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Premier League Relegation: Previewing the main contenders

Tom Victor
03 August 2022
5 min read

After narrowly avoiding the drop last season, Leeds will hope Patrick Bamford's return can help this term

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Ahead of the 2022-23 Premier League season, Tom Victor previews the main contenders for relegation based on Betfair Exchange odds...

"If Bournemouth are to stay up, it will depend a lot on the goals of Dominic Solanke. The England international top-scored with 29 league goals last season, but only netted three times in his last top-flight season."

After last season's Premier League relegation battle went down to the final day of the season, we could be in for another close-run contest this time around.

While Watford and Norwich were cast adrift before the final few games, the final place was still in the balance with just minutes of the season remaining. Ultimately it was Leeds who survived, and Burnley who fell at the last, thanks to the Whites' last-gasp victory over Brentford in May.

Ahead of the new season we have taken a closer look at some of the contenders for the drop.

Bournemouth - Quiet summer spells trouble

Bournemouth were relegated from the Premier League in 2020 after a tight battle of their own, finishing just a single point below 17th-placed Aston Villa. Since then, they have gone through a number of managers, with current incumbent Scott Parker leading them back to the promised land.

Of the three promoted sides, the Cherries have been the quietest in the transfer market. Joe Rothwell and Ryan Fredericks have arrived on free transfers, with Marcus Tavernier joining from Middlesbrough in a deal worth a reported £12m, while experienced pros Robbie Brady and Gary Cahill have moved on.

If Bournemouth are to stay up, it will depend a lot on the goals of Dominic Solanke. The England international top-scored with 29 league goals last season, but only netted three times in his last top-flight season.

Bournemouth are @ 1.4840/85 to suffer another relegation

Nottingham Forest - Super Cooper gives faith

Steve Cooper's Forest came up through the play-offs, but a full season under the Welshman might have been enough for a top-two finish. The former Swansea City boss arrived with his team bottom of the table, but a remarkable turnaround saw them finish fourth before seeing off Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town to clinch promotion.

Since then, they have been very active in the transfer market. Some of the moves have been necessary, with loanees Djed Spence, Philip Zinckernagel and James Garner no longer available and Brice Samba returning to France after his heroics last season.

Their survival will likely depend on the ability of their new arrivals to deliver. The standout names might be goalkeeper Dean Henderson and former Man Utd star Jesse Lingard, but record signing Taiwo Awoniyi will be relied upon to take his Bundesliga scoring form to the Premier League.

Forest are odds-against for relegation @ 2.3411/8

Fulham

Fulham cruised to promotion from the Championship last season, sitting atop the table from mid-January until the end of the campaign. They also topped Infogol's xG table, while their 106 goals represents the second-highest tally in the history of the competition.

A massive 43 of those goals were scored by Aleksandar Mitrovic, a record for one player in a second-tier season. The Serbian will now need to deliver in the top tier, something he was unable to do in 2020-21 when Fulham were relegated.

Manager Marco Silva has been adding to his squad, with former Sporting CP midfielder João Palhinha arriving at great cost as one of a handful of signings. It's Silva's fourth Premier League spell, but the first with a club which he has led to promotion himself.

You can back Fulham for relegation @ 2.506/4

Leeds United - Departures will hurt Whites

Leeds' difficult second season in the Premier League saw Marcelo Bielsa replaced by Jesse Marsch, and the American only just did enough to keep the team afloat. It's been a summer of change since, and another season of survival will come down to how they respond to losing two stars.

Academy talent Kalvin Phillips was a big miss last season when sidelined through injury, and the England International has now moved on for good after a big money move to Manchester City. Raphinha has also left Elland Road, with Barcelona swooping for the Brazilian, so a lot of weight has been placed on a group of new recruits.

Much is expected of Luis Sinisterra after his exploits for Feyenoord, while United States international Brenden Aaronson previously thrived under Marsch at Red Bull Salzburg. Leeds will also welcome back Patrick Bamford, their top scorer in 2020-21, after injuries limited him to just nine league outings last season.

Leeds are 3.3512/5 to end the season in the bottom three

Southampton - New signings need to impress

Southampton finished clear of the drop in 15th last season. However, a run of nine defeats from their final 12 games will worry manager Ralph Hasenhüttl.

There's also the question of whether James Ward-Prowse will be able to work his magic again in the upcoming season. The midfielder hit double-figures for the first time in his career last term, enhancing his reputation as a free-kick maestro.

While the Saints have yet to lose any stars this summer, their business includes the arrival of some inexperienced players. They'll be hoping young duo Gavin Bazunu and Romeo Lavia can thrive after arriving from Manchester City, with goalkeeper Bazunu looking to improve what was the fourth-worst Premier League defence in 2021-22.

Saints are a tempting 3.8014/5 for relegation

Brentford - Can Potter weave his magic?

Based on Brentford's xG last term, there's cause for optimism. Thomas Frank's side were eighth in Infogol's xG table, and 13th in real terms, but there's an asterisk there.

The Bees benefited a lot from Christian Eriksen's mid-season arrival, with the Dane helping arrest what was looking like a worrying slide. Eriksen is now a Manchester United player, so his attacking output will need to be replaced.

One man who could make the difference is Keane Lewis-Potter, a £16m arrival from Hull City. The 21-year-old impressed in the Championship last season, but this will be his first taste of the big time.

Brentford are 4.03/1 to go down

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