Relegation battle will define the Premier League’s return

At 18:00 BST, the Premier League returns. By the time Aston Villa and Sheffield United kick-off proceedings at Villa Park, it will have been 100 days since the last Premier League match. With the Premier League title all but secured by Liverpool, the relegation battle is set to take centre stage.

With 92 matches of the season remaining, six teams remain embroiled in the fight to survive. Norwich City bring up the rear, but the Canaries are still just eight points behind fifteenth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion.

There is so much at stake for the Premier League’s bottom six clubs: Brighton, West Ham, Watford, Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Norwich.

Never has there been a worse time to be relegated from the Premier League. The dual-pronged financial repercussions of relegation and the Covid-19 suspension would strike a damning blow against all of the clubs relegated this season.

It isn’t inconceivable to suggest that Brighton could lose their opening games

Brighton return to play on Saturday with a home match against Arsenal. Graham Potters side then travel to Leicester, before hosting Manchester United on the south coast at the end of the month. It isn’t inconceivable to suggest that Brighton could lose their opening three games.

Brighton then travel to Norwich on 4 July, in what will certainly be a must-win match for both sides. Within the space of three days, the Amex Stadium club host Manchester City and Liverpool at the start of July.

Respite arrives in the final three matches of the season: Southampton, Newcastle and Burnley are unlikely to have much to play for by the end of July. It will be touch and go for Brighton, but Potter’s side should have enough points already in the bank to survive.

In sixteenth place, West Ham re-emerge from the suspension above the relegation zone by goal-difference. David Moyes’ side face Wolves, Chelsea and Tottenham in their opening three matches; it is hard to see where the points will be coming from for the Hammers.

It will be the ultimate embarrassment if West Ham drop to the second tier

Although West Ham have winnable games against Norwich, Watford, Newcastle and Aston Villa to come, stormy times await the East London club. Karen Brady led the battalion against Project Restart: it will be the ultimate embarrassment if West Ham drop to the second tier.

Mercifully for Nigel Pearson, Watford have a comparatively kind run to the end of the season. With matches against Norwich, Newcastle, West Ham, Southampton and Burnley to come, the Hornets have ample opportunities to play their way out of trouble.

The catch for the Vicarage Road club is that they face Manchester City and Arsenal in their final two matches of the season. If Pearson hasn’t guided Watford to safety with by 15 July, the club’s Premier League status will be cast into serious doubt.

AFC Bournemouth have – over a number of seasons – retreated from their swashbuckling ways. Eddie Howe’s side aren’t the free-scoring, counter-pressing many commentators label the Cherries to be.

Bournemouth must start strongly against Crystal Palace on Saturday evening

Bournemouth return to the fray in the relegation zone, level on points with West Ham and Watford: they must start strongly against Crystal Palace on Saturday evening.

Much like with West Ham, it’s tricky to point to fixtures where Bournemouth are set to come up against a side with little on the table. The Cherries host Newcastle on 1 July, Southampton on 18 July and travel to Goodison Park on the final day of the season. Trips to both Manchester clubs are less appealing.

Bournemouth’s top-flight status is far from secure. Since winning promotion five seasons ago, the Cherries have strayed away from the relegation battle. Howe’s side are in grave danger this time around.

Aston Villa have a game-in-hand over their direct rivals; Dean Smith’s side face Sheffield United this evening. Undeniably, Villa have a difficult run-in: fixtures against Chelsea, Wolves, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are in the pipeline.

Villa travel to London for what could be a de-facto relegation play-off 

Villa, the league’s worst defensive side, will be looking forward to matches against Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham.

On the final day of the season, Villa travel to the London Stadium for what could be a de-facto relegation play-off against West Ham. From their sofas, a sea of claret and blue supporters will no doubt watch on through their fingers.

And to Norwich, a club that many talking-heads had relegated as early as January. Despite spending most of the season adrift at the bottom of the standings, Norwich sit just six points from safety.

Norwich will still believe they can pull-off a last-minute escape

With nine matches remaining, an East Anglian great escape isn’t entirely inconceivable when you take account the Canaries’ fixtures. Daniel Farke’s side face three of their direct rivals (Brighton, Watford and West Ham), and will also look forward to home matches against Southampton, Everton and Burnley.

Unlike many of the teams around them, Norwich will still believe they can pull off a last-minute escape. If Teemu Pukki’s goals fire Norwich to survive, his legend will never die.

The Premier League returns tonight. Forget about the title race, the fight to stay in the division is where you will find all of the league’s drama. If Norwich get-off to a fast start and West Ham lose their first three games, teeth will begin to gnash in East London.

Twists and turns are imminent. Strap yourselves in, the Premier League is about to get shaken-up.

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