For most of the season it’s been the same few clubs down at the bottom of the Premier League. Burnley, Newcastle, and Norwich have been struggling since the season started. However, could teams that began the season well be dragged into the relegation battle? The next few months could be nervous ones indeed for Everton and Brentford according to the recent odds and current betting sports offers.
It’s often a tricky situation for clubs at this time of the season. Those who are in relegation zone can begin a revival, while others above them see their form slump.
That’s the case with Brentford at present. They began their first season in the Premier League with 12 points from their first seven games No one who witnessed the match will ever forget that opening 2-0 home win over Arsenal. Then there was that fightback against Liverpool that saw them draw 3-3 and the 2-1 win at West Ham.
There wasn’t any talk of relegation after that win at the London Stadium on October 3. However, the next four league games all ended in defeat. Just one win in eight games was a worrying statistic but the sides down at the bottom weren’t in form either.
Wins over Watford and Aston Villa helped steady the ship a little. Their first five Premier League games of 2022 have failed to produce a single point and have seen 14 goals conceded. Add on a 4-1 loss at Everton and Brentford are beginning to discover how tough life can be in the Premier League.
Their away form has become a major problem. From the 3-1 loss at Burnley on October 30 (an early Halloween performance) to the 2-0 defeat at Manchester City on February 9, eight away league games have produced just two points at Newcastle and Leeds.
After the loss to Manchester City, Brentford are only six points above the bottom three. However, they’ve played more games than any of their relegation rivals. It’s amazing sometimes how the fixtures work out. Brentford have three games in a row in late February and early March against Newcastle (home), Norwich (away) and Burnley (home). Those are the games the Bees need to be winning. Perhaps it’ll be Christian Eriksen who sparks a revival.
Everton are also in trouble after a good start to the season. 13 points from their first six league games was a good introduction for new boss Rafa Benitez. No fans were imagining a relegation battle at that stage.
Since the beginning of October, it’s been nothing but gloom for the Toffees. 15 league games have produced just six points and a solitary home win over Arsenal. Benitez has gone and Frank Lampard is his replacement. He inherits a team that is low on confidence and now have Yerry Mina on the injury list.
They do have games in hand on most of their rivals, so that’s one piece of good news. However, what use are games in hand if they don’t produce many points? Lampard must get Everton going quickly and not just in the FA Cup.
The remaining months of the season are going to be fascinating. Can Newcastle and Norwich keep getting wins? How will Burnley fare with the games in hand that they have. If the results begin to come and they don’t at Brentford and Everton, the bottom three may soon look very different.
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