Premier League relegation predictions: Cottagers face a tough time
- Promoted trio Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton favourites for drop
- Cottagers begin life after Joao Palhinha
- Recommended bet: Fulham to be relegated
For the first time since 1998, all three of the newly promoted teams were relegated from the Premier League last term as Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United dropped back down to the Championship.
Ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, it is once again the three new clubs – Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton – who lead the relegation betting.
However, with a handful of clubs in precarious positions and points deductions playing more of a role than in previous years, it is far from a foregone conclusion that the aforementioned trio will go down.
Foxes favourites for Championship return
Leicester were Championship winners last season and yet they are 2/5 favourites with LiveScore Bet for an immediate return to the second tier.
Since their promotion, manager Enzo Maresca has left for Chelsea and taken star midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with him, while a reported breach of Profit and Sustainability rules hangs over them as a potential points deduction looms.
Steve Cooper is a decent enough appointment, he is a good man manager and has experience of the top-flight, but the squad has barely been strengthened beyond the arrival of defender Caleb Okoli from Atalanta and Abdul Fatawu's loan from Sporting Lisbon being made permanent.
They could well face the plunge, but there may be more optimism around Ipswich and Southampton.
The Tractor Boys in particular face a huge task after two successive promotions and they have avoided the temptation to spend big, making smart signings such as Jacob Greaves and Liam Delap, while Omari Hutchinson has made his deal permanent.
Southampton, meanwhile, look in a good place under Russell Martin, but it remains to be seen how his progressive style of football will work in the Premier League.
Adam Lallana has rejoined the club, who have also snapped up Ben Brereton Diaz in attack and young defenders Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ronnie Edwards among others.
They are 5/4 with LiveScore Bet to be relegated and there could be value further down the betting.
Toffees looking to avoid another sticky situation
Everton were once again in the relegation mix for most of the season, but they finished with a flurry, winning four of their final six games in the top-flight to place 15th.
It feels as if progress is being made under Sean Dyche and, even if the Toffees have lost midfielder Amadou Onana this summer, they should still have enough about them to avoid the drop.
Nottingham Forest have again bulked out their squad with the signings of Elliot Anderson and Nikola Milenkovic among others and they will be eager to build on last term's 17th-place finish.
But one club who could be in trouble are Fulham, who finished last season poorly and have lost several key players this summer.
Prediction
Squad depth looks like a major issue for Fulham this season and Marco Silva's side are the best relegation pick from a value perspective at 11/2 with LiveScore Bet.
Joao Palhinha was a crucial midfield cog for the Cottagers last term but has left for Bayern Munich, while defender Tosin Adarabioyo is now at Chelsea and Bobby Decordova-Reid has joined Leicester.
They have brought in Ryan Sessegnon, Emile Smith Rowe and Jorge Cuenca, but it feels more like a summer of departures than arrivals, while goals could also be a concern.
Rodrigo Muniz performed well as replacement for Aleksander Mitrovic last season, bagging nine goals in Fulham's last 15 games, but it remains to be seen if that is sustainable.
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