The Premier League fixture list has been particularly kind to us in the pre-Christmas congestion. With top of the table clashes and big derbies aplenty, there’s an assortment of matches to get excited about. Perhaps most crucially, though, are the relegation-deciding fixtures. With Burnley hosting Bournemouth, Crystal Palace visiting Hull and Sunderland travelling to Swansea, this weekend will have a seismic effect on the bottom of the Premier League table. The added impact too, will be on the future of several managers.
Only three points separate 14th placed Crystal Palace from 19th placed Hull City. The foot of the Premier League table will be a long, arduous battle for safety. The Eagles visit Mike Phelan’s Hull City with some rare confidence after a good performance (and victory) against Southampton last weekend. Palace have scored more goals than any other team outside the top five, while Hull are the league’s lowest scorers. Phelan’s side are not quite in the territory of must-win, but defeat at home to a relegation rival would be a painful blow to their campaign.
The harm to Hull of failing to win would be amplified if Swansea – sitting bottom of the table and two points behind – could claim victory against Sunderland. Bob Bradley’s side produced heroics to nick a 5-4 victory over Palace two weeks ago, but a completely abject display against Spurs last weekend does little to suggest they can turn their fortunes around. Swansea have been poor - very poor - for much of this season. Sunderland, having looked doomed to relegation a month ago, have won three of their last four. David Moyes is no longer the man with a target on his back, his side have looked the most convincing of the strugglers in recent weeks.
Then there’s Burnley and Bournemouth. The Cherries pulled themselves away from a relegation battle with a comeback victory over Liverpool last weekend, but their hosts have struggled of late and could slip into the relegation zone with a defeat. Sean Dyche’s side are built around a resolute defence - well, they usually are at least. Burnley have conceded 10 goals in their last four league games: the sign of a team that could slide down the table. Home form will be the cornerstone of any success for the Clarets, so these are the kinds of games that will determine their Premier League fate.
[ffc_insert title="" name="FM17 Project" image_ link="https://www.footballfancast.com/championship/aston-villa/villans-to-heroes-the-fm17-aston-villa-project-episode-4" link_text="Episode Four" ]
West Ham, Middlesbrough and Leicester City all face higher-in-the-table opposition this weekend. Each team would be happy to notch even a solitary point. Hull, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Swansea and Burnley cannot afford defeat, in some cases they cannot afford anything other than a victory. Ahead of a round of midweek fixtures, negative results can spiral into something even more detrimental. This weekend will not decide the destiny of any of these clubs, but it will give a good indication of the state or play in avoiding the drop.
The intriguing managerial subplot remains, too. Alan Pardew, Phelan and Bradley remain under intense pressure. Roberto Mancini and Sam Allardyce (the most unlikely of duos) wait in the wings and each defeat will see their names ring louder around the clubs in the relegation battle.
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