Fight For Survival: Hanging On In There

It’s the final week of the Premier League 2014/15, and there’s still some uncertainties left to decide. We know Chelsea are champions, and we know QPR and Burnley will be returning to the Championship next season – but who will join them?

Sunderland secured their safety with a draw against Arsenal.

As things stand, it will either Newcastle or Hull City. However for Sunderland it may had been them too if not for securing a draw against Arsenal last night which saw them with enough points to be safe. Avoiding a loss guaranteed their place for the Premier League next season – the draw was good enough after going up against a team that’s now all but secured 3rd in the league, but now looks forward to trying to retain their FA Cup shortly in the final against Aston Villa.

Had Sunderland have lost, their odds of staying up would’ve still been fairly good – only a Hull win (against Manchester United, no less) with Newcastle taking at least a point (which Sunderland would then have to concede at least 6 goals in their games against Arsenal and champions Chelsea) would’ve taken them down.

But what about those teams still in the battle for survival? Let’s take a look.

Newcastle can stop St. James Park being a Championship ground with a win over West Ham this Sunday.

For Newcastle, a shock win for Hull could prove disastrous. The Magpies haven’t won any of their last 10 games – in fact, they’ve lost 9 of those with only 1 draw seeing them overtaken by the likes of Leicester, who with 6 wins in their last 8 games went from bottom of the table to safe with a game in hand.

Newcastle’s saving grace is that, on paper, they have the easier final game of the season of the two teams in question as they play West Ham, but given all 19 other teams have won at least 2 of their last 10 games (included the already relegated QPR and Burnley) – their chances of taking anything from the game seem slim.

Hull sit in the final relegation spot themselves right now, and only a win gives them a chance of survival (but even that doesn’t guarantee survival if Newcastle win). It looks most likely that they’ll go down, especially playing Manchester United in their final game of the season – but – it could be a United team that has nothing to play for if Arsenal take anything from their game with Sunderland tonight. With that in mind, will a motivated Hull, at home, be able to pull off an upset and give themselves a chance?

Whatever happens, come Sunday there’ll be a team breathing a sigh of relief, and the other makes another trip to the Championship.

Ashley Redman
Keepie Uppie record is still only 3

Only a win, plus other results in their favour, will keep Hull City in the Premier League next season.