As the football season approaches its conclusion, the relegation battle at the bottom of the table heats up. Crystal Palace are currently 12th in the table but are only three points above the relegation zone, so a win for any team in that division could change everything. Southampton currently has 22 points but has also played one more game than the teams around them. Leeds are 19th with 23 points, while Bournemouth are last in the relegation zone with 24 points. West Ham and Leicester are both on 24 points, but have better goal differentials than Bournemouth, while Everton are 15th on 25 points, but have played one more game than the teams around them. With that in mind, here are three crucial fixtures to watch in the fight for Premier League survival:
Tottenham vs. Southampton
On paper, the Saints should take all three points when they host fourth-placed Tottenham at St Mary's on Saturday. Spurs, on the other hand, have had recent issues with the ongoing managerial saga, as well as exits from the Champions League against AC Milan and the FA Cup against Sheffield United. Spurs did win their last league game 3-1 against Nottingham Forest, but Southampton will see this as a game they can win due to an inconsistent Tottenham side and home-field advantage. Ruben Selles' side are coming off a 2-0 defeat at Brentford, but they did manage to hold Manchester United to a goalless draw at Old Trafford last weekend. It will be interesting to see if they can frustrate Tottenham as they did United and achieve a similar outcome.
Leeds vs. Wolves
Both teams are near the bottom of the table, with Wolves struggling to score goals and Leeds struggling to win games. So far, Wolves and Everton have scored the same number of goals (20), while Leeds has won only five games, the fewest of any Premier League team. Both teams will see this as a must-win game, with Wolves looking to extend their lead over the bottom three and Leeds looking to get out of it entirely. Wolves come into the game after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Newcastle, while Leeds earned a point against high-flying Brighton. It's likely that neither team wants to concede, so don't be surprised if the game ends in a goalless draw.
Everton vs. Chelsea
Chelsea has had a terrible season so far, finishing in tenth place, 11 points behind the top four. Everton will see this as an opportunity to gain momentum with a win at Stamford Bridge and avoid falling into the relegation zone. With one game remaining, the Toffees are in 15th place, one point ahead of Bournemouth. They beat Brentford 1-0 the last time they played, but they will need to build on that win to finish the season on a high note. Everton manager Sean Dyche was hired at the end of January after former Chelsea legend Frank Lampard was fired. So far, he's won three of seven games and lifted his team out of the bottom three since his arrival. Chelsea, on the other hand, have recently improved their form, with a Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund and league victories over Leicester and Leeds, so three points on Saturday may prove difficult for Dyche.
By Covenantblog
