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No fewer than ten clubs could be scrapping to avoid relegation from the Premier League next season in what promises to be the hardest battle ever fought to stay in the English topflight.
Last season, eight clubs that were in danger of dropping into the League Championship right up until the last month of the campaign. This time it could well be more.
From Wigan, which finished 11th in May, down to promoted Burnley, any team could easily get sucked into relegation trouble.
Wigan has lost manager Steve Bruce to Sunderland and replaced him with former Swansea coach Roberto Martinez, a Spaniard who has no Premier League experience. The Latics’ key midfielders, Antonio Valencia and Lee Cattermole, have also departed for Manchester United and Sunderland, respectively.
Stoke City came 12th last season after having been promoted with a physical style of play that troubled even the top sides. But it was predictable and most teams are now likely to handle Tony Pulis’ team – as well as Rory Delap’s famous long-range throw-ins.
Bolton’s lack of quality means Gary Megson’s team could fall into the relegation zone, while Portsmouth is likely to struggle under Paul Hart after losing Peter Crouch to Tottenham and Glen Johnson to Liverpool.
Blackburn should stay out of trouble with the pragmatic Sam Allardyce in charge but will struggle to score goals having sold top striker Roque Santa Cruz to Manchester City.
Sunderland, with Bruce in charge, needs a good start to satisfy its huge following of fans. If results don’t go its way, the pressure will mount and Black Cats supporters have painful memories of twice being relegated in the past seven years after finishing last.
Hull barely escaped in 17th place last season despite an impressive start to its first ever season in the topflight and is one of the favourites to go down.
Of the three promoted clubs, Wolves and Birmingham have the financial strength to buy their way out of trouble.
But Wolves are back in the top flight for only the second time since 1984 and were relegated in last place in 2004. Birmingham, with only a single League Cup triumph 46 years ago to show for 124 years in football, doesn’t have the pedigree to make an impact.
Burnley, promoted in the League Championship playoffs, is back in the top flight for the first time in 33 years but doesn’t appear to have a strong enough squad to survive.
The rest of the Premier League, which kicks off on Aug. 15, can be split into three groups.
Manchester United will be bidding to become the first team to win the league title four seasons in a row and heads the traditional top four, also comprising Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal – with big-spending Manchester City hoping to turn it into a top five.
Tottenham, Everton and Aston Villa are expected to fill the next three spots. Fulham, which finished in a league-best seventh spot last season, to qualify for the Europa league, and West Ham look like they could be adrift in the middle of the standings.
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