Will Leicester City be relegated from the Premier League this weekend? Numbers explained ahead of Liverpool clash
Leicester City find themselves with a mountain to climb to escape relegation - but could stumble at the first hurdle.
Southampton have already been relegated from the Premier League in record time this season, sitting 20th on just 10 points. But the Foxes are just above them on 18 points, and their fate could be sealed sooner rather than later.
In the Premier League, the bottom three teams at the end of the season are relegated to the Championship. Southampton are already relegated as it is mathematically impossible for them to reach 17th place.
Now, Leicester City are poised to follow them - and after last weekend’s results changed the state of play, could theoretically be relegated this weekend.
While Ipswich sit 18th in the league, Wolves and West Ham are just outside the relegation zone and on 35 points each. This means that, with 18 points available from six remaining games and 17 points adrift, Leicester would need to go unbeaten - with neither of the above teams getting a single point - to survive.
This also means that if Leicester lose to Liverpool on Sunday, April 20, they will automatically be relegated at the end of the season. However, another stipulation could sink them before they even step out onto the pitch.
On Saturday, April 19, West Ham host Southampton, who still need to bag one more point to avoid being dubbed the worst team in Premier League history. That title currently belongs to Derby County, who scored just 11 points in the 2007/08 season. If the Hammers win, it’s game over for Leicester.
Ipswich Town could also be relegated on Sunday – if West Ham and Wolves both win, the Portman Road side would have to do likewise to delay the inevitable.