As the fight to avoid the drop intensifies, we look at why the affected clubs are struggling, what will decide their fate and whether their managers are to blame

Brighton & Hove Albion

Pl 35 GD -15 Pts 37

Why are they in this mess? This hardly constitutes a mess. To be five points clear of the relegation zone, having been outside the bottom three since the end of August, feels like an eye-catching achievement.

How capable of staying up are they? Their 37 points really should be enough. Recent form has been troubling, and their run-in is daunting, but they have felt tantalisingly close to safety since beating Arsenal on 4 March.

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What is their key game? Probably none of their own. Brighton may struggle to secure another point but the fact those below them play each other should ensure they stay up.

How much is the manager to blame and would he survive? Chris Hughton’s achievements have been overshadowed by those of Sean Dyche and Rafael Benítez outside the “elite” managers but are no less worthy. Should the unthinkable happen, he would surely survive.

Are they well set up to come straight back up? They would be in a fine position to bounce back, but it really should not come to that. Dominic Fifield

Brighton sealed survival with victory over Manchester United on Friday evening

West Ham United

Pl 35 GD -24 Pts 35

Why are they in this mess? The board should have sacked Slaven Bilic last summer and they compounded their dithering with iffy signings. Bilic’s tactics were naive and his training left the players short of fitness. David Moyes pulled the team out of the bottom three after a slow start, yet a disastrous January window exposed the dysfunction. A toxic atmosphere developed, culminating in protests against Burnley.

How capable of staying up are they? They have the division’s worst defence but could pip Huddersfield on goal difference.

What is their key game? They are unlikely to get anything when they host Manchester United on Thursday, and Sam Allardyce will be desperate to beat his former employers when Everton visit on the final day. It is all about Saturday’s trip to Leicester, whose form is dire.

How much is the manager to blame and would he survive? Unlikely given his contract runs out at the end of the season. But while critics believe he is too negative, Moyes has been dealt a poor hand. David Gold and David Sullivan, the club’s owners, are to blame.

Are they well set up to come straight back up? Championship games at the London Stadium do not bear thinking about. Jacob Steinberg

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Huddersfield Town

Pl 35 GD -29 Pts 35

Why are they in this mess? Huddersfield are not in a mess. With the lowest wage bill in the top flight they have done well to be above the relegation zone with three matches to go. They recruited heavily last summer and David Wagner has blended the recruits in well, retaining the unity that helped to deliver promotion. But they suffer from a lack of sharpness up front.

How capable of staying up are they? Their awful goal difference means they will probably need at least one point. They will fight hard but their fixtures look harder still, as they travel to Manchester City and Chelsea before hosting Arsenal in Arsène Wenger’s final Premier League match.

What is their key game? Arsenal at home. The atmosphere will be intense and Arsenal have not mustered an away point in 2018.

How much is the manager to blame and would he survive? Huddersfield have been too defensive in some matches but Wagner has done a superb job and the club will want to keep him. He will have offers, too.

Are they well set up to come straight back up? Financially the club could cope with relegation but losing the manager who has inspired their rise would be a huge blow. Paul Doyle

Swansea City

Pl 35 GD -25 Pts 33

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Carlos Carvalhal’s tactics have been overly cautious recently. Photograph: Rui Vieira/AP

Why are they in this mess? Poor decision-making at board level for several years, notably flawed managerial appointments and awful player recruitment. Bullets were dodged in previous seasons but lessons have not been learned.

How capable of staying up are they? On form it is hard to be optimistic – Swansea have failed to win in six league games. On the other hand, their final two fixtures are at home against two of the clubs below them and one win could be enough.

What is their key game? Not much to choose between them but Tuesday’s home match against Southampton, whose win last Saturday cranked up the pressure, could be pivotal.

How much is the manager to blame and would he survive? Carlos Carvalhal’s tactics have been overly cautious recently but it would be unfair to pin blame on him given Swansea had 13 points from 20 games when he took charge. Carvalhal worked wonders for two months. Whether he would stay in the Championship is unclear.

Are they well set up to come straight back up? No. They won promotion in 2011 by playing a different style to anyone else but that “Swansea way” no longer exists. There would also be a high turnover of players with which to contend. Stuart James

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Southampton

Pl 35 GD -19 Pts 32

Why are they in this mess? Mauricio Pellegrino’s football was anodyne and Southampton inexplicably waited until March to replace him with Mark Hughes. The bigger issue, though, has been the sapping effect of losing their best players every summer. Being a selling club works only if the recruitment is right and Southampton’s magic touch has disappeared.

How capable of staying up are they? Southampton have improved after a rocky start under Hughes and the win against Bournemouth last week restored hope, especially as they have the best goal difference in the bottom six. But have they left it too late?

What is their key game? They host Manchester City on the final day and it will not be easy at Goodison Park on Saturday, so they have one eye on the six-pointer at Swansea on Tuesday.

How much is the manager to blame and would he survive? Hughes would probably be given a chance to take them back up. His tactics in the 3-0 defeat at West Ham backfired but he has had little time and some hard fixtures. Pellegrino and board are more responsible.

Are they well set up to come straight back up? They should challenge if there is no mass exodus. JS

Stoke City

Pl 36 GD -33 Pts 30

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The goalkeeper Jack Butland is among the players likely to leave Stoke if they are relegated. Photograph: David Blunsden/Action Plus via Getty Images

Why are they in this mess? One reason stands out and that is the absence of a reliable goalscorer – how Stoke must regret not spending the small fortune they wasted on Kevin Wimmer on a centre-forward. As for the managerial situation, Mark Hughes could have been cut loose earlier.

How capable of staying up are they? They have gone 12 games without a win and need maximum points from their final two matches. Yet Stoke have not been playing that badly and will believe anything is possible if they beat Palace.

What is their key game? Both fixtures are crucial because Stoke have no margin for error. The game at Swansea could be winner-takes-all, yet Stoke need to defeat Palace first.

How much is the manager to blame and would he survive? Paul Lambert has to take some responsibility if Stoke go down, given his 13 games have yielded 10 points. But Stoke’s board believe he has got the most out of the squad and plan to keep him regardless.

Are they well set up to come straight back up? The financial backing would be there but Stoke never envisaged this and their squad would need a major overhaul because of the inevitable departures of Joe Allen, Xherdan Shaqiri, Badou Ndiaye and Jack Butland among others. SJ

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West Bromwich Albion

Pl 36 GD -24 Pts 28

Why are they in this mess? Albion arguably should have parted company with Tony Pulis sooner but it was their decision to replace him with Alan Pardew that did most damage. The underachieving players, who are much better than Albion’s league position suggests, share the blame.

How capable of staying up are they? They need eight results to go their way, including wins against Spurs and Crystal Palace. This would be the mother of all great escapes.

What is their key game? Spurs at home on Saturday, because Albion have to win or they will be relegated. That said, they could be down before kick-off.

How much is the manager to blame and would he survive? It is Darren Moore’s promotion that has given Albion the faintest of hope. He has collected eight points from four games as caretaker, galvanising the players and supporters. He has to be a contender for the job.

Are they well set up to come straight back up? Difficult to say, not least because so many players will depart in pursuit of Premier League football, plus Albion need to appoint a manager to oversee the rebuilding. In short, it will not be easy to bounce back. SJ

Quick guide Relegation run-ins Show Hide Remaining matches Brighton: Fri 4 May Man United (h); Weds 9 May Man City (a); Sun 13 May Liverpool (a)



Huddersfield: Sun 6 May Man City (a); Weds 9 May Chelsea (a); Sun 13 May Arsenal (h)



Southampton: Sat 5 May Everton (a); Tues 8 May Swansea (a); Sun 13 May Man City (h)



Stoke City: Sat 5 May Crystal Palace (h); Sun 13 May Swansea (a)



Swansea City: Sat 5 May Bournemouth (a); Tues 8 May Southampton (h); Sun 13 May Stoke (h)



West Brom: Sat 5 May Tottenham (h); Sun 13 May Crystal Palace (a)



West Ham: Sat 5 May Leicester (a); Thurs 10 May Man United (h); Sun 13 May Everton (h)