In The Mixer: Experts pick their Premier League relegation trio with 5/1 tip

In The Mixer is FST’s weekly column where we catch up with seven experts in football betting and get their opinion on the hot topic of the week.

We’re launched straight from the beginning of Euro 2024 qualification to the business end of the Premier League this weekend as we head into the final ten gameweeks of the season.

Things at the top of delicately poised, but the bottom-half of the table is where things really get interesting. Just four points separates Crystal Palace in 12th with rock-bottom Southampton and who will eventually wind up in the Championship is anybody’s guess.

And that’s exactly what we’ve asked our experts this week: Which three teams will be relegated come May? Our relegation treble is priced up with SkyBet, where new customers can get £20 in free bets to use on the Premier League run-in.

5/1 Experts’ relegation treble

Bournemouth look destined for the drop if our experts’ analysis is anything to go by, with seven of the eight panel members cherry-picking the Cherries out.

Southampton weren’t far behind in the rankings as six of our journalists backing the bottom-placed club to end in the relegation zone, while Nottingham Forest received five selections.

Other notable inclusions were Leeds with three votes, Crystal Palace with two and Everton with one.

Alex Wrigley

Sports editor at Free Super Tips

Southampton look the favourites for the drop and the inexperienced Ruben Selles is unlikely to be able to save the Saints, and I fancy them to be joined by Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth come the end of the season.

With just two points from their last six games, Nottingham Forest are enduring a torrid run of form and still have Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal to play this season. Their cause isn’t helped by an ongoing injury crisis and a disjointed looking squad after two frenetic transfer windows.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, simply look out of their depth. They have conceded a league-high 54 goals this season and still have some tough games to come.

Aaron Rogan

Sports journalist at Free Super Tips

Of the current favourites for relegation, Bournemouth have the best run-in, which includes home clashes with Fulham, Brighton, West Ham and Leeds. That turn in fixtures should help them move out of the drop zone, while the fact that Southampton’s run-in is among the most difficult of any of the bottom sides suggests the bottom-club are doomed.

Nottingham Forest’s finish looks tough too, as they’ve relied on home form so far but three of their remaining five are against teams in the top seven. Steve Cooper’s side have been poor on the road and outside of a visit to Leeds their away games look tough.

Finally, it looks like Everton’s time could be up considering that they only have one more home fixture against teams outside the top 10. The Toffees have claimed 65% of their points at home this term, but their run in at Goodison looks tough and their away record shows no sign of turning around, despite catching out a woeful Chelsea side in their last game.

Liam Flin

Sports journalist at Racing Post

Southampton have just been too inconsistent this season and are rooted to the foot of the standings as a result. Ruben Selles is a risky appointment and I don’t think he has the experience or credentials to steer them out of danger.

I expect them to be joined by Bournemouth, who leak too many goals – they have conceded 54 times in 27 Premier League matches this season – and their 3-2 capitulation against Arsenal a matter of weeks ago was concerning.

It could be any one of seven who join those two in the Championship next season and I’ll go for Leeds, who need to learn quickly under Javi Gracia and face Manchester City, Newcastle and Tottenham in three of their final four league games this campaign.

Ian Wilkerson

Sports journalist at Racing Post

It is going to be a while before anyone who finds themselves in the bottom eight can consider themselves safe, but I get the feeling that there is going to be little joy on the south coast as both Bournemouth and Southampton could be falling into the Championship.

There is a divide between the inexperienced bosses and those, like David Moyes at West Ham and Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace, who have seen it all before.

I just think the Saints and Cherries have not quite got the quality and I wouldn’t have a huge amount of faith in their managers who have been promoted into their posts perhaps by being in the right place at the right time.

As for the third team, both the Hammers and Leicester need a massive kick up the backside but I think the penny will finally drop with them before the situation becomes too serious. I’ll take Leeds because they have some terrible fixtures to finish the season with, but it could well go down to the last day again.

James Milton

Sports journalist at Racing Post

Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest are two of my three for the drop. Forest’s scattergun recruitment has not made things easy for Steve Cooper, their run-in looks brutal and their goal difference of minus 27 could also prove costly.

Leeds could complete the relegated trio although it may well be tight between them, Southampton, Everton and Crystal Palace.

I’m not sure Saints are one of the worst three teams in the division and recent results – wins over Chelsea and Leicester and draws with Manchester United and Tottenham – should have boosted morale at St Mary’s.

Chris Rivers

Sports journalist at Racing Post

Southampton have improved under Ruben Selles but their run in looks tricky and they probably have too much ground to make up. The same goes for the inconsistent Bournemouth, who haven’t won back-to-back league games all season.

There should be at least one change to the current bottom three though with Nottingham Forest fancied to fall through the trap door. Their away form is a major issue, with six points and four goals to show for their road efforts, putting them on course to break a Premier League record for the fewest away goals scored in a season. That puts massive pressure on their home fixtures and that pressure could eventually tell, especially with Arsenal, Manchester United and Brighton still to visit the City Ground.

James Mason

Sports journalist at ICS

Of the three teams currently in the bottom three, Bournemouth are the only side I think will remain in the drop zone and suffer relegation. The Cherries haven’t managed to tighten up at the back and this fragile defence will send them down.

I think there has been enough fight and improvement for Southampton under Ruben Selles, so I expect them to survive, while West Ham have enough quality throughout their squad to ensure they are not a big casualty to slip into the Championship.

Joining Bournemouth will be Nottingham Forest, who are on a six-game winless run and have put in some disappointing performances during this woeful period. I still don’t think Steve Cooper knows what his best XI is and the lack of goals is a real concern for the Tricky Trees.

Rounding off the relegation trio will be Crystal Palace, who are seriously struggling in attack and have now gone back to former boss Roy Hodgson to save them. For all the experience the English tactician has, I think this is a step too far for him and the Eagles may have to prepare for a rebuild if they go down.

Rob Eddy

Sports journalist at ICS

Although there may be some reasons to be optimistic about Southampton’s chances due to some fluke results, I am having none of it and have fancied them to go down for a long time. They don’t score, they leak goals and were beaten by Grimsby at home – positive results are not their norm.

Bournemouth struggle for both goals and clean sheets and are also unsurprisingly odds on to go down, although there are plenty of teams who have similar issues and it may be tougher to pick the third team.

However, I like a price and am going for the outsider in Crystal Palace. It could be argued they have one of the easier run-ins but my counter would be if they lose, they are deeper in the mire. They have forgotten how to win, for which their struggle for goals does not help, and Roy Hodgson doesn’t seem the ideal man to turn that problem around. At 11/2 with only a three-point cushion, I am happy to take a chance.

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