In a season that has produced so many twists and turns, it is impossible to predict what will come next.<\/p>\n
Since the Premier League became a 20-team format in 1995, the average number of points needed for safety has been 36.<\/p>\n
But that will not be enough this time around given that West Ham<\/a> have already reached that tally and currently occupy the third and final relegation place. <\/p>\n “West Ham<\/a> had been the form team out of the three clubs,” said Smith.<\/p>\n “Until the Brentford<\/a> game [on Saturday], you looked at them and thought, ‘Nuno [Espirito Santo] has got a really strong tactical discipline there and has shaped them into a proper team’.<\/p>\n “They looked totally doomed in January but Nuno took them from that and managed to craft a bit of an identity, and they did seem to put a little bit of a run together.<\/p>\n “So Saturday came as a real shock – against a team that hadn’t won in eight games. To put in that performance having built up a little bit of steam is worrying.”<\/p>\n According to data experts Opta, the Hammers are now favourites (77.71%) to be relegated, with Tottenham<\/a> at 22.03% and Forest just 0.13%.<\/p>\n If the three sides continue picking up points at their current rate, then it will be the Hammers who are relegated to the second tier for the first time since 2011.<\/p>\n The 2023 Conference League winners are averaging 1.03 points per game, which would mean they finish the season on 39 points.<\/p>\n