Who has the best run-in as the race for Premier League survival hots up?
There are no easy games in the Premier League, especially when you are battling to stay up, but the fixture list could benefit some sides more than others.
It is hard to belief we are almost into the last 10 games of the season and during that time three sides will have their fate sealed and will be heading to the Championship.
Now more than ever those teams in trouble need to string a run of results together to get away from trouble.
Teams can also get sucked right back into it and Crystal Palace and Newcastle in 13th and 14th place respectively still have work to do.
However we will take a look at the remaining fixtures of the bottom six in particular and the kind of run-ins they have for the remainder of the season.
Brighton sit in 15th, four points above the drop zone but have a very tough run-in over their last 11 games. They have to travel to both Wolves and Leicester, but home form is likely to be the key and they will need positive results against some top sides. Both Manchester clubs, Arsenal and Liverpool will arrive at the Amex Stadium.
Bournemouth are in 16th and have a horror run-in as they must travel to Liverpool, Wolves, Manchester United and Manchester City and then Everton on the last day of the season. Leicester, Chelsea and Tottenham visit as do Southampton, Newcastle and Crystal Palace. Home form again is going to be key.
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Aston Villa in 17th have the EFL Cup Final against Manchester City next but then it is back to business in the League with a trip to Leicester and a home game with Chelsea. The run-in for Dean Smith’s men does not look as bad as some of their rivals and the home games with Wolves, Crystal Palace and Manchester United will be key. Still have to go to Liverpool and the trip to West Ham on the last day of the season could be huge.
Speaking of which, West Ham occupy the final relegation place in 18th as things stand. They are likely to remain there for now unless they can pull off a shock at Liverpool on Monday night. Have huge home games against Southampton, Burnley, Watford and Aston Villa and four wins there would go a long way to ensure survival. Also have to go to Norwich.
Watford in 19th place travel to Manchester United on Sunday and then entertain Liverpool at home the week after. But after that the Hornets have a decent run-in. March has some winnable games with trips to Crystal Palace and Burnley and a home game with Leicester sandwiched in between. There are three huge home games against Southampton, Norwich and Newcastle and a trip to West Ham on May 2, before a home game with Manchester City and a trip to Arsenal to wrap things up.
Rock bottom Norwich are seven points away from safety and if anyone needs a strong finish it is them. That is an understatement. The home games against Brighton, West Ham, Southampton and Burnley are stand out games, as is the trip to Watford. Travel to Chelsea and Manchester City in two of the last three games.
Anything can happen over the remaining games, but looking at the remaining fixtures, Watford have a great chance of getting out of trouble if they can go on the kind of run they did when Nigel Pearson first took over and looking at the run-in, its possible.
