It’s crunch time in the season where teams are battling for those important places that can make fundamental differences to the football clubs next season.
The Premier League is approaching the final couple of weekends of the season and there are still teams who could go down, some of which could be confirmed this weekend.
We look at each of the run-ins for the bottom six clubs and what they need to keep themselves afloat in England’s top flight:
West Bromwich Albion:
Pos. 20th
Pts. 28
GD: -24
Remaining fixtures: Tottenham (H), Crystal Palace (A)
What they need to survive:
Regardless of what happens elsewhere, failure to win both games will see West Brom’s eight-year stay in the Premier League come to an end. They can even go down if they win both games and other results go against them. A miracle of their ‘great escape’ of 2004/05 will have to be repeated for Darren Moore’s side to beat the drop.
Stoke City
Pos. 19th
Pts. 30
GD: -33
Remaining fixtures: Crystal Palace (H), Swansea (A)
What they need to survive:
Lose to Crystal Palace this weekend and it’s effectively all over for Stoke, even if they were to come away from Swansea with all three points on the last day. Therefore, nothing less than a win against Palace will keep the Potters in the chase. They also have to hope that Southampton don’t earn anymore than three points in their remaining games, so it’s almost very much like West Brom’s situation as far as manager Paul Lambert will be concerned.
Southampton
Pos. 18th
Pts. 32
GD: -19
Remaining fixtures: Everton (A), Swansea (H), Manchester City (H)
What they need to survive:
Southampton face two of the top eight including a rampant Manchester City side in their run-in. They have to go to Goodison Park and try and get a result against Everton if they were to stand a chance of staying up. It won’t be all over if they lose that match but they would have to win against Swansea to keep their hopes alive, otherwise that could be more or less curtains for Mark Hughes’ men. It will be a difficult final day against Man City, considering the squad depth and quality of Pep Guardiola’s side.
Swansea City
Pos. 17th
Pts. 33
GD: -25
Remaining fixtures: Bournemouth (A), Southampton (H), Stoke (H)
What they need to survive:
Swansea will be glad to be in the position they are in, especially playing against two relegation-candidates at the Liberty. Two wins will seal their place in the Premier League, no matter what happens elsewhere. The penultimate weekend’s matches really could depend on where they find themselves going into their game against Southampton. If they lose to Bournemouth, that will open the door for those below them to pounce.
Huddersfield Town
Pos. 16th
Pts. 35
GD: -29
Remaining fixtures: Manchester City (A), Chelsea (A), Arsenal (H)
What they need to survive:
It’s never ideal to be playing top sides in a run-in but with a three-point cushion above the relegation zone and some teams playing against each other, Huddersfield have a good opportunity to stay up. They play against Man City this weekend, who will be lifting the trophy that day, thus the atmosphere at the Etihad will be electric and difficult to cope. If they can defy the odds and get a result out of that match, David Wagner’s team will be playing Premier League football again next season. On the other hand, if they lose and fail to get anything from Chelsea, then it could be a nervy last day against Arsenal at home. It’s possible for The Terriers to lose all three games and stay up but if other results go against them, they could be in trouble.
West Ham United
Pos. 15th
Pts. 35
GD: -24
Remaining fixtures: Leicester (A), Manchester United (H), Everton (H)
What they need to survive:
It hasn’t been a good season for West Ham again and they will want to end the season on a high. In regards to what they need to survive, a win will all but guarantee it. Going to the King Power Stadium to get a win won’t be easy but Leicester did lose disastrously at Crystal Palace last weekend so it could give David Moyes and his players a chance. If they lose to Leicester and Man Utd though, they could find themselves scratching their heads going into their final match against Everton. It would take a major breakdown for The Hammers to be playing Championship football come August.
