Well, this is it for the teams involved in 2010/11 Premier League relegation betting. Birmingham, Blackburn, Blackpool, Wigan and Wolves are not certain of their futures, but they can all control their own destiny to some degree. No further chances, it is all on the line for the teams threatened by Premier League relegation. Betting will be running amok this week, and punters book a flurry of wagers on the final action of the domestic season. The hapless Hammers have already bitten the dust, so the race is on now for the other five relegation threatened clubs, not to join West Ham in the Championship next season. It looks as if Wigan, Wolves and Blackpool have been saving their best till last, so the final day of the 2010/11 Premier League relegation betting battle, could go in any direction. Birmingham City look in a bit of a desperate situation and Blackburn are not clear of the woods just yet. It should be an enthralling ninety minutes around the country on Sunday afternoon.
West Ham Utd – 33 points from 37 games
West Ham 2010/11 Premier League Relegation Odds: It’s over, they are down. Still, good value to beat Sunderland on the last day.
Away to Chelsea (L) – Correct!
Away to Man City (L) – Correct!
Home to Blackburn (D) – Correct!
Away to Wigan (L) – Correct!
Home to Sunderland (W)
Wigan – 39 points from 37 games
Wigan 2010/11 Premier League Relegation Odds: 4/5 at Boylesports
The victory over West Ham was the big lifeline that Wigan needed. Still, the 3-2 win was a bit close for comfort for them, but those three points were so very precious. Wigan are still second from bottom, but with that win are just one point from safety as the table sits at the moment. They have a tough away fixture to run out with, but their form may suggest that they are good enough to get a point. Who knows how interested Stoke will really be for this one after getting hammered by Man City recently. It is all on the line for Wigan now, who have struggled all season. They do pull out a lot of drawn matches over the season, but really, because of their worse goal difference out of all the relegation threatened teams, they need a win to make sure. Sure if they get a point and Blackpool and Birmingham lose, it won’t matter for Wigan as a draw would be enough. However if those other two teams draw along with Wigan, then Wigan’s goal difference will send them down. When all is said and done, they beat the Hammers yes, but tough to see them winning at Stoke. Stoke don’t roll over easily at the Britannia Stadium, so a draw would probably be Wigan’s best hope here.
Away to Sunderland (D) – wrong, lost 4-2
Home to Everton (L) – wrong, drew
Away to Villa (L) – wrong, drew
Home to West Ham (W) – Correct!
Away to Stoke (D)
Wigan Relegation Betting Tip: Wigan do not have many goals in them. They broke the bank a bit last weekend putting three past West Ham. Stoke are a much tougher proposition and a draw looks like Wigan’s best result there. It may be a point, but it could be a vital one with results going their way. Just enough to stay up.
Projected total: 40 pts
Blackpool – 39 points from 37 games
Blackpool 2010/11 Premier League Relegation Odds: 2/5 at UniBet
Have to be honest, but Blackpool weren’t still supposed to be in the race for survival by this point. They have exceeded their own expectations really in trying to stay up. They are now unbeaten in their last four, with three draws and a previous win. The win was a bit of a surprise to be honest, as they squeezed past Bolton 4-3 in a thriller. It sums up Blackpool really. They know where the goal is, but they just cannot keep them from going in at their end. Fans will remember the heroics they performed when they took a 2-0 half time lead against Manchester United earlier in the season. That match ended in a draw, but this return fixture is at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have the league sewn up, have the Champions League final to look forward to. Blackpool’s best hope is if Alex Ferguson fields a very weak side, otherwise, even a half strength United team should win. The signs don’t look good for Blackpool, as this last fixture of the season for them is a nightmare. At least they can just go for it and give the fans a brave treat.
Home to Newcastle (D) – correct!
Home to Stoke (L) – wrong, drew
Away to Spurs (L) – wrong, drew
Home to Bolton (D) – wrong, lost
Away to Man Utd (L)
Blackpool Relegation Betting Tip: Blackpool have been a bit hard to call, as they have picked up some unlikely points. They have given themselves every chance of staying up, however the final day of fixtures will work against them. Likely to get beaten, leaving them just shy of safety. A valiant effort all round, but back to Championship football for them.
Projected total: 39 pts
Wolves – 40 points from 37 games
Wolves 2010/11 Premier League Relegation Odds: 8/1 William Hill
Mick McCarthy’s men just won’t lie down. A solid 3-1 win at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland last weekend was a welcome and probably unexpected three points for Wolves fans. They are now unbeaten in their last three, but more importantly are carrying the momentum of back to back wins. Another one would see them safe. They take on Blackburn, on who they are level with points just above the drop zone. Wolves have to go for another win, as a point may not be enough because of a worse goal difference than Blackburn. They are not out of the woods yet. Can a relegation threatened team pull off a Houdini of three wins on the bounce? They have home advantage against the struggling Rovers, but can see it ending in parity. Really only a win is good enough for them not to have to rely on other results bailing them out, but if they get the draw, Birmingham and Blackpool do not look like likely winners, so Wolves can survive by the skin of their teeth. Have to be good for a point at home.
Home to Fulham (D) – correct!
Away to Stoke (L) – correct!
Away to Birmingham (D) – correct!
Home to West Brom (W) – correct!
Away to Sunderland (L) – wrong, won
Home to Blackburn (D)
Wolves Relegation Betting Tip: Wolves have really been on the relegation betting bubble all the while. They have scrapped tenaciously to clutch to safety with fingernails. A win in front of their home crowd will guarantee Premier League football, but Rovers are in the same boat and could well settle for a draw and hope their goal difference is enough to stay up. Fiery encounter expected, and a draw.
Projected total: 41 pts
Blackburn – 40 points from 37 games
Blackburn 2010/11 Premier League Relegation Odds: 12/1 at William Hill
Well, Rovers are a point better off than we expected them to be here. That is because they managed to earn themselves a commendable draw against Manchester United at Ewood Park in their previous match. Without that, they would have been in an even more perilous situation. They have an advantage over the other relegation threatened teams, in that they have a far superior goal difference. If Rovers lose, for Blackburn to go down, they would need two of the teams below them (Wolves aside) to pick up wins. So any two of Birmingham, Blackpool and Wigan would need to pick up more than a point to get Rovers relegated. One final battling draw of the season will probably be enough for them.
Home to Man City (L) – correct!
Home to Bolton (L) – wrong, won
Away to West Ham (D) – correct!
Home to Man Utd (L) – wrong, drew!
Away to Wolves (D)
Blackburn Relegation Betting Tip: Should just about be safe, but they have been treading far too thin a line. The new owners must invest next year.
Projected total: 41 pts
Birmingham City – 39 points from 37 games
Birmingham 2010/11 Premier League Relegation Odds: 7/10 at Bwin
Carling Cup champions they may be, but relegation candidates they also are. Birmingham are in the worst form of the five threatened teams, and there is a realistic chance that they will be going down. This would have been a little unrealistic about six weeks ago, but not winning in their last five matches, losing four and drawing just one, has really put Alex McLeish’s men in danger. They do hold a slender goal difference over Blackpool and Wigan, who are both on the same points as Birmingham at the moment, but Birmingham need to match or better what both of them do to keep themselves alive. Being the low scoring team which they are, the signs aren’t great for Birmingham to be honest, and going away on the final day to White Hart Lane, to face a Spurs side who need a win to guarantee themselves a Europa League place, it’s not easy. Certainly don’t see a Birmingham victory anyway. That means they could be banking on Blackpool losing at Old Trafford, and Wigan slipping up away at Stoke. Birmingham will most likely be relying on other results for them to stay up. One thing is for sure, that Birmingham won’t want to get beaten heavily, and have their goal difference advantage wiped out. Tense.
Home to Fulham – D – wrong, lost
Away to Tottenham – L
Birmingham Relegation Betting Tips: Really in danger of falling into the Championship. Don’t see them winning at Spurs, and even if they stuck it out for a draw, it may not be enough.
Projected total: 39 pts
2010/11 Premier League Relegation Battle Projected Finishing Positions
16th Blackburn 41 pts
16th Wolves 41 pts
17th Wigan 40 pts
18th Birmingham 39 pts
19th Blackpool 39 pts
20th West Ham 36 pts
