The fight for survival

With Burnley and Queens Park Rangers all but doomed, five Premier League strugglers are battling it out to avoid sinking into the Championship with them. They have just 16 days left to save their skins, and one of them isn’t going to make it. Who will it be? TODAY’s London-based football analyst Adrian Clarke (sports [at] mediacorp.com.sg) takes a look at who are the likeliest to join them in English football’s second-tier next season.

14TH: ASTON VILLA (35 points)

The FA Cup finalists have gone from dull to daredevil in the blink of a Tim Sherwood team talk.

Villa’s new boss has inspired a transformation that is as eye-catching, as it is impressive. Defensively they remain woeful, and under a coach who can’t resist rolling the dice, they will continue leaking goals.

Having been too scared to make a forward run under Paul Lambert, they have at least remembered how to attack with menace — and this will be their saving grace. The excellent Christian Benteke’s goals are likely to keep them up.

Remaining matches:

West Ham (home), Southampton (away), Burnley (home)

15TH: NEWCASTLE (35 points)

This once proud institution has become a shambles. Owner Mike Ashley gambled on placing John Carver in caretaker charge for the last five months of the season, and it is an experiment that has backfired spectacularly. His side has lacked heart, effort and direction, and on the back of eight successive defeats, panic has well and truly set in. The fans have lost faith and to be frank I don’t see where their next point is coming from. Even so, a kind fixture list may save them. Just.

Remaining matches:

West Bromwich Albion (home), QPR (away), West Ham (home)

16TH: LEICESTER (34 points)

The Foxes are on fire. Five wins in six matches have given Nigel Pearson’s men hope of a miraculous escape, and they fully deserve it. I’ve said all along they have been incredibly unlucky this season, losing contests they deserved points from, and finally their fortunes have turned.

It is almost as if they needed the pressure of near certain relegation to find another gear. The goals are flowing — 15 in their last seven games — and backed by a fan base that’s overflowing with encouragement, confidence is beginning to skyrocket. They are not out of the woods yet, but with winnable games on the horizon, I think they soon will be.

Remaining matches:

Southampton (home), Sunderland (away), QPR (home)

17TH: HULL CITY (34points)

If the Tigers don’t maul Burnley at home this evening, they will find themselves in all sorts of bother. We hear the term “must-win game” too often, but for Steve Bruce it really might be because Tottenham and his former club Manchester United will not be pushovers in the last two weeks. Hull’s best weapon is their deliveries from out wide, and because the likes of Elmohamady and Brady can produce excellent crosses, I can’t write them off completely.

The return of fit-again goal poacher Nikica Jelavic could also be the fillip they need, but confidence has been damaged by a limp, comprehensive loss to Arsenal last time out. They are on the precipice.

Remaining matches:

Burnley (home), Tottenham (away), Manchester United (home)

18TH: SUNDERLAND (33 points)

The Black Cats are in huge trouble. Dick Advocaat has made the side more attack-minded by starting with three strikers each game, and together they are creating more chances, but the Dutchman is not blessed with a great many options.

If they play for draws it will not be enough to save their bacon, but if they over-commit there is also a danger they will be carved apart on the break. Tactically, they need every ounce of their manager’s vast experience. The home clash with Leicester is pivotal.

Remaining matches:

Everton (away), Leicester (home), Arsenal (away), Chelsea (away)