Premier League Predictions 2013: Teams Facing Relegation Battle

The price of failure for Wigan, Reading and QPR in the 2012/13 Premier League season was Championship opening-day fixtures against Barnsley, Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday respectively.

Desperate to never return to those unglamorous matchups are the Premier League's newest recruits, Cardiff, Hull and Crystal Palace.

It’s always a monumental task for the promoted clubs to stay in the top division, but regardless of the season's outcome all three will be financially stronger with each expected to earn sizable windfalls. 

Here are my relegation predictions starting with a view of how the bottom of the table might look come the final whistle on Sunday, May 11.

Position	Team
16th	Cardiff
17th	Sunderland
18th (R)	Crystal Palace
19th (R)	Hull
20th (R)	Stoke

The Predicted Relegated Trio

Crystal Palace

Palace are destined to become everyone’s second team this season just like Blackpool were during Ian Holloway’s stint at Bloomfield Road.

Holloway's attacking football caught some of the big teams unaware with the Tangerines—as they did the double over Liverpool and twice scared Manchester City—but as the season wore on they were sussed out.

Expect Palace to throw away valuable points as they pursue victory. That approach isn't necessarily bad. Draws alone don't keep you up, but it depends on their players stepping up in the big moments. 

The loss of Wilfried Zaha to Manchester United is a massive blow, and they badly need to strengthen if they are going to have a shot of survival.

In Marouane Chamakh and Dwight Gayle they have two strikers who could either flourish or flounder, and it is on these two that much of their hopes rest. Although, they can also rely on Kevin Phillips off the bench to grab a couple of dramatic wins. 

They’ll likely be embroiled in a battle with Sunderland and Cardiff for survival, but when it comes to the season's decisive moment their weaker squad will be undone.

Hull

Steve Bruce has a huge task on his hands to keep Hull up, but he has sensibly gone about his summer business making wise recruitments.

Key to their survival is the form of Danny Graham. The striker failed to score in 13 Premier League games for Sunderland last season, despite impressing previously at Swansea, and as such can't be viewed as a reliable goalscorer at this stage.

The additions of Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore will help shore up the midfield, but both were squad players at Tottenham and will take time to adapt to the rigours of regular football, especially the former, who has struggled with fitness and injuries over the years.

They look a useful unit without star quality, but with the mid-table sides all strengthening in the summer, it’s hard to see Hull gaining enough points to remain in the division.

Stoke

The ruthless dismissal of Tony Pulis will cost Stoke this season. The board want a more attractive style, according to the BBC, and have brought in Mark Hughes to oversee their project, but you can’t completely transform a team’s style in one summer.

Stoke were built on resilience under Pulis and gained points through their ability to intimidate opposition and grind out wins. If that is removed, the fear factor that is associated with the Britannia Stadium is diminished and their impressive home record is all but forgotten.

You can’t just tell a set of players to change the way they play. It requires time or vast amounts of money to overhaul the squad. Considering Hughes has been in charge for three months and has brought in just two first-team players, Stoke look doomed.

They could well become this decade’s Charlton Athletic, who, upon Alan Curbishley’s resignation, were relegated from the Premier League and are yet to return. Although it was Curbishley’s decision to leave, murmurings of discontent at perceived mediocrity played its part also. It sounds all too familiar.