EPL Relegation 2019: Cardiff Join Fulham, Huddersfield in the Championship

The Premier League's relegation battle ended before the final matchday of the 2018-19 campaign, with fans of Cardiff City, Fulham and Huddersfield aware their clubs would go down to the Championship entering Sunday's action.

Huddersfield's fate had been known for some time already, and Fulham joined the Terriers on their way down April 2 when they lost 4-1 to Watford. Cardiff joined the duo on the previous matchday with a 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace.

Entering the final week, the trio were on pace for an unwanted Premier League record:

Cardiff finished the season on a high note with a 2-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, and Huddersfield secured a 1-1 draw away to Southampton. Newcastle ran through Fulham, winning 4-0 at Craven Cottage.

The 2018-19 campaign was yet another reminder of how difficult it is for clubs new to the Premier League to survive. Cardiff and Fulham were promoted last year, and Huddersfield the year prior. Miguel Delaney of the Independent described last year's survival as a "miracle."

Of the bottom three clubs, the Terriers were by far the worst in 2018-19. They have won just a single match since November―a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton in February―and three total on the season.

David Wagner, the manager who had brought them up to the Premier League, departed in January, and a return to the Championship seemed almost inevitable from that point onward.

While this season has been a nightmare for the fans, they did get to enjoy a high point in Week 37, as giants Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw. Isaac Mbenza scored the goal for the hosts:

Fulham's campaign wasn't much better. The Cottagers earned promotion by playing free-flowing, attacking football and taking plenty of risks, but they rarely showed that identity during their single season in the top division.

Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe did not expect Fulham to be among the teams to get relegated:

In something of a cruel twist, the Cottagers seemed to rediscover some of their identity after the loss to Watford. Without the pressure of fighting for survival, they won three matches in a row before a 1-0 loss against Wolves.

Cardiff's chances of staying up survived the longest, and Bleacher Report's Jack J Collins believes they're in a great position to find success in the Championship and make their stint there a short one:

The Bluebirds won the Championship in the 2012-13 season and haven't finished lower than 12th in that competition since. They should be among the top clubs in the division next season.