With Liverpool already winning the Premier League at Christmas, the real excitement lies in who will be relegated from the top-flight this season. The division is unbelievably tight as things stand, with just seven points separating 18th-placed Southampton with 8th-placed Sheffield United.
Realistically, as many as 10 teams find themselves on the chopping block heading into the new year, with the current bottom three all separated by just six points. It’s anyone’s game, in truth and we can’t really call who’s going to be playing Championship football for definite next term. That hasn’t stopped us assessing each of the bottom-10’s chances of the drop, though. Let us know your thoughts by Tweeting us @BettingDirector!
10th – Crystal Palace
Palace are a strange side, aren’t they? One week they can put in a blinding performance and upset the odds by beating Manchester United – just like they did at Old Trafford in August – the other, they can easily lose three or four games on the bounce and slip right back down the table.
This weekend’s 0-0 draw with rock-bottom Watford summed them up perfectly; just a week on from taking six points from six against Burnley and Bournemouth, they couldn’t find an opening against a side who have won just one league match all season. We think they’ll be alright in the end, though, with a manager as experienced as Roy Hodgson at the helm and some really talented individual players, they should have enough about them to stay up.
Odds for relegation: 25/1 (bet365)
Betting Directory’s verdict: Survival
11th – Newcastle
Much like Palace, consistency is the main issue with Newcastle. The Magpies are generally poor against the sides around them in the table but seem to turn it on when they face the division’s bigger teams. This season, Steve Bruce’s men have beaten Tottenham and Manchester United, while they also drew with Manchester City a fortnight ago.
On Sunday they left it late to beat fellow strugglers Southampton but ultimately came away with a huge three points at St. James’ Park. We think they’ll avoid the drop this season, mainly because they simply refuse to roll over and play dead when the big boys come to town.
Odds for relegation: 8/1 (Betway)
Betting Directory’s verdict: Survival
12th – Brighton
Brighton endured a terrible run of form throughout November – losing three consecutive games – but seemed to have picked themselves back up with a morale-boosting 2-1 win away at Arsenal last Thursday. The Seagulls also held Wolves in a 2-2 draw at the Amex Stadium on Sunday, which considering the form that the West Midlanders found themselves in before that game, can be viewed as another positive result.
Graham Potter is slowly beginning to prove himself in the Premier League and now looks to be a decent top-flight manager, which we think will ultimately be the difference for the south coast side this season. Summer signing Neal Maupay has now found form, too, while the likes of Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster are both chipping in with their fair share of goals from defence. We think they’ll be alright.
Odds for relegation: 10/1 (Paddy Power)
Betting Directory’s verdict: Survival
14th – Everton
It seems totally mad to be discussing Everton as potential relegation candidates considering the size of the club and how much money they have spent on personnel in recent years. But, here we are. Marco Silva was relieved of his duties following the Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool last week and it came as no surprise.
The Toffees are currently on the lookout for a new permanent manager, with ex-player Duncan Ferguson currently taking charge of first-team duties. Everton have never been relegated from the Premier League so it would be a huge shock if they did go down but for us, they just have too much quality. Players like Richarlison, Lucas Digne and Gilfy Sigurdsson are all capable of clawing them out of the bottom half of the league in the new year and when a new manager is appointed – whoever it may be – it’s more than likely that we’ll see a huge upturn in form at Goodison Park.
Odds for relegation: 16/1 (bet365)
Betting Directory’s verdict: Survival
15th – Bournemouth
Bournemouth are one of the strangest sides in the Premier League and have been for the previous four seasons now. The Cherries have the ability to surprise teams, and even beat Manchester United last month but can then go without a win for ages. The Dorset outfit have now lost their last five league games and travel to Chelsea on Saturday, so could face the prospect of dropping even closer to the relegation zone if results elsewhere work against them this weekend.
However, Eddie Howe is a terrific manager and Bournemouth do have some fantastic players at their disposal – notably the likes of Callum Wilson, Josh King, Ryan Fraser and Lewis Cook (though each currently find themselves in poor form) – which could be enough to steer them clear of the drop. That said, their inconsistency is a huge issue and is hard to ignore, as is their overall poor form against the divisions bigger sides. If they lose Eddie Howe before the season is over, or a key player, it could signal the end for the Cherries after a five-year stay in the top-flight. For us, they’re in real trouble.
Odds for relegation: 3/1 (UNIBET)
Betting Directory’s verdict: Relegation
16th – West Ham
West Ham are massively under the cosh at the minute. The Hammers have only won one of their previous 10 games in the Premier League and now sit just a point above the bottom three. This weekend’s clash against Southampton is absolutely vital for Manuel Pellegrini and his team – lose and they will be leapfrogged by the Saints and potentially dragged into the relegation zone (if Villa either beat or draw with Sheffield United on Saturday).
If West Ham do lose this weekend then it could well signal the end for Pellegrini in east London. Monday night’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal was the Iron’s eighth loss of the campaign; they have also won just twice away from home all season so head into this weekend’s clash with little confidence and momentum. They’ve got too much quality in their squad to go down, though, in our humble opinion. We’re predicting Pellegrini to be replaced in the new year and a change of fortune under a new manager at the London Stadium.
Odds for relegation: 7/2 (William Hill)
Betting Directory’s verdict: Survival
17th – Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s season began poorly after they won just one of their opening seven games. However, two consecutive wins in October – one of which being a 5-1 thrashing over Norwich – saw the Villans start to climb up the table. Since those wins, however, Dean Smith’s side have taken just four points from a potential 21 in the Premier League and now sit a space above the danger-zone on goal difference alone.
Despite having the likes of John McGinn and Jack Grealish to rely on – both of whom have been impressive this season – the West Midlanders’ inability to keep a clean sheet at the moment continues to cost them dearly. Indeed, if they can address their defensive issues and get striker Wesley firing on all cylinders again, they should have just about enough to remain in the division next season.
Odds for relegation: 9/4 (BetVictor)
Betting Directory’s verdict: Survival
18th – Southampton
Tipped by many to endure a successful campaign after a resurgence under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl during the second-half of last season, Southampton have massively failed to live up to expectations this time around. A humiliating 9-0 thrashing by Leicester back in October was the proverbial cherry on the cake for the Hampshire outfit and looked as though it may have signaled the end for Hasenhuttl at St Mary’s.
However, since that disasterclass against the Foxes, Southampton have showed steady signs of improvement. They have now lost just one of their previous four league games and are now just a point away from escaping the unforgiving clutches of the relegation zone. Their recent upturn in form is all thanks to one man, though, striker Danny Ings. The former Liverpool striker has been one of the most prolific front men in the top-flight this season having found the net 9 times. If Saints can keep him the 27-year-old fit then there’s a huge chance they will stay up. Lose him again through injury, though, and they could be bang in trouble.
Odds for relegation: 3/1 (888Sport)
Betting Directory’s verdict: Survival
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19th – Norwich
It’s not looking great for Norwich at the moment. The Canaries have taken just 11 points from a possible 48 so far and now find themselves five points from safety as we delve deeper into December. Like Southampton with Danny Ings, Norwich have their very own prolific striker/saviour to rely on up-front: Teemu Pukki. The Finland international has bagged 8 league goals and is providing the East Anglian outfit with a glimmer of hope, though elsewhere on the pitch they have simply not been good enough.
On Sunday, Daniel Farke’s men slipped to their 11th defeat of the campaign after losing 2-1 to Sheffield United – a match they initially took the lead in. Defensively, last season’s Championship winners are so weak and going forward they create too little. In the end, it’s going to cost them.
Odds for relegation: 2/9 (Betfred)
Odds to stay up: 7/2 (bet365)
Betting Directory’s verdict: Relegation
20th – Watford
It’s difficult to see a light at the end of an increasingly darkening tunnel for Watford. A miserable opening half to their season – where they have won just one of their opening 16 games and taken 9 points overall – has left the Hertfordshire side seven points adrift at the foot of the table heading into a busy festive period. The Hornets are already on their third manager of the season, which in itself is absolutely bizarre but indicative of how their campaign has panned out so far.
New boss Nigel Pearson (are you an ostrich?) will have his work cut out steering Watford clear of the drop this season, but does have previous with this sort of situation when he kept Leicester up in 2014-2015. With that said, we just feel as though the task at hand is too great and perhaps it would be best for them to start planning for the Championship early..
Odds for relegation: 2/7 (Betfair)
Odds to stay up: 3/1 (BetVictor)
Betting Directory’s verdict: Relegation
| The Betting Directory’s Relegation Treble | Odds | Bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tips: | Bournemouth to be relegated | @ 7 / 2 | |
| Norwich to be relegated | @ 1 / 6 | ||
| Watford to be relegated | @ 2 / 9 | ||
| Treble pays | @ 11 / 2 | Betway | |