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Coventry City against Fulham and Sunderland against Leeds are the weekend games most likely to reshuffle the bottom four. Coventry in 17th and Sunderland in last place are split by just two points after Matchweek 7, so a single result can change who sits above the drop line. Forest, Fulham, Bournemouth and Tottenham are packed into the same narrow band, which gives every match on this card a bearing on the table. Saturday and Sunday each hold one clear chance for movement.
Coventry hold 17th place on six points, the first safe spot above the drop zone. Forest and Fulham are on five apiece, Sunderland are bottom on four, and Bournemouth and Tottenham also have six. That means the bottom six clubs all sit inside a two-point window, so Saturday’s and Sunday’s results will quickly rearrange the order.
Form adds another layer. Sunderland have drawn once and lost four times, while Fulham, Bournemouth and Tottenham each won their most recent league game. Coventry and Forest ended on defeats, and the goal difference column shows Coventry and Sunderland sharing the worst figure of minus eight.
| Team | Position | Points | Goal Difference | Last 5 Results |
| Bournemouth | 15th | 6 | -4 | D-D-L-L-W |
| Tottenham | 16th | 6 | -4 | D-D-L-D-W |
| Coventry City | 17th | 6 | -8 | L-L-W-W-L |
| Fulham | 18th | 5 | -3 | L-D-D-L-W |
| Nottingham Forest | 19th | 5 | -4 | D-W-L-L-L |
| Sunderland | 20th | 4 | -8 | D-L-L-L-L |
Coventry have scored six league goals and let in 14, with four for and seven against across their three home games. Their recent run reads L-L-W-W-L, the latest result a 3-1 loss at Tottenham, so confidence is not high heading into a 15:00 BST kick-off on Saturday.
Fulham’s record reads seven scored and 10 conceded, yet six of them were scored at Craven Cottage, while away from home they have taken only a single point from three trips. The stakes are easy to measure. A home win would put Coventry four clear of Fulham, whereas a Fulham win, following a 1-0 win against Hull City, would move them two points ahead. A draw would leave a single point between the clubs.
Friday brings Ipswich Town against Nottingham Forest, kicking off at 8:00 pm UK time. A run of three consecutive league defeats has hit Forest, who have scored only five goals all season, so a visit to a mid-table host is a chance to stop the slide. On Saturday at 17:30 BST, Chelsea host Tottenham, who match Coventry on six points yet face a side that has beaten them in each of the last six league meetings.
Sunday offers a different test for Bournemouth, who go to Manchester United at 14:00 GMT. They arrive on six points after a 2-0 win over Sunderland, while United have drawn four of their seven games. Any points from Old Trafford would stretch Bournemouth’s cushion over the sides beneath them, since Sunderland, Fulham and Forest all sit below the visitors.
Sunderland have lost four league matches in a row, conceding 14 goals and scoring six. Their sole victory came against Fulham at their own ground in Matchweek 2, and across three home games they have collected just three points. Losing for a fifth time running would leave them stuck on four.
Leeds are seventh with 10 points and a goal difference of plus three, though they have taken just four points from three away fixtures. Victory in the Sunday 16:30 GMT game would take Sunderland up to seven points and turn a gloomy week into a fighting chance.
Over the last five seasons, the club in 17th has ended with 38, 36, 32, 38 and then 41 points, which works out to 37 on average. Thirty-one matches remain, so Coventry need about a point per game to reach that figure, Fulham and Forest roughly 1.03 and Sunderland roughly 1.06.
The current paces fall short of those marks. Coventry are averaging 0.86 a game, Fulham and Forest 0.71 each and Sunderland 0.57, which explains why this weekend’s Premier League 2026 relegation battle fixtures feel so heavy. Every one of those clubs needs a swift upturn, and the next round of results will show who has started it.
Which side will drop first: Sunderland, Forest or Fulham? Share your prediction in the comments.
Which club sits last in the Premier League right now?
Sunderland are bottom of the table on four points. Their goal difference is minus eight after a 2-0 loss at Bournemouth, which was their fourth straight league defeat.
Are any newly promoted clubs in the drop zone?
No promoted club is in the bottom three at the moment. Ninth-placed Hull City and tenth-placed Ipswich Town both have nine points, while 17th-placed Coventry are a single place above the drop.
How many points are enough to avoid relegation?
The traditional target is 40, but 37 is closer to the recent average. The side finishing 17th has averaged 37 points over five seasons, peaking at 41 in the 2025-26 season.
What time does Coventry City play Fulham?
Coventry City host Fulham on Saturday 24 October, with kick-off at 15:00 BST. The game is at Coventry’s home stadium, so supporters in Bangladesh can tune in at 8:00 pm.
Are Sunderland in a relegation place right now?
Yes, Sunderland are 20th and inside the bottom three places. They trail 17th-placed Coventry by two points, and the bottom three clubs go down at the end of the season.
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