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The 2023-24 Premier League title fight will attract a lot of attention, but the relegation battle could also be exciting. The fight to avoid relegation will be thrilling for neutrals, but nerve-wracking for the clubs.
The Relegation Battle of Last Year
Some clubs cannot afford to get relegated, especially with the amount of money that is involved in English football’s top level. Leeds United, Leicester City and Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season. Football betting is a huge industry, and there are many sportsbooks available. Sportingtech offers gaming operators unmatched levels of flexibility and customization. Over 1,000 betting markets are available for the relegation fight.
The battle of last season was fascinating. Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth were spared an immediate return to the EFL Championship while West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Wolverhampton United survived in the end.
Everton survived the drop to the Premier League by the skins of their teeth as this ESPN shows. The Toffees were able to stay in the Premier League with a 1-0 win at home over Bournemouth on the final day of their season.
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The Saints’ 11-year reign in the Premier League ended when they finished at the bottom of the table. Leeds finished in second place with 31 points. Leicester won the Premier League in 2016 and FA Cup in 2020. The Foxes, however, had a terrible 2022-23 EPL and were relegated from the Championship.
What are the Relegation candidates this season?
The three promoted teams are expected to struggle in the upcoming season. Burnley was the champions of the Championship in last season’s campaign, with Vincent Kompany and his men taking the title on 101 points.
Sheffield United finished second, and earned the final automatic promotion spot. The Blades were ten points behind Clarets but 11 points ahead of third place.
Luton Town won the final promotion slot. After Nathan Jones left, the Hatters continued to play under Rob Edwards. They finished third in the Championship and beat Sunderland City and Coventry City during the Championship Play-Offs.
The transition to the Premier League has been difficult for all three promoted clubs. As BBC reported, Sheffield United has already lost 8-0 in their home stadium this season. Three teams are in or around the bottom three going into the second break of the season.
Bournemouth stayed in the top division last season despite the odds. Gary O’Neil was fired and went on to become the manager of Wolves. Both teams will be in the relegation zone this season.
Nottingham Forest has made a good start under Steve Cooper. Brentford, Fulham and Crystal Palace, among others, should be able to finish the season in the top half.
The title race is heating up, as are the fights for European places and survival.
This stage is especially difficult for the teams at the bottom of the league table. The transfer window will open at the beginning of 2024. This gives the teams involved a chance for a second-half of the season.
The Premier League’s relegation battle last year was a close one, and this could be a repeat.
