Leicester City survival hopes assessed as Wolves and Ipswich relegation run-in fixtures compared

Four teams are in the Premier League relegation battle, but only one can survive. The fates of Leicester City, Wolves, Ipswich and Southampton will be decided in the final three months of the season as their stamina, mental strength and quality are put to the test.

The fixture schedule will also play a key part. For relegation battlers, picking up points is a lot easier against fellow strugglers, or against mid-table sides with little to play for.

With all that in mind, Foxes reporter Jordan Blackwell has taken a look at each side’s final 11 matches from March right through to the end of May...

Wolves – 17th – 22pts

Fixtures: Everton (H), Southampton (A), West Ham (H), Ipswich (A), Tottenham (H), Man United (A), Leicester (H), Man City (A), Brighton (H), Palace (A), Brentford (H)

Frustratingly for those in the chasing pack, Wolves’ fixture list looks close to ideal. All of their next seven games are against bottom-half clubs, and a run in which they have the three six-pointers against their relegation rivals too.

While City would typically want their competitors at the bottom to draw with each other, they may be hoping for Southampton and Ipswich wins in those games, just to peg Wolves back as much as possible.

After those seven matches, they then face Man City and Brighton, before a promising final two fixtures. If Wolves still need points by then, matches against Palace and Brentford, who likely won’t have anything to play for, seem perfect.

Ipswich – 18th – 17pts

Fixtures: Palace (A), Forest (H), Bournemouth (A), Wolves (H), Chelsea (A), Arsenal (H), Newcastle (A), Everton (A), Brentford (H), Leicester (A), West Ham (H)

With four of their next six games against sides chasing European spots, and also with a trip to a resurgent Crystal Palace in that run, there’s a lot riding on the Tractor Boys’ home clash with Wolves.

They will be reasonably happy with their final four though. A six-pointer against City sandwiched by home games against bottom-half sides with likely nothing to play for, they will feel that’s where they can make up ground.

Leicester City – 19th – 17pts

Fixtures: Chelsea (A), Man United (H), Man City (A), Newcastle (H), Brighton (A), Liverpool (H), Wolves (A), Southampton (H), Forest (A), Ipswich (H), Bournemouth (A)

City’s fixture schedule is very similar to Ipswich’s in that it looks like they’re relying on their end-of-season run to keep them afloat.

Five of their next six are against top-half sides, with Chelsea, Man City, Newcastle and Brighton all in a race for Europe, and Liverpool gunning for the title. City could really do with getting something when Ruud van Nistelrooy’s old club Manchester United visit.

If they’re still in the race come their final five, the belief may still be there, but they will likely have to win their three six-pointers.

Trips to Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth in their final three look far, far trickier than they did when the schedule was first published last June. It has to be said, the fixture list is not kind for van Nistelrooy.

Southampton – 20th – 9pts

Fixtures: Liverpool (A), Wolves (H), Palace (H), Spurs (A), Villa (H), West Ham (A), Fulham (H), Leicester (A), Man City (H), Everton (A)

Thirteen points off the pace, Southampton’s race may already be run. But if they’re going to get back into contention, they need results in their next four.

After a trip to Anfield, they’ve got Wolves and Palace at home, and then Spurs away. They’ll be targeting that as a key run, especially as Tottenham may have all their focus on the Europa League by then.

Aston Villa at home, West Ham away, Fulham at home, Leicester away is not a bad run either, but finishing off with Everton away looks tough, given it will be the last ever game at Goodison Park.

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