Can the newly-promoted clubs stave off the threat of an immediate return to the Championship? And if they do, who will slip into the bottom three?

After an epic summer of sport, you might have been forgiven for not realising that the new Premier League season kicks-off in just over 24 hours' time. And so while teams are still finessing their transfer business and making final tactical tweaks, everything is pretty much in place for the 2024-25 campaign to begin.

That means its predictions season, and here at GOAL we're no different. Over the past week, our writers have been giving their takes on all the biggest issues, from the Golden Boot contenders to the first manager to be sacked; from the surprise packages and best signings to the biggest disappointments.

Today, we've taken a look at the relegation contenders, and which teams are most likely to be fighting for survival over the next nine months:

Getty'Gulf between Premier League & Championship'

Mark Doyle: First things first, we can but pray that next season’s relegation battle (and title race, for that matter!) are not affected by points deductions related to Profit & Sustainability Rules (PSR), which just make a mockery of the entire league – but that appears a faint hope given the state of the English game right now. Indeed, newly-promoted Leicester City could well be sanctioned in a matter of weeks for previous breaches of the financial rules.

Still, maybe it won’t make much of a difference to the final outcome anyway, given the gap between the Premier League and the Championship has developed into a gulf in recent years. Last season, all three promoted teams suffered relegation for the first time since 1998. But it will likely happen again this term, with Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton set to go straight back down. Nottingham Forest could certainly struggle again, but even they look a cut above all of the newcomers.

AdvertisementGetty Images'Forest have too many under-par performers'

Amee Ruszkai: If this was previewing another season in the Championship for Southampton, I'd say I really like their transfer business. However, a lack of proven quality in the Premier League among those new recruits, and the same for the manager, means inexperience is likely to cost them in the fight for survival. Leicester, another newly-promoted team, are in quite a different place with a side that features a lot of the names that were relegated little over 12 months ago. Yet, the feeling is similar to the Saints in that this Foxes squad just isn't quite good enough to stay afloat in the top-flight, even if the appointment of Steve Cooper gives them a greater chance.

Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, limped over the finish line in 2023-24, with just four wins from their last 18 games. It's a team that has some real talent, with Morgan Gibbs-White a compelling talisman, but the overall assembly of it feels rather random. Though it is at least a slimmed down version of last year's ridiculous squad, it's still one that features too many under-par performers for me.

(C)GettyImages'Ipswich surviving would be stuff of miracles'

Stephen Darwin: It feels like the gap between the sides coming up from the Championship and those towards the bottom of the Premier League is getting ever-bigger. Last season proved as much, with all three dropping straight back down – and that was even after both Nottingham Forest and Everton were hit with points deductions. It's going to be an almighty struggle for Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester to survive, and looking across all three of their squads and the signings that have come in, they don't seem to have the quality and strength in depth to usurp those that are likely to be around them.

Prolific in England's second tier, Adam Armstrong will be hungrier than most to prove he does have what it takes to score goals in the top-flight after struggling in previous years, but even a bucketload of goals from him may not be enough to keep Southampton up. Leicester, meanwhile, lost one of their best players in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and haven't been able to bring in any proven Premier League quality. And for all the fanfare Kieran McKenna's received – and rightly so – for masterminding Ipswich's promotion last term, it would be the stuff of miracles if they manage to avoid the drop.

Looking at their relegation rivals, Forest look the most likely to struggle, but with their experience of beating the drop from the past two seasons, they seem better equipped than the newly-promoted three to stay up.

Getty'Everton's luck must run out'

Richard Martin: Leicester City surged back to the Premier League at the first time of asking but have since seen Chelsea swipe away the manager who took them there along with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, the midfielder who knitted their play together. The Foxes also face the looming threat of a points deduction for flouting the league's Profitability and Sustainability Rules. Southampton, meanwhile, haemorrhaged goals in the Championship last season, conceding 63 times, which does not bode well for returning to the top flight.

Ipswich Town, however, should buck last season's trend of all three promoted teams going down. Kieran McKenna led them to successive promotions and is a flexible coach whose attacking principles will ensure they win enough games, particularly at home, to stay up. That leaves one vacant spot for the drop which will go to Everton, who have been clinging on for dear life in the last three seasons. Their luck must finally run out, particularly with so many key players leaving and their hands still being tied by PSR problems and funding their new stadium.