English Premier League Relegation Battle: Who Is Staying Up, Who Is Going Down

Five teams currently sit entrenched in the Premier League relegation zone. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bolton Wanderers, Queens Park Rangers, Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic each have 12 games to rescue their seasons and preserve their top-flight status.

Only two points separate bottom-side Wigan and sixteenth place Wolverhampton- both teams picked up draws over the weekend. Meanwhile, the rest of the pack lost their fixtures, and piled a new load of pressure on themselves- and increased the misery for their supporters.

B/R now looks at each team's chances of Premier League survival.

Wolves

Wolves decision to sack Mick McCarthy was spot on, however, their timing wasn't. McCarthy should have been sacked before Christmas, which would have given a new manager plenty of time to bring in a winter signing or two of his own. McCarthy did sign Sebastien Bassong and Emmanuel Frimpong before his axing.

Wolves now have 12 games to secure enough points to stay in the Premier League for a fourth straight year. Their bid for another year in the Premier League got a boost Saturday after a draw with Newcastle. 

Terry Connor has taken over a team who has good Premier League players, but a team that McCarthy couldn't coax the best out of, whether due to his man management, his tactical knowledge or something else.

Wolves have better players than the teams around them. Their come from behind 2-2 draw with Newcastle was a great way to start Conner’s managerial rein, as he made the adjustments McCarthy was never able to do. Wolves have given up the third most goals this season, but Saturday’s draw should give the club confidence in their new manager going into their last 12 games. 

Wolves season may come down to their last game of the year, for a second straight season as they travel to Wigan, who may need a win to preserve their Premier League status as well.

Remaining Matches: (a) Fulham, Blackburn, Manchester United, (a) Norwich, Bolton, (a) Stoke City, Arsenal, (a) Sunderland, Manchester City, (a) Swansea City, Everton, (a) Wigan

Blackburn

Blackburn Rovers have been a club under fire since the ownership takeover by Venky's, and their sacking of Sam Allardyce. Since the owners hiring of current manager Steve Kean, the fans have voiced their displeasure staying away from Ewood Park in droves. This past week defender Christopher Samba left the club for Russian-side Anzhi Makhachkala after his continued fallout with Kean. It just gets worse for the one time Premier League champions.

Blackburn has had unlikely wins against Arsenal and Manchester United this season. However, the club hasn’t been able to use that momentum to distance themselves from the relegation pack. 

Rovers have three matches remaining against the relegation contenders this season: Wolves, Bolton and Wigan. In their previous matches this season against those clubs, Blackburn only picked up one point. With so many poor results this term, and a manager every Rovers supporter wants sacked, this team looks set for Championship football next season. 

However, Blackburn is the wildcard: A despised ownership group, a hated manager and an unpredictable team. Blackburn are just the type of loose cannons that may be playing Premier League football next season.

On a side note, Venky's may not even be aware, but former manager Allardyce has West Ham looking likely for promotion to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Remaining Matches: Aston Villa, (a) Wolverhamption, Sunderland, (a) Bolton, Manchester United, (a) West Brom, Liverpool, (a) Swansea City, Norwich, (a) Tottenham, Wigan, (a) Chelsea

QPR

QPR sacked manager Neil Warnock during the winter transfer window and installed Mark Hughes as his successor. Hughes has done little to turn the club around as they have lost four and won only once.

Unlike Wolves and Bolton, QPR was able to attract a proven Premier League striker,  Bobby Zamora, to the club in January. They were also able to bring in AC Milan’s Taye Taiwo after the Italian giants deemed the left back surplus to requirement. 

Hughes left Fulham last season feeling they didn't have high enough aspirations. Now with QPR, Fulham supporters will feel some vindication if the Hoops are relegated.

QPR’s poor play is pushing them toward that trap door after one season in the top-flight, and nothing they have produced of late looks good enough to keep them up.

QPR were beaten by Fulham on Saturday after having a man sent-off for the third time in four games. They’re defending poorly, they’re not creating chances and the ones they are creating are not being put away. Going on their current form, QPR look set for the drop. 

There’s no doubt QPR has the toughest remaining schedule, and although their goal difference is better than their relegation rivals, their remaining fixtures against Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Manchester United may be too much. It’s bound to be relegation for the Hoops.

Remaining Matches: Everton, (a) Bolton, Liverpool, (a) Sunderland, Arsenal, (a) Manchester United, Swansea City, (a) West Brom, Tottenham, (a) Chelsea, Stoke City, @ Manchester City

Bolton

Bolton have desperately missed several key players this season. They lost Johan Elmander to a free transfer at the beginning of the season, and couldn't convince Chelsea that Daniel Sturridge needed another loan spell at the club, Sturridge was fantastic for Bolton last spring scoring eight in 12 matches.

To make matters worse their best midfielders, Stuart Holden and Lee Chung-Yong, have missed the entire season due to injury. This Bolton squad has looked extremely different to the one that played so well during the first half of last season.

Credit must go to Bolton chairman Phil Gartside for sticking with manager Owen Coyle, despite the club’s poor form. Though some in the media have called for his head, there is currently a limited number of quality managers to replace Coyle and keep the Wanderers up. The manager you know is better than the manager you don’t.

Bolton has the easiest schedule remaining which should go a long way in helping preserve their top-flight status. However, Bolton has given up 54-goals this year, second most, and neither their defence nor attack showed up on Saturday against Chelsea.

Bolton still has enough quality to stay up, and they still have fixtures against Blackburn, QPR and Wolves to come, each one a massive six-pointer. 

Remaining Matches: (a) Manchester City, QPR, (a) Aston Villa, Blackburn, (a) Wolverhampton, Fulham, (a) Newcastle, Tottenham, Swansea City, (a) Sunderland, West Brom, (a) Stoke

Wigan

Wigan have spent most of the season propping up the Premier League. They have scored the least amount of goals this season, and have looked quite inept against the league’s top sides. Many in the press have called for manager Roberto Martinez’s head, but owner Dave Whelan has stayed true to the man he personally installed as manager nearly three years ago. 

Last season Wigan surprised everyone with a late-season surge that kept them up. Midfielder Charles N’Zogbia put the club on his shoulders at the end of 2011, but without him someone else will need to do the same. 

They have picked up five points from their last three matches, better than any of their relegation rivals, and they may be set for another late-season charge. Wigan still has difficult matches against Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United, however.

The good news is, Wigan picked up draws against Liverpool and Chelsea earlier this season, and may play the two English giants at exactly the right time. Chelsea continues to have internal problems, while Liverpool is hoping for an FA Cup run. 

The club will end 2011-12 away at Blackburn prior to a home fixture with Wolverhampton. Wigan’s season should come down to these two games. Their seven-year run in the Premier League is dangerously close to an end, but the Premier League’s youngest club may have something left in them for at least one more year. 

Their remaining fixtures are not necessarily winnable, but the club can get draws from several of them. However, their inability to score goals, only 23 this season, may be their Achilles heel. 

Remaining Matches: Swansea City, (a) Norwich, West Brom, (a) Liverpool, Stoke City, (a) Chelsea, Manchester United, (a) Arsenal, (a) Fulham, Newcastle, (a) Blackburn, Wolverhampton

Within Touching Distance

Despite being separated by eight points, there is an outside chance Aston Villa could be sucked into a relegation fight. Even Stoke City and Swansea City, both nine points outside of relegation, could be dragged into the mire at the bottom. However, with the current form of the bottom-sides those teams should be safe for another year. 

With 12 games remaining their is still time for something unexpected to happen.