By The landscape of Premier League football has shifted dramatically throughout the 2024/25 season, as the traditional hierarchy faces unprecedented challenges from clubs once considered mere survival specialists. The likes of Brighton and Hove Albion, Brentford, and Bournemouth have transformed into formidable opponents, while Nottingham Forest’s remarkable ascent has shaken online football betting markets to their core. The top flight has not been this exciting in years, with drama at both ends of the table approaching the business end of the campaign.
Indeed, this evolution has created a more fascinating dynamic at the bottom of the table. While Southampton appear destined for the drop, the fight for survival remains wide open, with several clubs requiring their own great escape to preserve their top-flight status.
The margins between triumph and tragedy have never been finer, as teams grapple with the pressures of a league where every point could mean the difference between survival and catastrophe.
The desperate scramble for safety as we go into the final weeks evokes memories of some of the Premier League’s most dramatic survival stories – tales of resilience, belief, and sometimes sheer fortune that have become woven into the fabric of English football.
In this article, we revisit three of the most remarkable relegation escapes, where teams defied overwhelming odds to maintain their Premier League status.
West Bromwich Albion — 2004/05
When Bryan Robson took the helm at West Bromwich Albion in November 2004, the situation appeared hopeless.
The Baggies sat rooted to the bottom of the table, their return to the top flight threatening to become a mere footnote in Premier League history. By March, with just nine matches remaining, most had written off their chances of survival.
What followed was a renaissance that would echo through Premier League history. Robson’s side embarked on a remarkable run, claiming seven victories from their final nine matches.
The transformation was built on a blend of tactical discipline and unwavering spirit, culminating in a decisive 2-0 triumph over Portsmouth on the season’s final day.
The victory, combined with results elsewhere, saw West Brom become the first team in Premier League history to avoid relegation after being bottom at Christmas, surviving by a single point.
The scenes at The Hawthorns that afternoon, as thousands of supporters spilt onto the pitch in jubilation, remain etched in the memories of all who witnessed them.
Sunderland — 2013/14
Sunderland’s great escape under Gus Poyet was a tale of two competitions, as the Black Cats balanced their fight for survival with an unlikely run to the League Cup final.
After Paolo Di Canio’s tumultuous reign ended in September, Poyet inherited a squad seemingly destined for the Championship.
What followed was a sequence of results that defied logic. Victories at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea and at Old Trafford against Manchester United showcased a team transformed under Poyet’s guidance. The Uruguayan had instilled a belief that transcended their league position, creating a side capable of competing with the elite while fighting for their Premier League lives.
Safety was eventually secured with a 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion, completing a remarkable turnaround that saw them climb from the foot of the table to comfortable survival.
The achievement was made all the more impressive by their cup exploits, which, despite ending in defeat to Manchester City at Wembley, demonstrated the character that would ultimately preserve their top-flight status.
Leicester City – 2014/15
Leicester City’s survival in 2014/15 would prove to be merely the prelude to an even more remarkable story, but at the time, it represented one of the most impressive escapes in Premier League history.
Under Nigel Pearson, the Foxes sat bottom at Christmas, a position from which only West Bromwich Albion had previously survived.
The turning point came in late March, sparking a run of seven victories from their final nine matches. The climax arrived on the final day at King Power Stadium, where Leicester demolished Queens Park Rangers 5-1, a result that lifted them to 14th place and laid the foundation for what would follow.
This great escape would gain even greater significance in hindsight, as it kept Leicester in the Premier League for what would become the most extraordinary title triumph in English football history the following season.
Without their remarkable survival, one of sport’s greatest underdog stories might never have unfolded.
