Many people in Estonia grew up following the fortunes of Mart Poom and Derby County in the Premier League, while there was an interest in Marians Pahars and his goalscoring exploits during his time at Southampton in England’s top fight.
Although both Derby and Southampton have dropped out of the biggest domestic football competition on the planet, many people in this part of the world still follow Premier League football religiously. Fans here select their various fantasy football squads on a yearly basis. The latest Premier League odds are always looked at, such as a well-supported club in Chelsea being priced at 15/8 to secure a top four finish, while the big games and the various YouTube channels that cover the league’s biggest talking points are also being explored.
Given that both Mart Poom and Marians Pahars experienced life down at the bottom of the table, the relegation battle and the various Premiership relegation odds are another fascinating area for many fans of the competition. As the likes of the Rams and the Saints are finding out, dropping out of the richest league in the world can have a damaging impact on a club. In fact, not only are various revenue streams suddenly lost, but it can take years to get back into the league.
This season, with England’s top flight serving up another highly competitive feast of football, there are some emerging favorites for the drop come the end of the season. With a seemingly grueling campaign ahead, below is a look at some of the Premier League’s relegation contenders this season.
The newly-promoted sides face a tough task
Burnley, Luton, and Sheffield United have a tough task on their hands. In the case of Burnley, Vincent Kompany’s Premier League know-how certainly improves their chances, but a squad filled with inexperience at the highest level could also hinder their prospects. The Clarets have an abundance of talent from abroad within their ranks, though, but a seemingly leaky defense will surely concern the Belgian boss, one of the Premier League’s greatest ever centre-backs.
As for Sheffield United and Luton, both clubs are looking likely for the drop. Luton’s small size and minuscule budget compared to the rest makes their top-flight status all the more impressive, but manager Rob Edwards has an almighty challenge to overcome. The signing of Ross Barkley certainly provides some much-needed top-level experience to a squad that is sorely lacking it, though.
The same applies to Sheffield United, although the Blades appear to be slightly stronger than the Hatters thanks to the acquisition of undoubted bright sparks like Cameron Archer and Gustavo Hamer. Still, like the aforementioned Rob Edwards at Luton, Paul Heckingbottom’s job is a difficult one.
Everton are in for another nerve-wracking campaign
Alongside the seemingly impossible task the promoted clubs are facing are some Premier League stalwarts that appear to be in the mire. One of them is Everton, a club with clear issues. Sean Dyche’s experience scrapping down at the bottom of the league will surely count for something, but the Toffees are in a sticky position overall.
Fans are still angry at the club’s hierarchy, they’re weak in key areas of the pitch, and a distinct lack of goals throughout the team spells another season of struggles for a club continually in turmoil. Alongside the likes of Bournemouth and Wolves, two other sides who will surely be in the mix given the inexperienced managers both clubs have in the job, Everton appears to be in for yet another grueling season.
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