Ipswich, Wolves and Southampton occupy the relegation slots, the latter two with very recently changed managers.
It’s rare for the relegation zone to have the same three teams at Christmas and on finals day – but it happened last season.
Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United were 18th, 19th and 20th respectively on 25 December and 19 May.
Other seasons the bottom three were the same (though not necessarily in the same order) were 2001–02 (Derby, Leicester, Ipswich), 2012–13 (Wigan, QPR, Reading) and 2020–21 (Fulham, West Brom, Sheffield United).
The odds are the same for the bottom team on Christmas Day – four out of 32.
West Bromwich Albion (2004–05), Sunderland (2013–14), Leicester (2014–15) and Wolves (2022–23) were the four teams to manage it.
Southampton are currently in a bad situation, eight points behind, but who else could be in danger?
Well, two teams were in the top 10 at Christmas and dropped down – Norwich, who were seventh in 1994-95, and Blackpool, who were 10th in 2010-11.
Who now occupies the seventh place? Manchester City.
