With the Premier League season nearly wrapped up, five teams are battling it out to stay in the division.
Southampton sit rock bottom of the table after 35 games and have 24 points, eight points from safety and are relying on a miracle.
Having won just six games all season in the Premier League, the Saints will need to win every game and pray every other team drops points.
Also fighting it out with Ruben Selles’ men are Leeds, Leicester, Nottingham Forest and Everton.
None are yet safe but some appear to stand a better chance than others of remaining in the Premier League this season.
With Leeds and Leicester currently in the drop zone, they face an uphill struggle to clamber over Forest and Everton – but it is not impossible.
And football statisticians Opta have the stats to back it up, though you might want to look away now if you are a Southampton fan.
That is because the Saints currently have a 99.9 per cent chance of getting relegated this season, so start booking those tickets to Rotherham next year.
The 4-3 defeat to Forest on Monday, as pulsating as it was, appears to be the final nail in the coffin for the south-coast side, and could end a 10-year stint in the top tier.
Southampton take on Fulham at home this weekend where they must win before facing Brighton and Liverpool.
The stats are not good reading for Leeds, either, who have been given a 75.3 per cent chance of going down this season – nearly three to four odds.
Even the appointment of Sam Allardyce might not be enough to stave off the drop with the damage already being done under managers Jesse March and Javi Gracia.
A hopeless April saw them lose five out of seven matches, conceding 23 times – a Premier League record for a calendar month.
And while the Whites are just two points off safety, they remain 19th in the table and Allardyce has work to do to avoid a second relegation on his CV.
He can boost their odds, though, this weekend when Newcastle come to Elland Road before taking on West Ham next week and Tottenham on the last day of the season.
A league-high of 36 per cent of the Elland Road faithful, according to Ladbrokes’ Fanzone data, backed their side to lose against Man City last weekend, narrowly edging Chelsea fans for the least optimistic support. The 35 per cent of Blues fans backing their side to draw another blank would have had mixed emotions as they finally found some form with a win over Bournemouth.
Leicester are the third-favourites to go down with Leeds and Southampton but have been a slightly kinder 67.5 per cent chance – just higher than two to three odds.
Despite a squad boasting top talents such as James Maddison, Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes, it has been a miserable campaign for the Foxes, who might not be able to get out of this hole.
It was not so long ago when Brendan Rodgers was leading this young side to glory, having won the FA Cup and nearly finishing in the top four twice in a row but this has been a disastrous decline.
Whether they survive or not, Leicester are in dire need of a reboot – but will they be plying their trade in the Championship next year?
And their fixtures are not kind with Liverpool and Newcastle up next before facing West Ham.
Forest gave themselves a mighty boost on Monday with their win over Southampton and the relief and ecstasy on the players’ faces were clear to see.
That has given them a fine chance of staying in the Premier League and Opta reckon they now have a 30.9 per cent chance to do exactly that.
Steve Cooper has regularly batted away reports of the sack all season but his side are now three points clear of the bottom three.
And that win over Southampton might be crucial with Chelsea up next before hosting Arsenal and a final day match against Crystal Palace.
Everton, who looked doomed not so long ago after a 4-1 drubbing from Newcastle at home, stand the best chance of staying up out of the five sides.
They have been given a 26.3 per cent chance, just over one in four odds, to play in the Premier League next season and thanks must go to their latest result.
Sean Dyche masterminded a 5-1 win over Brighton with special performances from Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Jordan Pickford.
While they are 17th in the league and two points off Leicester and Leeds, the momentum is behind the Toffees to go on and clinch safety.
Everton have a tough game next in City, before facing Wolves next week and Bournemouth on the final day.
