The relegation battle in this year’s Premier League season is building up to become on of the most memorable of recent history when with a few games left it is anyone’s guess who is going down.

After last weekend’s round of games the previously doomed Wigan have got themselves out of the bottom three and Aston Villa, earlier tipped for a devastating drop to the Championship, are up to ninth with the magical 40 points.

Wigan beat Blackpool 3-1 at the weekend, banishing the ghosts of their 4-0 defeat to the Premier League new boys on the opening day and Villa came from behind to win 2-1 at West Ham. Now the Hammers, Blackpool and Wolves occupy the bottom three places. Only six points separates rock-bottom Wolves with 32 points and 12th placed Fulham who are one of four teams on 38.

With West Brom, Villa and Newcastle now breathing a sigh of relief, any one of these remaining eight teams could still go down. And there are some big names in there: including chicken-loving former champions Blackburn, FA cup finalists Stoke, Carling Cup winners Birmingham and the side that beat Chelsea 3-0 this season, Sunderland.

Anyone can and has beaten anyone in the league this season and while the top half is finally taking shape, the bottom is still a real mess which means the run in to the final round of matches on May 22 will make for fantastic entertainment.

During that time every one of the bottom five teams has to play another side fighting for survival, with West Ham away at Chelsea this weekend and Blackpool at Manchester United on the final day. There will be six pointers in abundance.

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway summed up his team’s situation beautifully when he said: “This suits us now. We are like a wounded animal and we know we are the dirtiest in the dog zone and we have to come out fighting for every scrap that is left.

"We should be the hungriest dog left in this and we have some scrapping and fighting to do. I am just about ready to snarl."

The trouble is that Blackpool will be up against bigger dogs who have been in these fights before, West Ham famously did what the Tangerines need to do and beat Man United to stay up and many of the other teams have been involved in previous dramatic end of season battles. This one just seems more of a Royal Rumble than a dog fight.

Blackpool’s inexperience in these situations makes them favourites to go back to Championship with most bookmakers, Bet365 have them 1/3, West Ham are second favourites given their run in that includes trips to Stamford Bridge and Eastlands to face Man City. Wigan just about beat Wolves as the next favourites to go down, but both teams have been unpredictable all season.

Form will be another factor going into this stage of the season. Sunderland and Blackpool have the worst form at the moment, with only one point each from their last six games. Meanwhile Wigan have peaked at the right time with seven from their last six, the same as West Ham. But it is the next six that count.

Premier League run in, bottom eight clubs.

Wolves: April 23 Fulham (H). April 26 Stoke (A). May 1 Birmingham (A). May 8 West Brom (H). May 14 Sunderland (A). May 22 Blackburn (H).

West Ham: April 23 Chelsea (A). May 1 West Ham (A). May 7 Blackburn (H). May 15 Wigan (A). May 22 Sunderland (H).

Blackpool: April 23 Newcastle (H). April 30 Stoke (H). May 7 Tottenham (A). May 14 Bolton (H). May 22 Man United (A).

Wigan: April 23 Sunderland (A). April 30 Everton (H). May 7 Aston Villa (A). May 15 West Ham (H). May 22 Stoke (A).

Blackburn: April 25 Man City (H). April 30 Bolton (H). May 7 West Ham (A). May 14 Man United (H). May 22 Wolves (A).

Sunderland: April 23 Wigan (H). April 30 Fulham (H). May 7 Bolton (A). May 14 Wolves (H). May 22 West Ham (A).

Birmingham: April 20 Chelsea (A). April 23 Liverpool (A). May 1 Wolves (H). May 7 Newcastle (A). May 15 Fulham (H). May 22 Tottenham (A).

Stoke: April 23 Aston Villa (A). April 26 Wolves (H). April 30 Blackpool (A). May 8 Arsenal (H). May 17 Man City (A). May 22 Wigan (H).

Fulham: April 23 Wolves (A). April 27 Bolton (H). April 30 Sunderland (A). May 9 Liverpool (H). May 15 Birmingham (A). May 22 Arsenal (H).

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