Battle at the bottom of the EPL
Avoiding the drop to the Championship is of paramount importance to teams in the Premier League. The Championship is a tough league, with more games, less TV revenue and lower fan turnout (unless you're Newcastle United). Although there are parachute payments and support available for relegated teams, nothing can be done to remedy damaged egos and the loss of players who don't want to slog it out for a season in a lower league.
In an unusual but not unsurprising …
