Can Promoted Trio Avoid Premier League Relegation?
It’s now been two consecutive seasons where the promoted clubs have made an immediate return to the Championship. Two campaigns ago, Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United were unable to make it stick in the Premier League. Twelve months later, it was the turn of Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton to head back out of the division.
Therefore, it’s clear that Sunderland, Burnley and Leeds United have their work cut out. That is reflected in the Premier League relegation market with the leading football bookies. The former are trading at odds of 1.25 to go down and it’s a tough ask for a team who have lost Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund. The midfielder was ever-present for the Black Cats last term and it makes the task of survival even harder.
Regis Le Bris probably overachieved with the Wearside club but attracting the calibre of player to be competitive in the top flight is going to be difficult. There’s an 80% chance of Sunderland dropping back down to the Championship and much depends on whether they can finish ahead of their fellow new boys. Leeds are regarded as the promoted side most likely to stay in the division. The Yorkshire club were highly impressive when winning the Championship title last term. They were widely regarded as the best team in the second tier, with Daniel Farke now hoping to fare better in the Premier League than he did with Norwich City.
The German was unable to prosper with the Canaries against the big boys although Leeds are only a shade of odds-on for the drop. Out of the promoted three, they are the team that need the least strengthening. There is already quality in the ranks and it’s possible that Joel Piroe can continue to plunder goals at a higher level.
Burnley went about achieving automatic promotion in an entirely different way. Scott Parker’s team were incredible from a defensive point-of-view, with just two defeats being suffered across the forty-six games played. A big reason for their defensive stinginess was the fact that James Trafford produced a string of excellent goalkeeping performances.
However, the top betting sites still take a dim view that the Lancashire side can stay afloat. The big question is which of the other seventeen sides will be vulnerable to the drop. Perhaps Brentford may find life tough going following the departure of Thomas Frank to Tottenham. The Dane achieved great things with the west London club and Keith Andrews is something of a risky appointment at the Gtech Stadium.
West Ham also had a flat previous campaign and Graham Potter could be under pressure if early results don’t go the right way. The coach’s stock has fallen since his time at Brighton although he will have the chance to get a pre-season under his belt and the same applies to David Moyes.
The Scot takes charge of an Everton side who are playing at a brand new ground but perhaps they will struggle with unfamiliar territory. Wolverhampton Wanderers now have to contend without the departed Matheus Cunha and they are also one of the favourites for the drop. However, all eyes are on the promoted three once again.
Latest Premier League relegation odds
