Crystal Palace Look Doomed for Relegation – Who Could Join Them?

Source: Crystal Palace Football Club via FacebookCrystal Palace have endured the worst start to a campaign in Premier League history, having lost their opening six games without registering a single goal. The Eagles have already sacked manager Frank de Boer after the Dutchman’s footballing philosophy failed to rub off on the London team. Now the struggling club have turned to failed England manager Roy Hodgson in an attempt to steer the ship, but as it stands they look destined for relegation. Are they really doomed, and if so, who could join them in the drop from the top flight?Looking at the Palace squad and the array of talent at their disposal, many would find it hard to believe that they are embroiled in an early-season relegation battle. After all, last season’s 14th-placed team have got the likes of Christian Benteke, Yohan Cabaye, Andros Townsend, and Mamadou Sakho in their ranks. Even so, things just aren’t clicking at Selhurst Park, and Hodgson’s men are 4/6 to be relegated in the Mr Green odds after six games. Palace’s fixtures begin to ease towards the end of November, and it is likely to get darker before the dawn. But with Hodgson’s fairly decent record in the league, there is a chance he can turn things around and rescue the club from the mire.In the early season betting odds, the other favourites to face the drop are newly promoted Brighton and Hove Albion, along with Huddersfield Town. Both sides have had good starts to life in the top flight, but there are still question marks over whether the Premier League debutants can stand the pace of the most competitive league in the world. They have, however, both just emerged from another cutthroat league which has a greater number of games each term, so they could be in line to shock a few people.Judging by some of the clever signings, such as the Seagulls’ acquisition of Pascal Gross and the Terriers’ purchase of Laurent Depoitre, these top-flight new boys may have more staying power than last season’s rejects Middlesbrough and Hull City. As the league gets tougher and tougher, it is shrewd signings like these that could make all the difference, as Leicester City showed recently with their cheap purchases of Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante.But if the newly promoted teams aren’t in line for relegation, then who is? West Ham United, Stoke City, Leicester City and Bournemouth have all had terrible starts to the campaign, but with their strong and well-established squads, it’s hard to imagine any of them getting sucked into a battle against the drop.Last season, the likes of Sunderland and Hull appeared doomed from the outset, but this time out it’s hard to pick the weaker teams from a list of sides who all appear excellent on paper. With the Manchester sides looking set for a tussle at the top for the title, the more intriguing story of the season could be about to take place in the bottom half of the division in what will be a fiercely fought season.