The end for the current Premier League season is drawing ever nearer, but there is still plenty to be decided before the curtains come down.
While all the focus is on who will be crowned champions and who will take the fourth Champions League spot, the race for survival is hotting up. Trying to figure out how this will all play out, The Sportsman team have decided to give our predictions on what the bottom three will look like come 22 May and the teams we believe will be heading through the trapdoor.
Below, we give our projections for the remaining fixtures of the season for the five current bottom teams in the division and try to map out who survives and who goes down.
Conor Keane
LEEDS UNITED (P32, Pts33)
Palace (a) Draw
Man City (h) Loss
Arsenal (a) Draw
Chelsea (h) Loss
Brighton (h) Win
Brentford (a) Draw
TOTAL: 39 points
VERDICT: There is no denying that Jesse Marsch has helped turn things around at Elland Road since he took over from Marcelo Bielsa. His side have been more consistent in picking up points, which might have already gotten them over the line to safety.
EVERTON (P30, Pts28)
Leicester (h) Win
Liverpool (a) Lose
Chelsea (h) Lose
Leicester (a) Draw
Watford (a) Win
Brentford (h) Win
Palace (h) Lose
Arsenal (a) Lose
TOTAL: 38 points
VERDICT: Everton have been poor this year but knowing what’s at stake, Goodison Park will need to become a fortress and the crowd will have to make it a hostile place for opposition teams to go to. They will also need to ensure they pick up the odd point on their travels.
BURNLEY (P31, Pts25)
Southampton (h) Draw
Wolves (a) Draw
Watford (h) Win
Villa (h) Win
Tottenham (a) Lose
Villa (a) Draw
Newcastle (h) Win
TOTAL: 37 points
VERDICT: Their decision to sack Sean Dyche at such a crucial stage of the season will forever remain a mystery, but if they stay up the board’s decision will be slightly justified.
WATFORD (P32, Pts22)
Man City (a) Lose
Burnley (h) Lose
Palace (a) Lose
Everton (h) Lose
Leicester (h) Draw
Chelsea (a) Lose
TOTAL: 23 points
VERDICT: They’ve shown only a few glimpses of quality all season, the two managerial appointments haven’t been inspiring and when there’s that much change in one season, it’s only going to bring trouble.
NORWICH (P32, Pts21)
Newcastle (h) Lose
Villa (a) Lose
West Ham (h) Draw
Leicester (a) Lose
Wolves (a) Lose
Tottenham (h) Lose
TOTAL: 22 points
VERDICT: Dean Smith had a difficult job when coming through the door and it was never fair on him to be expected to keep the club up. They tried adding to their squad this time around which got them some credit, but once again they haven’t been good enough. Do we crown them Championship winners for 2022-23 now?
Relegated: Burnley, Watford and Norwich
Kris Voakes
LEEDS UNITED (P32, Pts33)
Palace (a) Draw
Man City (h) Loss
Arsenal (a) Loss
Chelsea (h) Loss
Brighton (h) Win
Brentford (a) Draw
TOTAL: 38 points
VERDICT: Their run of Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea in successive matches means they have three games to target between now and the season’s end to get the majority of the points they need. They should get just enough.
EVERTON (P30, Pts28)
Leicester (h) Win
Liverpool (a) Lose
Chelsea (h) Lose
Leicester (a) Lose
Watford (a) Win
Brentford (h) Win
Palace (h) Draw
Arsenal (a) Lose
TOTAL: 38 points
VERDICT: This is going to be tight. Everton need to simultaneously maintain their Goodison Park roar but also pick up what points they can on the road. The trip to Watford and a big win against Brentford might just save them.
BURNLEY (P31, Pts25)
Southampton (h) Draw
Wolves (a) Draw
Watford (h) Win
Villa (h) Win
Tottenham (a) Lose
Villa (a) Draw
Newcastle (h) Win
TOTAL: 37 points
VERDICT: A lot, obviously, depends on who they select to replace Sean Dyche, but supposing they get a new manager bounce they will run Everton close. It could come down to them needing to win their last two games, and I’m not sure they can quite see it through.
WATFORD (P32, Pts22)
Man City (a) Lose
Burnley (h) Lose
Palace (a) Lose
Everton (h) Lose
Leicester (h) Draw
Chelsea (a) Lose
TOTAL: 23 points
VERDICT: They’re gone. I mean, how can you expect them to start picking up enough points now given their form thus far… particularly at home.
NORWICH (P32, Pts21)
Newcastle (h) Lose
Villa (a) Lose
West Ham (h) Draw
Leicester (a) Draw
Wolves (a) Lose
Tottenham (h) Lose
TOTAL: 23 points
VERDICT: Looking at the positives, they’ll come straight back up next season.
Relegated: Burnley, Watford and Norwich
Joey Mills
LEEDS UNITED (P32, Pts33)
Palace (a) Draw
Man City (h) Loss
Arsenal (a) Draw
Chelsea (h) Loss
Brighton (h) Draw
Brentford (a) Win
TOTAL: 39 points
VERDICT: City, Arsenal and Chelsea are three teams no relegation-threatened club wants to see in their run-in. Of that group, the improving but occasionally shaky Arsenal are Jesse Marsch’s best chance of a point. Taking advantage of the likes of Brentford and Brighton potentially being on the beach by that stage of the season is vital.
EVERTON (P30, Pts28)
Leicester (h) Win
Liverpool (a) Lose
Chelsea (h) Lose
Leicester (a) Draw
Watford (a) Win
Brentford (h) Win
Palace (h) Lose
Arsenal (a) Lose
TOTAL: 38 points
VERDICT: Leicester’s malaise presents a massive opportunity for Frank Lampard’s Toffees, considering the COVID-afflicted has them facing the Foxes twice. Liverpool and Chelsea are likely to have too much, but Watford and Brentford arrive at just the right time.
BURNLEY (P31,Pts25)
Southampton (h) Draw
Wolves (a) Lose
Watford (h) Lose
Villa (h) Lose
Tottenham (a) Lose
Villa (a) Lose
Newcastle (h) Draw
TOTAL: 27 points
VERDICT: With no permanent manager in place at Turf Moor, it is hard to fully judge where Burnley will land. But a team formed so comprehensively around one man’s vision is likely to struggle initially with a new man at the helm. Burnley’s fixture list is softer than some of their rivals, but it is unlikely to be enough.
WATFORD (P32,Pts22)
Man City (a) Lose
Burnley (h) Win
Palace (a) Lose
Everton (h) Lose
Leicester (h) Lose
Chelsea (a) Lose
TOTAL: 25 points
VERDICT: Watford look tired. Their players look tired. Roy Hodgson looks tired. The Hornets have lost eight of their last 10 games, and that is the very definition of relegation form.
NORWICH (P32, Pts21)
Newcastle (h) Lose
Villa (a) Lose
West Ham (h) Lose
Leicester (a) Draw
Wolves (a) Lose
Tottenham (h) Lose
TOTAL: 22 points
VERDICT: Landing some blows on a punch-drunk Manchester United at Old Trafford might be as good as it gets for the Canaries this spring. Add another five points to this total if Delia Smith does another “Let’s be ‘avin’ you!” rant.
Relegated: Burnley, Watford and Norwich
Sam Penfold
LEEDS UNITED (P32, Pts33)
Palace (a) Loss
Man City (h) Loss
Arsenal (a) Loss
Chelsea (h) Loss
Brighton (h) Win
Brentford (a) Draw
TOTAL: 37 points
VERDICT: Leeds United’s recent upturn in form has seen them collect 10 points from their last 12 available. Those points will be vital in their survival push as the chasing pack looks to be in real trouble. Not much to smile about between now and the end of the season but staying up will be more than enough.
EVERTON (P30, Pts28)
Leicester (h) Draw
Liverpool (a) Lose
Chelsea (h) Lose
Leicester (a) Draw
Watford (a) Win
Brentford (h) Draw
Palace (h) Draw
Arsenal (a) Lose
TOTAL: 35 points
VERDICT: Everton need points. Where will they get them though? Leicester potentially due to their Europa Conference League commitments. Watford are dreadful and there for the taking. Brentford and Palace will be tough but points are on the cards. Maybe we’re giving them too much credit. Maybe Everton will fall off again but you get the feeling they’ll hang in there.
BURNLEY (P31, Pts25)
Southampton (h) Draw
Wolves (a) Lose
Watford (h) Win
Villa (h) Lose
Tottenham (a) Lose
Villa (a) Lose
Newcastle (h) Lose
TOTAL: 29 points
VERDICT: A new manager won't save the Clarets. A point against West Ham was good but the killer blow was the loss to Norwich, after beating Everton just days before, that sealed Burnley’s fate.
WATFORD (P32,Pts22)
Man City (a) Lose
Burnley (h) Lose
Palace (a) Lose
Everton (h) Lose
Leicester (h) Lose
Chelsea (a) Lose
TOTAL: 22 points
VERDICT: No wins on the horizon here for the Hornets. They were buzzing to be back in the Premier League but their real nest is the Championship and off they go to from whence they came.
NORWICH (P32, Pts21)
Newcastle (h) Lose
Villa (a) Lose
West Ham (h) Lose
Leicester (a) Lose
Wolves (a) Lose
Tottenham (h) Lose
TOTAL: 21 points
VERDICT: Yoyo club FC. See you in two years Norwich.
Relegated: Burnley, Watford and Norwich
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