While a four-way title battle is being fought at the top of the English Premier League, the fight to beat the drop continues and come May, just as there will be a feeling of triumph for some teams in the English Premier League, there will be heartbreak for the three teams at the bottom of the table.
This season is truly one to remember not just for the fight for the title, but also for the one to avoid relegation.
As the Premier League relegation battle nears its climax, we look at the teams who are safe as well as those who are most likely to go down.
This is the battle for survival, the battle for safety. It’s the battle to stay up.
10th-placed West Ham are separated from bottom team Fulham by just 10 points. While the top five are separated by 10 points, the bottom 11 also have just 10 points between them.
West Ham have 31 points from 28 and lie at 10th, Fulham are at bottom with 21 from 28.
Although looking safe, the Hammers are just seven points above the relegation zone, with 18th-placed Sunderland on 24 points from 26 games.
West Brom and Crystal Palace each have a game in hand. And after these games are played there would be more competition to finish outside the relegation zone.
For Fulham, who have had three managers this season, things are looking pretty bad, and it would take some resilient performances to repeat the great escape in the 2007-08 season under current England manager Roy Hodgson.
The Cottagers had survived then due to better goal difference compared to 18th-placed Reading.
In their West London derby against leaders Chelsea, Fulham played well in the first half but failed to capitalise on the Blues’ tired performance during that period.
They were made to pay in the second half, as André Schürrle showcased his finishing abilities to score a well-deserved hat-trick, with Eden Hazard assisting in two of them.
Fulham did manage a consolation goal in the 74th minute. Still, Felix Magath’s men have just got two points from a their last six matches.
Cardiff are just a point above Fulham, and have collected four points from their last six matches – against Norwich, Aston Villa and Hull at home, and Man United, Swansea and Tottenham away.
While they managed to edge out Norwich 2-1, they were thrashed 4-0 at home by Hull.
Their season has been marred by comments made by the club’s Malaysian owner, Vincent Tan. In December last year, Tan told manager Malky Mackay to resign from the club or be sacked, leading to critical media comment not only of the decision but of Tan’s tactics.
Mackay was eventually sacked on 27th December following a 3-0 home loss to Southampton, when Cardiff were on 16th place, with 18 points from 19 matches and two points clear of the bottom three.
Things went downhill ever since the sacking and the Welsh club find themselves on 19th, three points from safety, but 17th-placed West Brom have a match in hand.
Sunderland started poorly, and after just a point from the first five league games of the season, manager Paolo Di Canio was sacked. His replacement – former Brighton manager Gus Poyet – turned things around.
They beat Chelsea and Man U en route to their League Cup final, which they lost to Manchester City 3-1.
Their league position is better, with 24 points from 26 games. They’ve collected 10 points from their last six league games. Going by their current form, they are likely to survive.
West Brom weren’t helped by the appointment of Pepe Mel and still find themselves amidst a relegation scrap.
West Brom couldn’t repeat their heroics from last season, when they finished eighth – their highest ever position.
After starting the season poorly, manager Steve Clarke was sacked in December last year, when the Baggies were on 16th, just two points from safety. The appointment of Pepe Mel didn’t help much, as they are still in 16th place, but have played a game less compared to Fulham and Cardiff.
West Ham, Villa, Hull and Stoke appear to be safe at the moment, but things can change quickly in the Premier League – a poor run of results and a team is back in the relegation battle.
Fulham and Cardiff are clear favourites to go down at the moment. But the 17th place is still wide open.
If the teams are to stay in the Premier League they need to get results before it’s too late.
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