As the Premier League resumes this weekend, the battle to avoid the drop is turning into a blockbuster, with just four points separating the bottom nine teams. Six of them have changed managers in an effort to avoid a relegation calamity that could cost an estimated £200 million in revenue.
The latest to switch are Crystal Palace, whose nosedive has seen them fail to win a league game in 2023. They have fallen from a comfortable mid-table perch to just three points clear of safety, hence the return of the pragmatic Roy Hodgson to replace Patrick Vieira.
– Premier League standings
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
Some on the danger list are surprising. Who would have thought Leicester City and West Ham United, both in the top eight last year, would be involved? Everton — a top-flight club since 1954 — are again dicing with trouble as they did last season. Stand by for a series of crunch games. Leicester go to Palace on Saturday in the first of the massive six-pointers.
