THE fall out from the Christmas results in the Premier League has raised the spectre of at least one big name club being relegated this season.

The spritely form of all three promoted sides may ensure their safety for another year. Newcastle are eighth, Blackpool are 13th with games in hand and even West Brom in 16th have shown they are a force to be reckoned with under former Chelsea midfielder Robert di Matteo.

So tight is it at the foot of the table that West Ham are bottom but three points would lift them up to fourteenth. Five points cover half the league. The betting goes up to Sunderland in sixth at 50.00 who are 12 points clear. West Ham are 1.70 for the drop, along with Wolves and Wigan both of whom have also shown they can mix it with most teams, albeit like Blackpool they do not seem to have the crowds to support a Premier League operation.

Liverpool have 25 points and are 25.00 to be relegated. Neighbours Everton also have 25 points but are 30.00. Aston Villa are only one point off the bottom and are down to 4.50 in the betting. February looks a tough month for Villa too with games against both Manchester sides and away trips to Birmingham and a critical match away to Wigan.

West Ham have Arsenal and Everton on the radar as well as the glamour of a Carling Cup semi finals back to back with Birmingham whom they then face again in February. Birmingham’s form may be as important to the teams around them as to themselves. They have only 22 points.

The same is true of Liverpool who after a visit to Manchester United in the FA Cup face all the potential disaster candidates before resuming Europa League duties on February 17 against Sparta Prague.

History points to the fact that no side is ever too good to go down.If 40 points is the target – and possibly it may not be enough – then six wins is the target for all these clubs.