Premier League: The race to avoid the drop shapes up in the relegation zone
Southampton really cutting things close with their extremely late managerial change and West Ham with one of the worst managerial changes this season. These two teams have a massive uphill climb compared to others.
As of writing this article, Mauricio Pellegrino has been relieved of his duties as Southampton’s manager. Under his guidance, the Saints have slumped down the table, and managed to garner a league-high of 13 draws.
They have won the second least amount of games (5), only ahead of West Brom. His replacement, Mark Hughes, has an unenviable task in front of him. The argument can be made that Southampton’s side has enough quality to comfortably avoid the drop, but this is a team that is low on confidence.
They have a tough run-in, with games against Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City to go. Hughes will come in with a chip on his shoulder, having been sacked by fellow strugglers Stoke, and has the managerial know-how to turn this team around.
It may very well come down to their next game, a pivotal clash against West Ham. Win, and Southampton may be able to ride that confidence to the results they need to stay in the Premier League. Lose, and it will drain away the optimism the managerial change has brought with it.
Points/Goal Difference: 28/-15
Form: L D D L W
Up Next: West Ham (A), Arsenal (A), Chelsea (H)
West Ham
The Hammers are a club in turmoil. Their last game, a 3-0 home defeat to Burnley saw four separate pitch invasions, as the fans turned on the board. These off-field problems are seeping into the team’s on-field performance, which has largely been insipid.
Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic have not lived up to expectations, and manager David Moyes could be looking at another relegation campaign, after his demotion with Sunderland last year. West Ham also have to contend with a difficult run-in, with only two of their final eight games coming against teams in the bottom half of the table.
As a result, these games against Southampton and Stoke have become absolutely vital for the club, and poor showings there may see the Hammers drop into the relegation zone. Once there, the toxic negativity prevailing the London Stadium will only intensify, making it harder to get out.