Clubs that have been relegated from the Premier League into the Championship often hold a strong chance of bouncing straight back, with big parachute payments helping them have financial power over other clubs.
Of the three teams relegated last season, Fulham and West Brom are currently leading the way and have started well in their bid to get back into the top flight at the first time of asking. The latest English Championship betting odds as of December 13 see Fulham as the 4/9 favorites to win the Championship, with West Brom at 7/1 third favorites in behind them.
Sheffield United, the first team to be relegated, have struggled so far and sit mid-table. All three featured in Championship outright tips at the start of the season in various places, but only West Brom and Fulham have really backed that up with performances so far. There is still a lot to play for, as we hit the halfway point of the season, but if things continue as they are doing, Fulham, and potentially West Brom, could find themselves back in the Premier League very quickly.
Fulham Lead the Championship Under Marco Silva
Of the three clubs that were relegated to the Premier League last season, Fulham were the best equipped to bounce back. The club decided to move on from manager Scott Parker, bringing in Marco Silva to the club in a bid to try and change their luck, and make the change a permanent one, by spending longer in the top flight if they get back.
🗣️ “We failed tonight. We failed this season”
🗣️ “In football you always finish where you deserve to be”
Aleksandar Mitrović fronts up after Fulham are relegated to the Championship pic.twitter.com/mdx5DgwqjV
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 10, 2021
Silva has knowledge of the English game, and perhaps more importantly, of the bottom half of the Premier League, after spells at Hull, Watford and Everton in the past. His first task is to simply restore the club’s Premier League status, but after that, he is expected to build a team that can maintain a Premier League spot, rather than continuously moving between the top two divisions.
West Brom in Contention
Another team that decided to have a new manager in charge this season was West Brom, with their appointment of Valerien Ismael from Barnsley. After leading Barnsley to a surprising playoff position during his one and only season at Oakwell, Ismael was put in charge of taking West Brom back to the Premier League.
So far, things haven’t been perfect, and Ismael’s very direct style has received a little criticism from fans at The Hawthorns, but Val will be measured on success, and not his style of play. Automatic promotion is still the aim for West Brom, but should they not manage that, the playoffs are simply a must, otherwise Ismael may find himself looking for another job.
With a big change of style, and a new manager and players needing time to settle in, everything points to West Brom being better in the second half of the season. Should that happen, automatic promotion may not be too far away for them to achieve.
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