Just six points separate Bournemouth at the bottom of the Premier League and Crystal Palace in 12th in a relegation fight that promises to go down to the wire.
Five of those teams have changed their managers, while Patrick Vieira, Brendan Rodgers, David Moyes and Steve Cooper have been trusted to keep their clubs up.
Luke Edwards has gone through each team’s fixture list and predicted the result of each game until the end of the season. This is how we see a fraught few months playing out.
Crystal Palace
Current position: 12th (27 points)
Predicted final position: 12th (43 points)
The team that is struggling under Patrick Vieira has not won a game since New Year’s Eve, which was an away at the bottom of the table Bournemouth. However, the fact that they have been dragged into the relegation scrap should focus minds. It should also motivate the Selhurst Park crowd to get behind their team and they should have enough to pull clear. The home games against Leicester, West Ham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest look like the pivotal fixtures.
Wolves
Current position: 13th (27pts)
Predicted final position: 14th (37pts)
It is hard to predict what you are going to get from Wolves and they have struggled for goals this season, but there have been some signs of improvement under Julen Lopetegui. Their chances of survival are certainly boosted by the fact that they play both Leeds, Crystal Palace and Everton at home in the run-in, a run that could easily yield a crucial nine points, but it is going to be a nervous finish.
Nottingham Forest: relegated
Current position: 14th (26pts)
Predicted final position: 18th (33pts)
Steve Cooper has done brilliantly to turn a team containing so many new faces into one that has been competitive throughout the season, but you worry who is going to score the goals and there is a fear they have a really tough looking run of fixtures. The trip to Leeds looks a fascinating one and if they can turn that predicted draw into an away win, it could be the launchpad to safety. The final day trip to Crystal Palace could also have plenty riding on it.
Leicester City
Current position: 15th (24pts)
Predicted final position: 13th (40pts)
I just think a Leicester City side managed by Brendan Rodgers will have more than enough to get themselves out of trouble as long as they keep key players fit. The team is a better one that results this season but now that the pressure is on, and with something riding on every game, they should be able to put some sort of run together. There is always the risk that they will think they are too good to go down, though, and history tells us how dangerous that can be.
West Ham
Current position: 16th (23pts)
Predicted final position: 15th (37pts)
Another team that has found itself down at the bottom of the table when it was expected to be doing far better, but West Ham’s form in Europe shows there is still a good team there and David Moyes has gotten teams out of trouble before. It has not been a happy campaign but those two final games against Leeds at home and Leicester away should see them live to fight another day in the Premier League.
Leeds United
Current position: 17th (22pts)
Predicted final position: 16th (34pts)
It has been difficult to know what to think of Leeds this season as they never seem to play particularly badly, but still do not win enough games. That is a problem for any side in a relegation battle and there will be clubs around them far better equipped to get out of trouble. Scoring goals, like many sides at the bottom of the table, has been a persistent problem and they will be looking nervously over their shoulder when we arrive in May. The Elland Road crowd will hopefully secure enough points at home but they could easily need a win in their final game against Bournemouth to stay up.
Everton
Current position: 18th (22pts)
Predicted final position: 17th (34pts)
Everton have been a case study in how not to run a football club for far too long, but in the appointment of Sean Dyche they believe they have the manager to save them from the Championship. The jury is still out on that, but just as they did under Frank Lampard a year ago, their home form will be the difference between survival and relegation. It is going to be nip and tuck.
Southampton: relegated
Current position: 19th (21pts)
Predicted final position: 19th (27pts)
This may be a little harsh on a team that beat Leicester City last time out but they have been in the bottom three for most of the season for a reason. They also appear to have the toughest run-in of all the sides in the relegation fight and there are no obvious wins on paper. This could well be the end of the Saints as a Premier League side for a while.
Bournemouth: relegated
Current position: 20th (21pts)
Predicted final position: 20th (23pts)
How costly will that 3-2 defeat, after leading 2-0, to Arsenal prove to be. They will not mind people like me writing them off and there is a sense that they are playing with the least pressure of all the sides at the bottom as they have budgeted and planned for the possibility of an immediate return to the Championship. That hopefully gives them a bit more freedom to play. When you look at their run, those games against Leeds, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Everton will either save or relegate them.