The 2024/25 Premier League Relegation Battle: Seven Clubs Locked in Survival Fight

Now that 11 games of the campaign have been played, the Premier League relegation battle is heating up in a season that has been anything but predictable. While last year saw all three promoted teams relegated in a historic but unremarkable campaign, this season’s newcomers are showing signs of resilience. With seven clubs locked in a fierce struggle to avoid the drop, the race for survival promises to be one of the most competitive in recent years.

A Troubled Return for Southampton, Ipswich, and Leicester City

Last season, Southampton, Ipswich Town, and Leicester City all earned promotion back to the Premier League. Each had a different journey to the top flight: Southampton via the playoffs, Ipswich through a remarkable back-to-back promotion campaign, and Leicester as Championship champions. However, the harsh reality of Premier League football has quickly set in.

Southampton: Rooted to the Bottom

Southampton’s return to the Premier League has been a sobering experience. Goals have been their Achilles’ heel, with the Saints managing just seven in their opening 11 matches. Their sole victory, a narrow 1-0 win over Everton, came in their 10th game, and controversy marred their most recent defeat as a disallowed equaliser against Wolves left fans fuming.

While there have been moments of optimism—Pep Guardiola praised their performance in a narrow defeat to Manchester City—the Saints remain bottom of the table. Russell Martin’s side needs to turn encouraging performances into points quickly if they hope to avoid a swift return to the Championship.

Ipswich Town: Fighting Spirit Despite the Odds

Ipswich Town were always tipped as relegation favourites, returning to the top flight for the first time since 2002. Their campaign began with daunting fixtures against Liverpool and Manchester City, resulting in defeats. However, the Tractor Boys showed resilience, grinding out four consecutive draws before finally earning their first win—a shock 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

Kieran McKenna’s side sits just outside the relegation zone and has demonstrated they can compete. Ipswich’s upward trajectory gives fans hope, but consistency will be key to their survival.

Leicester City: Flashes of Promise Amidst Turmoil

Leicester’s pre-season odds for relegation were surprisingly high, given their Championship-winning campaign. The departures of manager Enzo Maresca and star midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea destabilised the Foxes, and new manager Steve Cooper has struggled to find consistency.

Leicester’s two wins in back-to-back games earlier in the season provided a brief respite, but their failure to win in their last three matches has reignited relegation fears. With Jamie Vardy still delivering goals and Facundo Buonanotte showing creativity in midfield, Leicester have the tools to fight back—but they must deliver soon.

Established Teams in the Mix: Wolves, Everton, Crystal Palace and West Ham

While the newly promoted teams are expected to struggle, several established Premier League sides have found themselves dragged into the relegation battle, including Wolves, Everton, and Crystal Palace.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Tough Start, Glimmers of Hope

Gary O’Neil’s Wolves have endured a nightmare start, losing seven of their first 10 matches and picking up just three points. Injuries and a brutal fixture list compounded their struggles, including a five-game losing streak. However, their recent 2-0 win over Southampton hinted at a revival, with Matheus Cunha delivering a standout performance.

Wolves’ squad is widely regarded as “too good to go down”, but they’ll need to string together a run of results to escape the drop zone.

Everton: A Shadow of Their Former Selves

Everton’s hopes of building on last season’s mid-table finish have been dashed by a poor start. The Toffees lost their first four games, conceding 13 goals, and have struggled to recover. Despite stabilising somewhat with six points from their last five matches, Everton remain in danger.

Defensive solidity, once their hallmark, has been lacking, and they’ll need to rediscover that resilience to climb out of trouble.

Crystal Palace: Falling Short of Expectations

Crystal Palace entered the season with high hopes after a strong finish to 2023/24 under Oliver Glasner. However, the departures of Michael Olise and Joachim Andersen have hit the Eagles hard, particularly in attack. With just eight goals in 11 matches, Palace are among the league’s lowest scorers.

Currently in the relegation zone, the Eagles have shown flashes of competitiveness, including a victory over Tottenham. However, they need to rediscover their attacking edge if they hope to avoid the drop.

West Ham: Too Good to Go Down?

Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham United are another team flirting with the relegation battle, though their quality should see them pull clear. Despite a recent dip in form, the Hammers remain just seven points off third place, underlining the tight margins in this season’s table.

West Ham’s squad is packed with talent, and if they can rediscover their form, they could quickly climb into contention for European places rather than relegation.

The Promoted Teams Are Stronger This Year

Last season marked the first time since 1997/98 that all three promoted teams were relegated, leading to fears this might become a trend. However, Ipswich, Leicester, and Southampton have shown they can compete, even if they currently occupy the lower reaches of the table.

Ipswich, in particular, have defied expectations with their resilience and tactical discipline. Leicester’s experienced core, including Vardy and Wilfred Ndidi, gives them a fighting chance, while Southampton’s performance against Manchester City suggests they can cause problems for even the league’s best teams.

A Competitive Battle to the End

One of the defining features of this season’s relegation battle is its competitiveness. All seven teams involved—Southampton, Ipswich, Leicester, Wolves, Everton, Crystal Palace, and West Ham—have shown glimpses of quality. Since the last international break, every relegation candidate has improved, and no team remains winless.

The winter schedule will be critical, with fixtures coming thick and fast. Survival will require not only quality but also squad depth, tactical flexibility, and mental toughness. For fans, it promises an exhilarating race to the finish, with twists and turns at every corner.

Final Thoughts: The Perfectly Poised Table

As the Premier League enters the busy winter period, the relegation battle is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested in recent memory. With no clear weak links and even the promoted teams proving competitive, the fight for survival will likely go down to the wire.

For Southampton, Ipswich, and Leicester, the challenge will be to defy the odds and cement their place in the top flight. For established clubs like Wolves, Everton, and Crystal Palace, the pressure is on to avoid the embarrassment of relegation. And for fans, it’s a reminder of the drama that makes the Premier League the most exciting league in the world.