Historically, being at the bottom of the Premier League table early in the season has not always led to relegation. From 2013-14 to 2018-19, only one of the six teams that were last after five games, Newcastle in 2015-16, was relegated. Notably, Crystal Palace managed to finish 11th in the 2017-18 season after being near the bottom.
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Tottenham fans may take some comfort from their previous experience; when they were bottom with two points after five games in the 2008-09 season, they went on to finish eighth after replacing manager Juande Ramos with Harry Redknapp.
Looking at the current relegation race, statistically, at least one of the teams in the bottom three has been relegated for the last eight seasons. This trend leaves Tottenham, Fulham, and Coventry in a precarious position as the season progresses.
The historical pattern indicates that the teams relegated in the last three seasons were part of the bottom six after five games, implying that Bournemouth, Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace might also be contenders for relegation this season.
Interestingly, the last instances of teams outside the bottom six being relegated were Leeds and Southampton in the 2022-23 season, who were positioned 7th and 9th, respectively. Fans of Hull and Ipswich, sitting in 8th and 11th place currently, will hope that this trend does not repeat itself.
While the season is just beginning, the Premier League table is starting to show some early signs of which teams might be battling for survival.