The glitz and glam of the Premier League can swiftly turn sour. That’s what all three promoted sides learned in 2023/24 as they slipped hopelessly back into the Championship.

Every season, at least five or six teams find themselves sucked into a ruthless relegation battle. One slip, one mistake or one injury can prove fatal in the bid to survive in the world’s richest and most cut-throat division.

Of course, the sides that have just entered the top tier are most at risk of plummeting back into the second tier, but there are not many Premier League sides who are immune to the prospect of demotion.

Let’s take a look at which three teams will be on the chopping block come the end of May.

Ipswich Town are likely to win everyone’s hearts following their long-awaited return to the Premier League but good-will doesn’t win points. With arguably the weakest squad in the division and a lack of top-flight experience in the dressing room and on the touchline, the Tractor Boys may be set for a short stint back in the big time.

They could well be joined by a side that finished two places below them in the Championship last season: Southampton. The Saints spent just a single campaign out of the Premier League but their squad looks weaker than the one that was relegated in 2022/23. It will be a struggle for Russell Martin to keep them up, especially if he refuses to be flexible when it comes to his footballing principles.

One of only two sides to have been relegated after winning the Premier League title, Leicester City may make it a repeat of 2023/24 in which all three promoted sides failed to beat the drop. The Foxes haven’t done convincing business in the transfer window and fans are yet to warm to the appointment of former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper. It could be a long season for the 2015/16 champions.

It may be another close call for Nottingham Forest, who stayed up in spite of a points deduction last term. However, they failed to convince for much of the campaign and haven’t brought in a great deal of quality in the transfer market. Nuno Espirito Santo will be under significant pressure if results start to go against him early doors.

Brentford could be a surprise relegation candidate. They finished just 16th last season and have been regressing somewhat since their arrival in the Premier League, but the Bees should have enough quality up front to avoid a place in the bottom three.

Similarly, Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers will likely have enough in the tank to stave off relegation for at least another year. However, they’re both sides that could feasibly go on a worrying winless run at any given moment.

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