The battle for relegation is one of the most intriguing storylines of a Premier League season and the fight for survival has been ramped up in recent campaigns, with it going down to the wire for the last two years in a row.
Leeds United survived on the final day of the 2021-22 season and Everton were the lucky ones last year as they beat Bournemouth at Goodison Park on gameweek 38 to send Leicester City down to the Championship.
This season’s relegation scrap could be just as close, so let’s take a look at some of the teams in danger.
Luton Town – 3/10
Luton Town enjoyed something of a fairytale season last year, fighting in the face of adversity to win the Championship play-offs despite having one of the smallest budgets in the second tier of English football. That came just 12 months after they were beaten in the play-off semi-finals by Huddersfield Town in what has been an incredible couple of years for the Hatters.
However, they are going to have to overcome another uphill task if they are to stay in the top flight beyond the 2023-24 season, as the bookies already have Rob Edwards’ side as good as relegated at 3/10 in the Premier League betting. Luton could well prove tricky opponents though and Kenilworth Road will be a tough place to go.
Sheffield United – 8/11
Another newly promoted side expected to return straight back to the Championship after regaining Premier League status last season, Sheffield United won automatic promotion as they finished second to Burnley in the standings. The Blades were relegated to the second tier after finishing rock bottom in 2021 and missed out on returning to the Prem at the first time of asking as they also lost in the play-off semi-final.
Credit must be given to Paul Heckingbottom for picking his side up, dusting them off and storming on to automatic promotion last season. But staying in the top flight is going to be a big ask for Sheffield United and Heckingbottom hasn’t exactly been given the resources to improve his squad for the challenge ahead. It could be Sheffield United who finish rock bottom of the table.
Bournemouth – 12/5
Bournemouth were heavily backed in the football bets to suffer relegation last season, but they proved almost everybody wrong as they finished 15th and five points clear of the relegation zone. They had a poor end to the campaign, however, losing all of their last four games and that has resulted in the Cherries’ board dismissing Gary O’Neil despite him masterminding their survival.
That shocking decision did not go down well with the fans. But what’s done is done and former Rayo Vallecano manager Andoni Iraola will now be the man in the dugout at the Vitality Stadium next season. The Spaniard has been given the financial backing of the board though, bringing in Hamed Traore, Milos Kerkez, Romain Faivre and Justin Kluivert for around £60m. it will be interesting to see if the move pays off.
Nottingham Forest – 13/5
Another side who were expected to fall back through the trapdoor after winning the play-offs in 2021-22 and gaining promotion back to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years, Nottingham Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis splashed the cash as the Midlands side made 21 signings in a very busy offseason.
That plan only just paid off as an unbeaten run in the final four games of the season left them four points clear of the relegation zone. Unsurprisingly, Forest haven’t been as busy this summer, but they have brought in Chris Wood on a permanent basis and young winger Anthony Elanga from Manchester United.
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Vincent Kompany’s new-look Burnley are next in the firing line at 13/5, while Everton — who have somehow escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth for two seasons in a row — are 3/1.
