Premier League 2021/22 Relegation Predictions

Premier League 2021/22 Relegation Odds

The bookmakers believe that 2 of the 3 newly promoted clubs – Norwich City and Watford – will have their backs against the walls. Brentford’s impressive opening day performance at home to giants Arsenal forced many to reconsider their capabilities heading into their first-ever Premier League season. As a result, they sit outside the top 5 favourites to be demoted to the Championship. Here are the 5 teams most likely to face the drop, according to the bookmakers.

Norwich City – (1.72)

The definition of a yo-yo club when it comes to English top division football, Norwich City has made it somewhat of a habit to drop out of the Premier League and then head straight back in – only to drop out the very next season. While their ability to leapfrog right into the first division after a demoralizing relegation experience is commendable, their survival skills need some work. Their last season at the top flight – back in 2019/20 – saw them pick up only 21 points. They were rooted to the bottom of the league table for a long time and stayed there until the end. They scored the fewest goals and conceded the most in the league – accounting for a goal difference of a shocking -49.

To be fair to the club’s board, they have invested significant money to sign some exciting players. Forwards Milot Rashica and Josh Sargent showed plenty of promise during their time in Germany, and their signings must be viewed as a statement of intent. Exciting young winger Christos Tzolis from PAOK is also a pretty smart investment, as is the loan signing of Billy Gilmour from Chelsea. However, the loss of arguably their best player – Emi Buendia – to Aston Villa is a significant blow to Daniel Farke’s men. If the canaries are to stay up, they will need their new signings to gel very quickly. As things stand, however, Norwich City is odds-on favourites to crash right out of the PL.

Crystal Palace – (2.25)

Crystal Palace has done a fantastic job of staying up in recent years. They have learned the art of survival well enough not to get into major trouble late. Unfortunately, the club never pushed to excel beyond the bare minimum of survival, and their ceiling under former manager Roy Hodgson wasn’t high enough to the board’s liking. They hired PL legend Patrik Vieira to lift the club to greater heights, but bookmakers believe this is a move that will backfire. Crystal Palace’s decision to do away with mediocre yet stable performances is indeed a gamble that may go either way. Still, the massive shake-up in their defence ensuing over the summer is rather concerning.

Veterans center-backs Gary Cahill, Scott Dann, and Mamadou Sakho have all been released while fanning favourite left-back Patrick van Aanholt bid farewell to Selhurst Park. Although the club has spent a major amount of money on center-backs Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen, it remains to be seen if they can live up to their expectations. Also, Vieira’s track record as a manager does hardly anything to instil a great sense of confidence in the fans. The Palace faces the daunting task to stay in the PL, and bookmakers feel it is beyond Vieira’s abilities.

Watford – (2.37)

Watford, another club that has recently faced the pain of relegation, came ever so close to survival in 2019/20, ultimately missing out by a single point. Manager Xisco Muñoz has become hugely popular among the club faithful of late with his exuberant brand of football, and there is a growing sense of optimism surrounding the club regarding survival this season. The board has made smart acquisitions without spending much in the transfer market. 22-year-old midfielder Imran Munoz has what it takes to become a significant contributor to his team’s success. Striker Emmanuel Dennis’ signing from Club Brugge for a mere £3.60m is viewed as a bargain by football enthusiasts. Also, the free transfer pickups – Danny Rose, Ashley Fletcher, and Joshua King – were all intelligent moves.

However, the defence remains a cause for concern as the Hornets try their best to stay up. Center-backs Craig Dawson and Ben Wilmot were both let go this summer, and as things stand, the club hasn’t made any significant additions in that department. Unless they pick up a defender before the window closes, Watford could have a tough time keeping their opponents at bay.

Burnley – (2.75)

Yet another club that has built a strong reputation in recent years for having great survival skills, Burnley under manager Sean Dyche has proved a tough nut to crack for almost every team in the division. They have banked on their defensive resilience to get them the points necessary to stay up and have even finished in the top half as recently as in 2020. Burnley isn’t the most potent team in the future, but Chris Wood has proved that he can be a very handy goal-getter, if not a premium striking option.

However, their lack of activity in the transfer market can prove fatal come May 2022. Replacing the outgoing Ben Gibson with a much younger Nathan Collins was perhaps a good decision, but the club did little to help a squad that could’ve excelled with a few more additions. Sean Dyche knows how to get his team playing his way – making life difficult for their opponents – and has the players stay up in the PL for another season. That being said, if one of their key players were to miss time due to an injury or suspension, Burnley could be in major trouble.

Southampton – (3.25)

Southampton has been one of the mainstays in the PL in its recent history and has steered clear of any relegation-related headaches. Southampton has typically been associated with an ambitious push for Europe rather than an ugly battle for survival. That being said, such has been the turmoil surrounding the club in the ongoing transfer window that a drop to the EFL Championship seems more likely than it has in a long, long time.

Southampton has lost the star striker Danny Ings, and with that, not only have they lost their primary source of goals, but they have also lost the feel-good factor around the club. Ings’ departure to Aston Villa spoke volumes about where Southampton stands. They don’t reckon they can compete with the likes of Aston Villa, Everton, and Leicester City and have almost conceded that they now belong to a level lower than those 3 clubs. The departure of key defender Jannik Vestergaard, goalkeeper Angus Gunn, midfielder Mario Lemina, and veteran PL left-back Ryan Bertrand only worsened the Saints. The arrival of striker Adam Armstrong is far from enough to carry Southampton past the finish line. If club captain James Ward-Prowse leaves this summer, it could be curtains for Southampton in their bid to stay up.

Expert Predictions for Premier League Relegation 2022

The bookmakers have had their say. However, the dynamics of the Premier League change by the hour, and the odds could paint a very different picture as soon as next week. Regardless, here are our top picks and betting tips involving the 2022 PL relegation battle.

1. 1. Norwich City – (1.72)More than anything else, the Canaries’ recent history strongly suggests that they will find it difficult to stay up. Their defence needs a lot of help and someone to carry Emi Buendia’s workload as quickly as possible. Those are 2 major issues that will take some solving, and one season might not be enough time for Daniel Farke to figure things out. The PL is an unforgiving league, and the chances are that Norwich City fans will realize that the hard way all over again. Norwich City may still have an opportunity if new signings Milot Rashica and Josh Sargent manage to cast their spells on opposition defences. As things stand, though, it is risky to bet on their survival.
   2. Southampton – (3.25)Southampton has lost just way too many key figures in a single transfer window for any faith to be placed on them. If the board can easily sanction the sales of first-team regulars like Jannis Vestergaard and Danny Ings, it is only sensible to assume that James Ward-Prowse might be on his way out. Just the very mood surrounding the club is a rather morose one, and it is looking likely that the club board is preparing for life if the Saints fail to stay up.
   3. Crystal Palace – (2.25)The loss of so many established veterans in the heart of the Crystal Palace defence has left a void perhaps too large for new signings Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen to fill in such short notice. The PL sports many incredibly skilled forwards, so it is extremely important to have reliable defenders on the roster. Almost all clubs lost their battle for survival in recent seasons and have had alarming problems defensively. One cannot help but think Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace will become the latest addition to that list come May 2022.
   4. Wolverhampton Wanderers – (6.50)Although the Wolves squad is too strong to succumb to the jaws of relegation, the evident loss of vitality in their team since the departure of much-loved manager Nuno Espirito Santo could be worse than it presently looks. While they welcome a proven PL goalscorer in Raul Jimenez back from injury, it remains to be seen whether the Mexican can return to his former levels post-rehabilitation. Francisco Trincao’s arrival on loan from Barcelona was a big move, but there isn’t much else to laud. The presence of Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence should be enough to secure the Wolves’ PL status, but their fans know that it doesn’t take long for things to change drastically.
   5. Watford – (2.37)Watford has made great strides under Xisco Muñoz and has also fared fairly well in the ongoing transfer window. They have quality in the final third to score plenty of goals this season, with Cucho Hernandez, Ismaila Sarr, and Emmanuel Dennis spearheading the offence. However, their lack of quality at the back might land them a fatal blow at the end of the season. Their present back 4 might have the PL experience to get them over the line, but one doesn’t need to analyze long to realize that a well-established defender or two could boost their chances of survival.