Burnley, Nottingham Forest, and Luton resume their battle to avoid joining Sheffield United in being relegated from the Premier League. Forest are in poll position, but if results go against them on Saturday, they could face a shootout with Burnley on the final day.
Only once before since the inaugural season in 1992 have all three promoted teams gone straight back down again. During the 1997/98 campaign, newcomers Barnsley, Bolton, and Crystal Palace were all relegated.
Nottingham Forest in 17th place can be caught after Everton guaranteed their Premier League status with victory over Brentford last month.
Forest’s two-season stay in the top flight hangs in the balance after they lost their appeal this week against a four-point deduction for breaching the league’s financial rules.
They sit three points above the drop zone after last week’s win at Sheffield United and will guarantee survival with victory at the City Ground over Chelsea, if Luton fail to win. A draw would almost certainly be enough if both Luton and Burnley fail to win due to Forest’s superior goal difference.
The Hatters, third from bottom, lost crucial ground on Forest last week after being held 1-1 at home against Everton and are three points adrift with a far inferior goal difference.
Victory at the London Stadium on Saturday against West Ham would lift them level with Forest if Nuno Espirito Santos’s side lose, while a point for the Hatters could also take the survival race down to the wire as they battle to extend their top-flight stay beyond a single season.
Burnley’s 4-1 home defeat to Newcastle last Saturday has left them in the most precarious position of the three as they sit five points from safety with a goal difference that is 17 worse than Forest’s.
The Clarets must win in the capital against Tottenham. Spurs are aiming to avoid a fifth straight league defeat – and hope Chelsea win at the City Ground, but even victory for Vincent Kompany’s side will not be enough if Forest avoid defeat.
