EPL Relegation Watch: Who Will Survive?

While most eyes will likely be on the race for the title in the upcoming weeks, there will undoubtedly be those with their attention focused solely on the battle to avoid relegation.

Derby County is already done, dusted, and is on course to set a record low for points earned by a Premiership club.

The previous low was set by Sunderland when the Black Cats only managed to rack up 16 points in 2006. Paul Jewell’s men are currently five points behind that tally, and with only four games remaining, could well be considered as the worst team to ever play in the England’s top flight.

Derby County’s point tally is of little importance compared to the ongoing battle to avoid the drop. Fulham and Bolton both looked set to join Derby in the Championship next season, but vital wins last weekend boosted their slim hopes of staying in the Premier League for another year.

But Birmingham, Reading, Wigan, and Sunderland, and even Middlesbrough are all still in danger of losing their Premier League status.

Fulham will be buoyed by their first away victory in over a year, but still lie four points from safety. With games against Liverpool and Manchester City still to come, the Cottagers face an uphill battle if they are to avoid the dreaded drop.

Bolton, meanwhile, are only a win away from safety, but still have to play Tottenham and Chelsea. Making matters more difficult, Gary Megson’s side will be without striker Kevin Davies, who netted the winner against the Hammers last weekend.

The Bolton striker is suspended for the next two games and without Nicolas Anelka to provide the goals anymore, Bolton will be severely lacking in firepower at the most pivotal point of the season.

So while the results of the teams involved in the title race will undeniably earn most of the headlines in upcoming weeks, let’s not forget that there’s an intriguing race going on at the bottom of the table too.

The race to avoid relegation will certainly hold many of its own twists and turns. And for Fulham and Bolton, it is a race against time.

So I leave you with one question.

Who will survive?