Whilst many will naturally be intrigued to discover which team secures the 2021/22 Premier League title, or promotion from the Championship, this season’s relegation battle has proved to be one of the most intriguing yet.
With just two games remaining, Burnley, Leeds United, Everton and Southampton can still all mathematically finish inside the relegation zone. Over the years, we’ve witnessed some incredible climaxes at the bottom end of the table, but this years could prove to be the most exciting yet.
As the quartet battle to stave the drop, we’ve taken a look at five of the best ‘great escapes’ from the Premier League:
West Bromwich Albion - 2004/05
With just one win from their first 18 games, West Brom were rooted to the bottom of the top flight at Christmas, and looked destined for the drop.
By the end of February, the nightmare of second tier football seemed a very real prospect with Albion sitting five points adrift of safety, with just ten games of the season remaining.
However, victories over Birmingham City, Charlton and Champions League hopefuls Everton gave West Brom a fighting chance of survival, before draws against Aston Villa, Tottenham, Blackburn and Manchester United took the battle for Premier League survival down to the final day.
Despite heading into the final game of the season in 20th place, goals from United loanee Kieran Richardson and Geoff Horsfield secured a 2-0 win over Portsmouth at the Hawthorns and, thanks to results elsewhere, Bryan Robson’s Baggies were able to do the unthinkable and become the first team to lie bottom of the division at Christmas and still survive relegation.
Leicester City – 2014/15
The Foxes made Premier League history when they were crowned Champions in 2015/16, but things could have been significantly different had they dropped into the Championship just 12 months earlier.
Like West Brom, newly promoted Leicester were at the foot of the table at Christmas, and by April, had a mere four wins to their name.
When Nigel Pearson’s side suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat at Tottenham in late March, few could have predicted what was to follow.
Seven wins from their final nine games, and some stellar performances from the likes of 11-goal hero Leonardo Ulloa, Champions League winner Esteban Cambiasso and Jamie Vardy, ensured Premier League survival and helped Pearson’s troops claim a respectable 14th place finish.
Their 2014/15 great escape was made all the more remarkable as it proved to be the catalyst for their future Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield successes.
Fulham – 2007/08
Following the departure of Lawrie Sanchez in December, UCFB guest speaker Roy Hodgson led Fulham to a post-Christmas revival in 2007/08.
With ten games remaining, Hodgson’s side were 10 points from safety, and their future Championship status appeared to be all but confirmed.
The Cottagers did conjure up a 2-1 win over Aston Villa in February, but would only manage five further points before April.
Nevertheless, three wins from their final four games, including a memorable performance at the Etihad Stadium, saw them stave the drop, as Danny Murphy notched a dramatic winner on the final day at Portsmouth.
Everton – 1993/94
Although the Toffees’ performances this season have come as somewhat a surprise, they have been in this position previously.
In 1993/94, seven years after their last first division title win, Everton narrowly avoided losing their top flight status. Following the legendary Howard Kendall’s mid-season exit, the Blues were written off by the media and supporters alike.
After struggling to mount any form of consistency during the second half of the season, Everton knew their relegation fight would go right down to the wire as they occupied the final relegation place heading into last round of fixtures.
The visitors that day, Wimbledon, made the perfect start after racing to a two goal lead at Goodison, all but confirming the Toffees’ slump to the second division.
Everton, however, refused to lie down and Graham Stuart’s brace, plus a strike from Barry Horne, helped complete a remarkable comeback.
The win, combined with Sheffield United’s defeat at Chelsea, saw Everton leapfrog the Blades and survive, albeit by the skin of their teeth.
Oldham Athletic – 1992/93
Nowadays, Oldham Athletic is a club in turmoil – with the Latics becoming the first former Premier League side to be relegated out of the Football League just this season – but in 1992/93, it was a completely different story.
Led by heroic manager Joe Royle, and star players Andy Ritchie, Roger Palmer and Ian Marshall, Oldham had enjoyed a meteoric rise from second division obscurity to become founding members of the Premier League.
Following Royle’s arrival at Boundary Park in 1982, Oldham went from strength to strength, however by March 1992 their future was looking incredibly bleak. The club had won just 7 times from 30 games, and were second bottom in the table heading into that month.
An incredible end of season run-in was to follow though, and thanks to three successive victories against Aston Villa, Liverpool and Southampton, Oldham completed an unforgettable great escape.
Crystal Palace’s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal ultimately meant they had suffered relegation to the second division on goal difference, despite earning a respectable 49 points, which to this day is the highest points total attained by a relegated Premier League side.
Oldham meanwhile, were relegated a year later and haven’t played in the top flight since.
