Following a frantic week at the foot of the table, Opta’s Supercomputer has provided us with its updated relegation predictions, and the biggest drop in percentage sees Southampton shift from the likeliest team for the drop, all the way down to third.
Opta’s Supercomputer Relegation Predictions
After an intensive weekend of Premier League viewing, Southampton fans will most likely be the happiest among the host of clubs battling it out for survival, after managing to peel themselves away from the very foot of the table.
The Saints managed to prevail with a crucial 1-0 win over Leicester in the proverbial relegation six-pointer, and in doing so moved within a point of 18th-placed Everton whom they also have a game in hand over.
According to Opta’s latest estimations, they were the gameweek’s biggest movers after having their chances of relegation slashed from 80.4% on March 3rd, right the way down to 65.3% following their victory, which represents a 15.1% change.
In defeating the Foxes, they also condemned Brendan Rodgers’ side to a third successive defeat which saw their chances of relegation move up by just over 3%. Should they have beaten Southampton, they may well have opened up a nine-point gap between themselves and their opponents, highlighting just how narrow the battle for survival is.
𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Premier League Relegation ⬇️
It was a great weekend for both Southampton and Wolves, less so for the other teams in the bottom nine of the Premier League.
We look at the latest Opta projections in the Premier League relegation battle.
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) March 6, 2023
Bournemouth’s chances of survival were dealt a crushing blow after Reiss Nelson’s 97th minute winner completed Arsenal’s comeback from two goals down. The Cherries looked to be on course to become only the second team to beat the league leaders at the Emirates this season, but the agonising 3-2 defeat leaves them in 20th place, level on points with Southampton and second favourites to be relegated according to Opta.
Elsewhere, Leeds saw the second-biggest shift over the weekend after falling to a narrow defeat away at Stamford Bridge. Their victory over Southampton the week prior had boosted their chances of survival according to Opta, but this also led to them being the biggest losers this weekend with an 8.4% rise.
The latest Opta estimations show Everton in a damning light however, after they let a one-goal lead slip twice away to Nottingham Forest. The home side clawed their way back to register a 2-2 draw after Sean Dyche’s side failed to act with any real conviction at the tail end of the game, and it now sees them move up as Opta’s favourite to face the drop, with a 67% chance of relegation.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
