The Relegation Battle: Not a good weekend to be Michael Mancienne as Wolves miss chance to exit bottom three

ANALYSIS
By James Daly

There are only three games to go but still anyone in the bottom half of the Premier League table can still mathematically succumb to relegation before the end of the season after a busy Easter week of football.

Some of the teams swimming at the deep end of the pool had the fortune of two games this week and thus a chance to grab enough points to climb completely clear of danger. Fulham were the only team who took full advantage of the generous fixture computer with two 3-0 wins against Bolton and Sunderland, meaning we’ll no longer see them on this relegation rundown. Goodbye chaps.

Meanwhile, Stoke and West Brom are nearly home and dry and after picking up wins this week and a point in their next game will be enough. Down at the bottom Wigan, Wolves and Blackpool missed opportunities to drag themselves out of the drop and could only pick up draws while sorry old West Ham lost again – at Manchester City – to leave them looking like they are well and truly drowning.

The Potters picked up four points from a possible six this week after a comprehensive 3-0 win over Wolves followed by a 0-0 draw at Blackpool left Tony Pulis’ side so close to mathematical survival they can almost taste it.

But there was a bitterness left in the mouth, though, as star winger Matthew Etherington tore his hamstring during the midweek win, meaning he could miss the rest of the season and Stoke’s heyday FA Cup final at the end of the month.

Next match: Sunday – Arsenal (h)

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You have to love the Premier League sometimes. Down to 10 men and struggling against fellow midtablers Aston Villa, the Baggies somehow managed to pull a goal out of nowhere and catapult themselves up to 11th, on the cusp of survival.

Youssuf Mulumbu’s swivel and chip was enough to earn a 2-1 home win but it came at a price; Paul Scharner earned two yellows – the second for a silly challenge on Stiliyan Petrov – and will now be missing for the trip to Wolves. Rather surprisingly it was the Austrian’s first ever red card in English football. Not as crazy as the former haircuts would suggest.

Next match: Sunday – Wolves (a)

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The fixture computer wasn’t as generous to the Magpies as it had been to some of the other teams around them, pitting them at Anfield against a resurgent Liverpool team and as it was they went down 3-0.

No fresh injuries were picked up for Alan Pardew’s side but they still have a busy treatment room with Hatem Ben Arfa, Dan Gosling and Alan Smith notable long-term absentees. The Magpies haven’t won since the beginning of April and with games against Chelsea and in-form West Brom coming up they probably won’t get many more. They should – should – though be ok.

Next match: Saturday – Birmingham (h)

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With their manager still in hospital with heart problems it would be forgivable to suggest that the Villa players had their minds elsewhere on Saturday. But throwing away a precious point against 10-man West Brom is less forgivable.

Especially as after the visit of Wigan at the weekend they then have games against Chelsea and Liverpool, meaning anything other than full points from the Latics could see Gerard Houllier’s side right back in the mire. Defender Richard Dunne picked up a knock in the defeat but is expected to have recovered for the Wigan game while Emile Heskey and Jean Makoun (who both missed the defeat) could be back. Stephen Ireland, though, back from his loan spell at Newcastle, is a broken man.

Next match: Saturday – Wigan (h)

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After the excitement of their first win in 10 games with an emphatic 4-2 smashing of Wigan, Steve Bruce’s side were brought back down to earth with a 3-0 humbling at home to Fulham.

To be fair to Bruce his side is littered with injuries – 10 in all, the most in the league, including most of his forward line – but there is some solace in the fact that his side have to play two of the bottom three in their last few games of the season, meaning they will surely pick up the point or two needed to put their Premier League status beyond doubt.

Next match: Saturday – Bolton (a)

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If Birmingham manage to stay up this season there will surely be a bottle of wine sent to Michael Mancienne care of Wolverhampton Wanderers come the end of the season. The defender’s terrible back header allowed Sebastian Larsson to nip in and score a valuable goal during the 1-1 draw at Molineux at the weekend.

But the result was tinged with disappointment as Craig Gardner received his marching orders – ruling him out for the rest of the season – while Roger Johnson picked up a knock with the club waiting to see whether he will be fit for the visit of Newcastle on Saturday. Either way, Mancienne is going to be a popular figure on the wrong side of the Midlands.

Next match: Saturday – Newcastle (a)

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Rovers fans must be a bit frustrated. Your team picks up maximum points against a strong Bolton side and you don’t move even one place up the table! Grr! Martin Olsson’s low strike handed Steve Kean’s side a 1-0 victory on Saturday after a defeat by the same scoreline to Manchester City last Monday.

Blackburn are another team paying thanks to the fixture computer as it has pitted them against both Wolves and West Ham in the last few weeks of the season, although they’ll be wary of the visit of Manchester United sandwiched in between those two, meaning points of any sort against their relegation rivals are imperative.

Next match: Saturday – West Ham (a)

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Even an unveiling of a statue of the great Jimmy Armfield at Bloomfield Road couldn’t inspire the Seasiders to a win against Stoke, leaving Ian Holloway’s side one place outside the drop on a goal difference of one.

Indeed the immobile Blackpool forward line were imitating Armfield (the statue, not the real one) on Saturday as they left the Potters’ back line relatively untroubled. And with games against Tottenham, Bolton and Manchester United in their final three games, Holloway had better hope his relegation rivals fare just as badly.

Next match: Saturday – Tottenham (a)

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If Wigan do somehow manage to avoid relegation maybe Ali Al Habsi will get the Jimmy Armfield treatment outside the DW Stadium. His superb one-handed stop from Mikel Arteta’s penalty is surely worthy of a statue if it helps the Latics stay up.

The Wigan keeper was unable to stop Leighton Baines scoring later on from the spot but the point moves his side that tiny bit closer to safety. His manager Roberto Martinez will be sweating, though, on the fitness of goalscorer Charles N’Zogbia and Mohamed Diame who both picked up injuries during the draw and will be assesed today to see whether they can play at Villa at the weekend.

Next match: Saturday – Aston Villa (a)

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Hang your head in shame, Michael Mancienne; your error could well have cost Wolves their Premier League spot. The defender’s tame header back to his keeper was capitalised on by Birmingham’s Seb Larsson, who stole in to score and see the away side drop two points.

With a game against in-form rivals West Brom coming up Mick McCarthy’s side can ill afford to throw away precious wins – a win that would have seen them jump out of the bottom three. And with a packed physio’s room – with star striker Kevin Doyle out for the rest of the season – things don’t get any easier for Wolves.

Next match: Sunday – West Brom (h)

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And so to West Ham. Back at the bottom and another defeat – this time at the hands of Manchester City. Missing Scott Parker through injury, the Hammers went down 2-1 at Eastlands and things got worse, with defender Matthew Upson also limping off.

Manager Avram Grant has admitted that anything other than a win against Blackburn on Saturday will spell the end for his side. The bad news: West Ham haven’t won at home (their last win anywhere in fact) since March 5. Rovers haven’t won away from home since December though, so there is that.

Next match: Saturday – Blackburn (h)

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