HomeSoccerPremier League 2019-20: 3 teams likely to get relegated

Premier League 2019-20: 3 teams likely to get relegated

- Advertisement -

The Premier League hierarchy is eyeing the resumption of the 2019-20 season following repeated discussions with the government, the clubs and various football governing bodies in the last few weeks.

The league executives appear to have developed a protocol through which the season can recommence amid the coronavirus crisis, as footballers will likely be subjected to regular testing before playing games in neutral venues.

- Advertisement -

The date of resumption is believed to have been set for June 8, with the government expected to allow athletes to begin the first phase of restricted group training later this week.

However, relegation-threatened clubs in the Premier League have openly opposed the idea of resuming the season in these conditions, with the financial repercussions they would endure once they get dropped to the Championship believed to be the primary reason behind their rivalling view.

This is how the Premier League table currently looks. (Image Credits: Premier League)

The relegation battle in the English top flight is as tight as ever this season, with only two points separating 18th-placed Bournemouth and 15th-placed Brighton and Hove Albion.

League chiefs only have until May 25 to inform UEFA about their decision to either cancel or complete their season. No matter what decision they make by then, however, three clubs are likely to be relegated in order to avoid legal consequences and schedule-related problems in the future.

Having said that, we take a look at three clubs who are expected to be relegated from the Premier League this season.

#1 Norwich City

Norwich City secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time since 2016 after winning the Championship title last season but all hopes of maintaining a successful run in England’s top-tier appear to have been shattered.

Daniel Farke’s men sit at the bottom of the standings with 21 points and have occupied the same position since their defeat to Aston Villa on December 26. This does not bode well for the club when one considers the fact that only three teams who have been at the bottom of the table on Christmas have managed to escape relegation in the Premier League’s history.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-eFxqkD2G1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Moreover, the Canaries hold a joint unwanted record of four relegations from the top flight and will need at least 15 points from their upcoming nine games to avoid increasing their tally.

Norwich City initially enjoyed a decent start to the present campaign, with their victory over Manchester City as well as their draws against Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur believed to be promising signs of their Premier League season.

However, their failure to convert home leads into wins and their easily-avoidable defeats to relegation rivals have done enough damage to make them the most likely candidates to be dropped to the second tier of English football at the end of the season.

#2 Aston Villa

Aston Villa’s massive gamble in the transfer market last summer has not paid any dividends as they are now engaged in a relegation dogfight in the Premier League, occupying the 19th spot with 25 points.

The Villans almost equalled Manchester United’s expenditures in the summer transfer window of 2019 with £144.5 million worth of spendings. However, an injury crisis- which saw the likes of Wesley and John McGinn restricted to the sidelines- soon resulted in the shortage of influential players within the squad and an over-reliance on their captain, Jack Grealish.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_rhs2YHRTT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Moreover, inconsistent performances from defensive signings like Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa, coupled with the injury of their first-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton, have led to one of the worst defensive records in the English top-flight this season, with 56 conceded goals and only four clean sheets.

Dean Smith’s men were also in the midst of a wretched run of form leading up to the campaign’s suspension as they suffered four consecutive defeats in the Premier League, thereby becoming the only club in the top tier to have lost their previous four matches.

They are scheduled to play Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool in their upcoming fixtures and are unlikely to escape their relegation fate unless they manage 11 points from their remaining games against the bottom-half sides.

#3 Brighton and Hove Albion

Brighton and Hove Albion may have won many admirers for their aesthetically-pleasing style of play this season, but if they don’t convert their expansive football strategies into positive results soon, they could well be on their way out of the Premier League.

Graham Potter’s men occupy 15th place on the table with 29 points but their two-point cushion from the drop zone will hardly guarantee survival in the English top flight when the season resumes.

Like Norwich City, the Seagulls initially enjoyed a good run of form in the Premier League, with the flexibility of their tactical set-up allowing them to get the better of clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. However, their inability to create clear-cut chances and the lack of ruthlessness in front of goal has since led to a downward spiral of fortunes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_rttwJnupr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Brighton have not won any games in the entirety of 2020, with their last win coming in a 2-0 victory against Bournemouth in December last year. This means they have not established a win in their past nine matches, thereby becoming the club with the longest current run without a win in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth currently sit at 18th place on the Premier League standings but the quality within the squad and the experience of their manager, coupled with their decent home form this season, maybe enough for them to narrowly escape relegation at the end of the campaign.

Moreover, Brighton’s upcoming fixtures, which include games against Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Leicester City, together with their inability to get results, means they are one of the favourites to get dropped this season.

Follow us on facebook for more sports news & updates

- Advertisement -

15 Highly Educated Cricketers Of All Time

Cricket is a game of passion and dedication. A sport in which one involves themselves in camps and practice since early childhood. Due to...

Do we often under-appreciate Andy Flower? What’s his legacy?

There's a hint of sadness in noting that Zimbabwe has never been a dominant power in world cricket. But nothing could be sadder than...

Why are more and more MotoGP riders using the Noson nasal dilator?

Introduction MotoGP riders or athletes are physically fit and healthy individuals and their muscles are continuously functioning and used during the performance. As a fan...

How Come UFC Fighters Have Cauliflower Ears But Boxers Don’t?

The UFC has come a long way since its early days, wherein the fights seemed like modern-day gladiators due to its brutality and inconsistent...

5 spinners who can be India’s potential finger-spinners

The Indian cricket team has always been proud of its ability to produce world-class batsmen and similarly potent spinners. Though in recent times, the...

IPL 2018: The beautiful Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

Being seated in the Sawai Mansingh stadium brings a different world, a world of difference away from the palpable excitement of watching truly India’s...

The astonishing decline of Mario Balotelli

There was a time when Mario Balotelli was on top of the world.  The Italian talisman had scored two goals in the Euro 2012 semi-finals,...

Top 5 Left Wingers In The World, Based On 2019-20 Season

Owing to the fact that football has evolved a lot since its inception and the tactics have changed a lot, the role of wingers...

What can be expected from the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?

Heat in the air and heat inside the car- that's been the story of the Azerbaijan Grand prix. As F1 parks itself at Baku...

How Suresh Raina Batted India Into The Finals of 2011 World Cup

Its been 9 years, since India won the Cricket World Cup defeating Sri Lanka on 2 April, 2011. The images and visuals of...

IPL 2018: The best from the West Indies

When one of nature's treacherous attacks on mankind- earthquakes- strike, their impact is measured on Richter's scale. When West Indians strike in a tournament...

Big change for India Women’s cricket as BCCI looks to finalise bowling coach soon

We are not even at the halfway stage of the 2018 cricketing season. It clearly seems there's no stopping India's women's cricket team. The...

Age Fraud in Indian Cricket: Are players really to be blamed?

There have been times while watching a cricket match when we tend to hear commentators comment on cricketers’ age. We as fans have many...

Ajax XI if they didn’t sell their star players

Based in Amsterdam, AFC Ajax, who incidentally draw their name from the legendary Greek hero of the same name, are the most successful club...

5 famous players to play for both Leeds United and Liverpool

Leeds United are back in the Premier League after 16 years and will play Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday in their very first match...

- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -