This season, the battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League looked like a foregone conclusion from the get-go. All three newly promoted sides immediately began to struggle in their first season back in the top flight, and many expected them all to suffer immediate relegation back to the Championship. That comes just one year removed from all three promoted sides avoiding relegation from the Premier League last term for the first time since 2018 and just the fourth time in history.
However, points deductions for both Everton and Nottingham Forest – ten points and three points respectively – have plunged them both into the mire. Now, the Toffees are just two points clear of 18th-placed Luton – albeit with a game in hand – while the Triicky Trees are a point further back. Both should still avoid relegation, but some teams haven’t been so lucky. Here are the three highest points totals to have been relegated from the Premier League in the last decade.
This season, Burnley have, without a doubt, been one of the disappointments of the season. Last term, they were promoted from the Championship in record-break fashion, finishing with 101 points, ten clear of second place, and 21 points clear of third place. This term, however, they find themselves second from bottom and six points adrift of safety. Add to that an upcoming visit of Tottenham Hotspur, a team that websites allowing one to bet on Premier League online make a 17/10 contender to qualify for the Champions League, and the writing is already on the wall.
Two years ago, however, the Clarets gave a much better account of themselves, albeit still suffering relegation. This term, their odds on Premier League relegation are as short as 1/16 with some outlets. Back then, however, they took the fight to the final day of the season, but a 2-1 loss at home to Newcastle, coupled with Leeds’ late victory at Brentford consigned them to the drop.
Another team that took their respective relegation dogfight down to the wire are Hull City. Back in 2014/15, they had a squad containing future stars such as Andy Robertson and Harry Maguire. They also featured in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds after reaching the previous year’s FA Cup final, where they were defeated by Arsenal. Unfortunately, despite the class at their disposal, they too, couldn’t avoid the drop.
After back-to-back victories against Crystal Palace and Liverpool, the Tigers headed into May as survival favourites. But then, three defeats on the spin against Arsenal, Burnley and Spurs dropped them into the bottom three. A final-day goalless draw with Manchester United wasn’t enough and they were relegated by just three points.
Today, Newcastle United are the richest club in the world and a European contender. Eight years ago, that wasn’t the case. The Magpies had a torrid year that term, and the disastrous spell of Steve McLaren left them a point adrift of safety in mid-March. They brought in Champions League-winning boss Rafa Benitez however, even he couldn’t stem the tide, and the Tynesiders were relegated by two points. And the worst bit? The team that relegated them were archrivals Sunderland.
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