The greatest Premier League relegation escapes in history

We’ve well and truly reached the business end of the season, that period where Premier League clubs are frantically fighting for points to achieve their yearly goals.

It’s no more frantic than down the bottom, where the likes of Watford, Aston Villa and Bournemouth are all fighting for survival.

There have been some incredible escapes from relegation in years gone by in the Premier League and we’ve taken a look below at those who could certainly provide some inspiration for this season’s relegation candidates.

Leicester – 2014/15

Leicester’s escape from relegation in the 2014/15 season is inspiration for all football clubs around the world battling it out for survival; a story that better things can always lie ahead next year.

The Foxes were bottom of the league with 10 games to go and seven points adrift of safety, having gone without a win for over two months, but what was to follow was stunning. Nigel Pearson’s side soon picked up a 2-1 victory over West Ham as they won seven of their last nine matches, ultimately clinching survival with a game to go to finish 14th.

A year later, though, and their celebrations would be even more joyous as they were crowned Premier League champions. Some turnaround.

West Brom – 2004/05

No team that had ever been bottom on Christmas Day had gone on to avoid relegation that season – that was, until West Brom’s great escape in 2005.

Not only did Bryan Robson’s Baggies side make history in beating the drop, but they also did it on the most dramatic of finals days. Three wins and four draws in their season run-in took it down to the last game of the season, with Crystal Palace, Norwich and Southampton also fighting to stay in the Premier League.

West Brom had to beat Portsmouth and hope their relegation rivals all failed to win. They did their bit with goals from Geoff Horsfield and Kieran Richardson securing a 2-0 win. Elsewhere, Norwich and Southampton were both beaten, while Palace conceded a late equaliser to Charlton as their game finished 2-2.

West Ham – 2006/07

Despite having a side including Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, West Ham found themselves dragged into relegation trouble in the 2006/07 season, sitting 10 points adrift of safety at one stage. A run of six wins out of eight towards the end of the campaign, however, hauled Alan Curbishley’s side into contention of escaping trouble.

The final day of the season brought with it a daunting trip to face champions Manchester United, with West Ham having to win to guarantee their survival. But they did win, thanks to Tevez’s strike, sending Sheffield United down into the Championship.

Sunderland – 2013/14

When you’re fighting for survival, it doesn’t get too much tougher than when having to face away trips to Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United in your final few games of the season.

That’s the position Gus Poyet’s Sunderland found themselves in 2014, with the club sitting seven points adrift of safety with six games left to play after picking up just one point from 24.

Starting with a trip to eventual champions City, Sunderland picked up a 2-2 draw before then recording four straight Premier League wins for the first time since December 2000, including 2-1 and 1-0 victories away at Chelsea and Manchester United respectively, to finish five points clear of danger and in the lofty heights of 14th.

Check out all the latest football betting odds at William Hill