Greatest Premier League Relegation Escapes

The battle to avoid relegation often produces some of the most gripping narratives in the Premier League. Beyond wins and losses, these survival tales are about teams against the odds, tactical pivots, managerial shifts and key players stepping up when it mattered most. At Spreadex Sports we have ranked the 10 greatest escapes in Premier League history and explain how they happened.

10. Wigan Athletic's Great Escape – 2011/12

Wigan looked destined for the drop as winter turned to spring. By early March they were sitting bottom of the table and several points adrift of safety.

Manager Roberto Martínez tweaked his tactics, shifting to a back three that suited his squad better. That gamble paid off, with wins over the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United, as the Latics managed seven wins in their final nine games. This stunning late surge from the Latics guided them to seven points clear of safety by the end of the season!

9. Sunderland's Great Escape – 2015/16

Sunderland’s 2015/16 campaign was a slow grind. They struggled badly early on, leading to Dick Advocaat’s dismissal after a winless run of eight games. Sam Allardyce stepped in but initially lost eight of his first 11 matches, leaving the Black Cats deep in trouble at the halfway point of the season.

But the tide turned: Sunderland steadied the ship, losing just four of their remaining 19 fixtures and putting together a five-game unbeaten run late in the season. A 2–2 draw at Watford on the final day not only clinched survival by a couple of points but also condemned arch-rivals Newcastle United to relegation.

8. West Ham United's Great Escape – 2006/07

West Ham endured one of the most fascinating escapes, and one mired in controversy. For much of the season they were drifting toward the drop 10 points off safety in March, languishing deep in the relegation zone.

The signing of Carlos Tevez in January proved decisive. Tevez got off to a slow start for the Hammers, failing to score or assist in his first 15 games for the club. The Argentinian then became a man possessed in the remaining 10 games, scoring seven and assisting three times, including a decisive goal in a 1–0 victory over champions Manchester United on the final day to secure survival. This was one of seven victories in West Ham’s final nine league games which caused what the Hammers refer to as “The Great Escape”.

Off the pitch, legal disputes later followed over Tevez’s registration, but his performances on it, have etched his name into West Ham folklore.

7. Everton's GREAT ESCAPE – 1993/94

Everton’s survival hinged on an unforgettable final day. Once a top-half staple, they had slipped into serious relegation trouble in just the second Premier League season.

After fluctuating form and managerial change, they needed to win to stay up on Matchday 42. Conceding early to Wimbledon only heightened the drama, but Everton turned it around and survived by a single point. The Toffees have since been one of only six sides to have competed in every season of the Premier League.

6. Bradford City's great escape – 1999/2000

Bradford had flirted with relegation through much of this campaign, languishing near the bottom before a crucial late run.

Wins over Sunderland and Wimbledon put them within touching distance of safety, and on the final day, a decisive goal from David Wetherall sealed survival, sending Wimbledon down instead.

5. Fulham's Great Escape - 2007/08

Fulham’s season featured managerial upheaval and inconsistency. After sacking Lawrie Sanchez in December, after two wins from their opening 20 games, Roy Hodgson took over but initially saw very limited improvement.

Form slowly improved in March thanks to goals from players such as Jimmy Bullard and Danny Murphy. A decisive win in the penultimate game moved them out of the relegation zone, and a narrow 1–0 win on the final day kept them up on goal difference, relegating Reading in one off the most dramatic final day relegations in history.

4. Leicester City's Great Escape – 2014/15

Leicester’s escape set the stage for their astonishing title triumph just a year later. In March they were rooted to the bottom of the table with only a handful of wins and without much attack threat.

Manager Nigel Pearson’s men then only lost one of their final nine matches, plucking unexpected wins over rivals and finishing well clear on points. That run proved the catalyst for confidence that would define their next season where they won the Premier League in one of the most remarkable stories in footballing history.

3. Oldham Athletic's Great escape – 1992/93

In the inaugural Premier League season, Oldham found themselves bottom with just 10 games to go.

A bold closing sequence, three wins in the final three fixtures, including a shock victory over Liverpool, gave them hope but a result was still needed on the final day. That result came on the final day as a 4–3 win for Oldham kept them above the drop on goal difference, an incredible finale to a historic campaign.

2. Sunderland's Great escape – 2013/14

Sunderland’s second-entry on this list is one of the great turnarounds. After a terrible start and managerial sacking, they found themselves seven points adrift with six games left and fixtures against heavy hitters such as Chelsea and the Manchester clubs.

Yet a draw at Manchester City sparked belief, and a run of wins against Chelsea, Cardiff, Manchester United and West Brom, finished by an emphatic 4–0 victory over Cardiff,  propelled them from bottom to safety.

1. West Bromwich Albion's Great escape – 2004/05

Topping the list, and still regarded as the ultimate Premier League escape, West Brom’s survival remains the benchmark. No team had ever survived after being bottom at Christmas, but Bryan Robson’s side defied history.

They had won just one game by late January and remained deep in trouble approaching spring. A mix of improved form in the second half of the season and clutch performances left survival to the drama of Survival Sunday, needing a win and favours elsewhere. A 2–0 victory over Portsmouth, combined with rivals slipping up, saw Albion stay up by just one point.

Will any of the sides which currently look doomed for relegation escape the drop? You can view our Premier League relegation markets HERE.