Premier League relegation battle assessed: Who is going down?

Who will join Norwich back in the Sky Bet Championship? Brighton and West Ham are almost safe, leaving only one escape route left for Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Watford...

 

Almost there. Like Brighton, West Ham are not yet mathematically safe with 37 points on the board, but the Hammers are, in all likelihood, set to stay in the Premier League for at least another season: six points clear with a maximum of six to play for, David Moyes' side also have a far better goal difference than the teams below them.

 

Credit where it's due, West Ham have claimed three important wins since the restart to make themselves all-but safe: against Chelsea, Norwich and, in Friday's 'relegation cup final', Watford.

A crucial factor in their likely escape has been their form against the rest of the current bottom six - W5 D4 - in matches this season.

 

After the draw with Southampton, Brighton boss Graham Potter said: "We want to try to get more points, we're in a good place, but we need to carry on, it's as simple as that. Two more games to go, and we'll try to get as many points as we can." บาคาร่า

 

When Nigel Pearson was appointed by Watford in December, the remit was simple. His job was to keep a team up that was then cut adrift at the bottom of the table in the Premier League. He is close to achieving another great escape...but the defeat to West Ham means a cloud of anxiety still hovers over Vicarage Road.

And finding the points - or even another point - to stay clear of Bournemouth and Villa is not going to be easy with Man City and Arsenal their remaining opponents. Then again, Watford are the team who broke Liverpool's unbeaten run this season.

Pearson said: "Anything can happen. What happens elsewhere can help, but if you are reliant on that you are in for a bit of a shock, so our focus has to be there."