"Steve Bruce"
(CC by 2.0)
by domfell
With seven games left in the 2020/21 Premier League season, the battle to avoid relegation
might look to have already been settled. Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham
are starting to be cut adrift from safety and all three are heavy favourites to go down.
But is the race to beat the drop a done deal? Could the likes of Newcastle United, Burnley,
Brighton and possibly even Southampton be sucked into a relegation scrap?
As it Stands
With seven games to play, Sheffield United sit at the very bottom of the table with just 14 points.
It’s been a wretched season for the Blades who would need to win all of their remaining
matches to have any chance of surviving. That’s not going to happen and Sheffield United are
certain to be playing Championship football in 2021/22.
Second from bottom are West Bromwich Albion on 24 points. Under Sam Allardyce, results
have started to improve for the Baggies but they need to win on a more consistent basis in order
to beat the drop. Fulham occupy the final relegation place with 26 points but the Cottagers have
played 32 games and have just six matches left.
Above the bottom three are Newcastle United on 32 points, Brighton on 33 points and Burnley
on 33 points. Southampton are in 24th position with 36 points and are not quite safe but it
seems unlikely that the Saints will be involved in a relegation battle. Essentially, it’s between six
teams so who will survive?
How the Sportsbooks see it
Unsurprisingly, the sportsbooks have Sheffield United, West Brom and Fulham as the favourites
to be relegated.
According to relegation odds sourced from sbo.net, Sheffield United are as
short as 1/5000 while West Brom are next at 1/20. Fulham are available at 1/4 followed by
Newcastle at 4/1, Burnley at 12/1 and Brighton at 40/1.
Those odds will change as the remaining seven games are played out and sbo.net will be
constantly updating the numbers. Opinion and news articles are available too while offers and
promotions are listed for anyone who wants to get involved in the markets.
Figures will change but they are an accurate reflection of the relegation battle right now. Are
Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham destined for the drop or will there be a
surprise from the teams above them?
Key Fixtures
When it comes to identifying a likely candidate for relegation at this advanced stage of the
season, the first piece of research involves checking on the remaining fixtures. With Sheffield
United virtually certain of the drop, West Brom are the best starting point and the Baggies will
now face Leicester, Aston Villa, Wolves, Arsenal, Liverpool, West Ham and Leeds.
That’s a tough challenge for Sam Allardyce’s men with a number of those sides aiming for the
European places. We should, however, remember that West Brom have won their last two
matches in a run that included a
5-2 victory over Chelsea.
Fulham also have three tough fixtures with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United waiting to
take on Scott Parker’s side. However, the West London club will also face fellow strugglers
Southampton, Burnley and Newcastle United.
As for Newcastle, Steve Bruce’s Magpies will be cursing the fixture computer. Their upcoming
games involve clashes with West Ham United, Leicester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and
Manchester City. Following that dreadful run against many of the division’s top teams, Bruce’s
side will host Sheffield United before that trip to Fulham on the final day.
Elsewhere, Brighton, Burnley and Southampton also have difficult fixtures but the focus really is
on Newcastle United, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion. Conceivably, Newcastle may well
lose all of their next five games and that would leave them on 32 points. Victory over Sheffield
United would be vital in order to take Newcastle up to 35 points.
Such a scenario would leave Fulham needing to claim a minimum of six points from their next
five matches in order to set up a last-day relegation showdown. With Southampton and Burnley
on the Cottagers’ radar, that target is within reach.
There are a number of potential twists and turns along the way but there are some crucial
fixtures remaining and this relegation battle is far from over.