THE Premier League’s relegation battle is heating up after another day of crazy drama.
Strugglers Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Everton and Leicester were all in Bank Holiday Monday action yesterday as they scrap to beat the drop.
Leicester were first up, as they travelled to mid-table Fulham.
It was a nightmarish day for the Foxes, as they fell 4-0 down after just 51 minutes at Craven Cottage.
They restored some degree of respectability before the end, but not enough to prevent a 5-3 defeat.
Everton then produced a sensational display at Brighton to climb out of the relegation zone, with doubles by Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dwight McNeil and a Jason Steele own goal seeing them beat the Seagulls 5-1.
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Nottingham Forest then boosted their own survival bid in the evening kick-off, while all but relegating Southampton in the process.
Steve Cooper’s men triumphed 4-3 over the rock bottom Saints, who are now eight points from safety with three matches left.
The boffins and brainiacs over at FiveThirtyEight use data to predict how the remainder of the season will unfold.
And their supercomputer has virtually buried Southampton, giving them a more than 99 per cent chance of going down.
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They reckon Leeds, who lost 2-1 at Manchester City on Saturday, are likely to join the Saints in the Championship next term.
Sam Allardyce’s men are given a 71 per cent chance of going down.
The Yorkshire side have upcoming matches against Allardyce’s former sides Newcastle and West Ham – before finishing with a final day assignment versus Tottenham at Elland Road.
Following their shambolic defeat to Fulham yesterday, Leicester have a 64 per cent chance of going down.
Dean Smith’s side host Liverpool next Monday before travelling to Newcastle seven days later.
Their final day clash will be against West Ham, who may be focusing on a Europa Conference League final by then.
Everton, who looked a side reborn yesterday having recently appeared doomed, are now 17th and are given only a 28 per cent chance of going down.
While Forest, currently a point above the Toffees and three clear of Leicester in the relegation zone, are deemed to still have a slightly higher chance of being sucked back into the bottom three at 37 per cent.
Everton’s remaining fixtures are against Manchester City, Wolves and Bournemouth.
Forest, meanwhile, will play Chelsea, Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
