Premier League giant in relegation danger as Hull, Ipswich and Coventry defy promoted-club script
Hull, Ipswich and Coventry rewrite the survival narrative after six games
Hull City, Ipswich Town and Coventry City are all outside the Premier League relegation zone after six games, shifting the conversation from whether all three newly promoted clubs will go down to which established names could be in genuine danger of dropping to the Championship this season.
The three promoted sides have 24 points between them after six matches. Hull and Ipswich already have nine points apiece, while Coventry sit on six following their 4-1 hammering of Newcastle on Monday night.
The early haul is historically significant. No newly-promoted Premier League club since 1995/96 with at least 10 points after their first six games has subsequently been relegated, with nine teams reaching that haul. The last nine newly-promoted teams to get nine or more points from their first six matches have all survived, which bodes well for Hull and Ipswich.
Coventry turn the mood around
Coventry’s emphatic victory over Newcastle was particularly significant. Frank Lampard’s side had started the campaign with four defeats and no goals, but two consecutive victories have transformed the mood around the club.
Ipswich have shown the sort of resilience that can make the difference over a 38-game season, snatching a dramatic late win against Fulham. Hull have also put together a surprising run of results, showing they can compete and collect points against established top-flight opposition.
Established sides under early pressure
With three promoted clubs staying up, three other sides would have to take their place. Early warning signs are emerging for established names.
Fulham, Tottenham and Bournemouth fill the bottom three spots at the minute and are winless after six games, while, like Bournemouth, Sunderland have a European campaign to negotiate and only have a win over Fulham on the board this season.
Aston Villa and Newcastle are going through big transition seasons and the bookmakers have Manchester City as third favourites for relegation with the possibility of a points deduction on the table following the independent commission finding them in breach of the Premier League’s financial rules — City have denied wrongdoing and have lodged an appeal.
The danger is that poor form and the increased workload from potential European commitments can quickly become a crisis when confidence drains away and the pressure starts to build.
With Hull, Coventry and Ipswich refusing to follow the script, nobody should assume the three pre-season favourites for the drop are going down. The relegation equation has certainly changed.