ODDSTRACKER: The fight to survive in the Premier League has intensified since the turn of the year, with many sides taking points from one another, so we took a look at how the odds have changed ahead of the final run-in.
Tracking The Odds Of Those Battling The Drop In 2021
What a difference a couple of months makes in the Premier League. At the turn of the year, Newcastle were sitting closer to midtable than the drop zone.
But now as we head into March, relegation for Steve Bruce’s side is a real possibility, with Fulham holding strong hope of beating the Magpies to safety.
After 2021’s first round of Premier League fixtures, despite losing 2-1 to Leicester, Newcastle were in 15th position, some eight points clear of danger and 4.5 for relegation. And at that time, both Brighton and Burnley were a shorter price for the drop at 4.33, with Fulham 1.8 to be relegated.
If Magpies fans were not too concerned at this point, they would be just a few weeks later. Four more defeats on the bounce, including handing Sheffield United their first league win of the season, saw Bruce’s men slip to odds of just 2.38 for the drop on January 27th, by which time they were 16th and six points clear of danger.
Sitting below Newcastle at this point in 17th were Brighton at odds of 5.5 and currently embarking on a run that would see them go six games unbeaten. A draw with Burnley five games into this ensured that by February 7th they were a stunning 10 points clear of 18th-placed Fulham in 15th and at odds of 21. Meanwhile, Burnley, by now having been dragged into danger after just one win in four, were sitting eight points clear of Fulham in 17th and available at 6.0.
A 3-2 victory over Southampton that weekend gave Newcastle some much-needed hope and their odds for the drop had now drifted to 4.33.
But that was to be as good as it got for the Magpies, with defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United followed by a draw against Wolves, seeing them slip into real danger. They currently sit in 17th place, just three points clear of trouble with odds now of 2.5 to go down.
Eight points out of their last 12 has seen Fulham valiantly fight on in 18th and they are 1.8 to go down, while back-to-back defeats for Brighton ensure they are also now in real danger, sitting level on points with Newcastle but one position ahead. They are still 8.0 to be relegated, however.
Brighton’s 1-0 loss to West Brom at the weekend saw the Baggies record just their third victory of the season and offered a glimmer of hope in the race to stay up – though they’re still nine points adrift and 1.05 to go down.
With another 12 games to go for most teams, we’re still set for plenty of twists and turns, but Newcastle, for one, will be wishing they could start 2021 all over again.
