Premier League set for a Relegation Grandstand Finish

As the Premier League season edges closer and closer towards the finishing line, the league title is pretty much wrapped up by Manchester United and the race for 3^rd and 4^th is proving to be a tough task for those who are competing, but the entertainment of the Premier League lies in the bottom of the table. The whole bottom half is not safe and each team can get relegated. For QPR and Reading who lie 19^th and 20^th with 23 points, seven off from safety look set to play Championship football next season. Reading who got promoted last season have games against Liverpool, Man City and a 6-pointer with QPR, it will be a tough task for the Royals to stay up. QPR can say goodbye to the Premier League as they have matches in which they are likely to lose from. They have Wigan this week who are also fighting relegation and Everton, who are looking for the Champions League spot. Furthermore the last month of the season sees them play Arsenal, Newcastle and Liverpool; all teams fighting for something this season, and it will be hard to earn points from them matches. Harry Redknapp has saved teams before but this year might not be his year.

Wigan Athletic, the team that goes through relegation battles annually and this year it looks as if they survive yet again. Every year they play poor throughout the season and in the last 2 months of the season they put the foot on the pedal and survive in style. Wigan have got tough teams to face but there showing last year beating Man Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool helping them survive and their recent class performances they can beat anyone on their day; if they believe. A trip to Wembley is also set for them which will give them a huge confidence boost if they reach their first FA Cup Final in the club’s history. My second favourite team after Liverpool is Aston Villa and sadly their Premier League status might come to an end. This season they have lost the experience and the leadership of the team, with Richard Dunne injured, Stiliyan Petrov recovering from Leukaemia and Darren Bent unknown, there’s no class or quality in the squad. They have got Christian Benteke to lead the team and his goals are helping them but he can’t do it all the time as he hasn’t got the quality to support him. They have got some quality such as Agbonlahor and Weimann but they can’t perform consistently also the defence is shocking and concedes too many from situations where they shouldn’t be conceded from.  In the last seven matches they play Man Utd and Chelsea and many teams like Villa eager to find precious points such as Wigan and Sunderland. To play in the Premier League you need to have the quality and Aston Villa doesn’t have that quality. Sunderland who have recently appointed Paulo Di Canio as their new manager, are in trouble too. Couple of months ago you wouldn’t imagine Sunderland in the relegation battle, but times have changed, teams such as Southampton and Wigan are escaping the ‘abyss’ whereas Sunderland are entering it at the wrong time too. The sacking of Martin O’Neil has made things worse for Sunderland as it has definitely lowered the morale in the team which will have an effect on the results they will receive. The teams they have for the next seven games are all looking for something at the end of the season. They face Chelsea, Tottenham and Everton who are all combating for a Champions League spot and they face Southampton, Stoke and Newcastle who aren’t safe yet. There’s no doubting the quality of Sunderland’s squad but the mentality of the squad just don’t know how to win games at the moment, that has to change if they want Premier League football next season.

No team in the bottom half is safe and the next seven games will confirm the three teams who will play in the Championship next season. The remaining games must be won as a draw or a loss is unacceptable. I can’t see Reading and QPR staying up unless ‘Harry Houdini’ pulls a rabbit out of the hat we shall see, but who will join them? I believe that Aston Villa will get relegated; unfortunately they don’t have the quality and belief to stay up. But knowing the Premier League who knows what will happen, we could even see Newcastle relegated after such a fabulous season they had last year. We will wait and see what the Premier League has in mind in the next couple of weeks.