The race for the Premier League title is so far proving to be an enthralling affair with five points between top spot and fourth at the 12 game mark, but down in the lower echelons of the table the fight for survival is equally as engrossing, albeit far more desperate and hazardous.
A meagre four points separate Newcastle (14th) and Fulham (20th), the Toon only one point above the dreaded drop zone, largely thanks to an unexpected mini-revival of two wins on the spin.
In truth, at this primitive stage of the season you’ll need more than a crystal ball to predict the trio of luckless teams that will suffer the dreaded drop, with a feast of football still to be played from now until May, including the oh so frenzied festive period.
A look at The Sportsman stat pack informs us that in the 27-year history of the Premier League era only two clubs - Everton and QPR - have ever scraped fewer points after 12 matches than the current Fulham side.
The Everton outfit of 1994/95 could only manage four points, and zero wins, but to their credit the Toffees would recover to finish four places and five points clear of the relegation zone. However, the same could not be said of QPR, who at the start of the 2012/13 campaign registered only four points from a possible 36 - they were unable to recover finishing a sizeable 14 points adrift of safety.
Fulham, in their first top-flight season since 2013/14, have taken five points from a dozen matches, the joint-third worst start ever start to a Premier League season. It represents a rotten return that ultimately cost Slavisa Jokanovic his job, as the Serb made way for former title-winner Claudio Ranieri on Wednesday. The Italian’s first task will be patching up a dismal defence that has already leaked in an alarming 31 goals - the second highest ever at this stage.
19th-placed Huddersfield have faired only marginally better than Fulham with seven paltry points to their name so far - joint-third worst in the all-time list - although they too have only managed a solitary win. Four of those seven points have come from the club’s vastly-improved last two games, although their tally of six goals is the worst return in the league, and a huge concern in the long run.
The underperforming trio of Southampton, Crystal Palace, and Cardiff are only a point better off than Huddersfield - meaning these three teams are ranked joint-fourth in the worst starts table - with the Bluebirds in the drop-zone thanks to their woeful goal difference - Neil Warnock’s men have already conceded 25 goals this term.
But, while managers David Wagner and Warnock appear just about safe in their jobs for now, largely thanks to past achievements at their respective clubs, the same can not be said of the new frontrunner for the sack, Mark Hughes.
The under fire Saints manager is likely to be one defeat away from the chop, although if the Saints fail to win their crunch clash against relegation rivals Fulham, he could be well gone draw or lose.
