Leeds followed suit after Everton hired Lampard, 18 years junior his predecessor, and Bielsa (66) was replaced by 49-year-old American coach Jesse Marsch.
After a stellar first season back in the English top-flight following 16 years away, Leeds have been suffering from a severe case of second-season syndrome. Bielsa guided the Yorkshire club to an impressive 9th-placed finish in 2020/21, however two wins in 13 games ultimately spelled the end of Bielsa’s time at Elland Road.
Leeds currently occupy the third and final relegation spot, level on 34 points with Burnley albeit the Clarets have a superior goal difference and have also played one match fewer. Leeds have lost all of their last three matches and have recorded one win in their last six. Their final two games come at home to Brighton before a final-day task away at Brentford.
The five teams placed 10th – 14th – Leicester, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Brentford and Newcastle Utd – are currently separated by just two points but all of the aforementioned teams are mathematically safe from relegation. Newcastle become the first team in Premier League history to avoid relegation after winning none of their first 14 games.
Newcastle United are the first team in Premier League history to not win one of their first 14 games and survive relegation.
— Oddschanger (@Oddschanger) May 12, 2022
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/CazDLEe6T3
Fulham gained automatic promotion as Championship winners at the first time of asking after dropping down last season. Bournemouth also make a return to the summit of the English football pyramid after two seasons away. The Championship playoffs are set to be contested by Nottingham Forest, Luton Town, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United, and the playoff final – dubbed the richest match in world football – takes place at Wembley on Sunday, May 29 with Premier League football at stake.
