Not only is the Premier League the richest and most competitive entity of its type anywhere in the world, but it’s also incredibly difficult to bounce back and reclaim top flight status following a relegation.
With this in mind, it’s interesting to note that last season’s three relegated EPL sides (namely Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton) are the bookmakers’ favourites to earn promotion from the EFL Championship in 2023/24, creating an alternative betting market for those of you who have recently discovered the Jack poker sign-up page.
This has been partially inspired by the quality of the teams in question, of course, while Burnley’s achievements of last season (when they won the Championship at the first attempt and earned more than 100 points despite a summer of upheaval) may have also influenced the minds of sportsbooks.
But what are the individual chances of the three relegated sides bouncing back in 2023/24? Let’s take a look!
Leicester City – The Bookies’ Favourites
It was a surprise to see the Foxes depart from the EPL last season, but a porous defence and misfiring forwards contributed to the demise of both Leicester and Brendan Rodgers. Interestingly, the club appears to have taken a leaf out of Burnley’s book during the pre-season, by appointing Pep Guardiola’s former assistant Enzo Maresca as their new permanent manager.
Remember, the Clarets moved for former Manchester City skipper and Guardiola disciple Vincent Kompany to lead their Championship charge, with the Belgian delivering both style and substance thanks to his possession-based, attacking style of play.
The Foxes hope that Maresca will perform similarly, while the summer addition of former Spurs and England midfielder Harry Winks certainly hints at how Leicester will set up from a tactical perspective next summer. So, although the departure of James Maddison and likely exit of Harvey Barnes will weaken the squad, Maresca will look to leverage the talents of Winks and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall while also making further additions in the coming weeks.
In Jamie Vardy, Kelechi Iheanacho and Patson Daka, Leicester also boast genuine firepower at Championship level, while the acquisition of Conor Coady will provide significant strength at the other end of the pitch. So, the Foxes have an excellent chance of bouncing back and should contend strongly for automatic promotion.
Leeds United – Boasting Quality and Managerial Experience
Of the 81 teams relegated from the EPL since 1995/96, only 22 (or 27%) have bounced straight back, with Leeds already one of the sides that have failed in this respect having been demoted to the Championship in 2004.
It subsequently took the side 16 years to return to the top flight, while doubts remain about their ability to bounce back immediately this time around. However, much of the bookmakers’ optimism has been focused on the appointment of German head coach Daniel Farke, who has previously excelled by twice taking Norwich City into the EPL and once at the first attempt in 2020/21.
So, he has form in this respect, while the Leeds squad retains genuine midfield quality at the time of writing. Patrick Bamford has proven ability at Championship level too, while Luke Ayling, Pascal Struijk and Stuart Dallas were also in the Leeds squad that returned to the top flight at the end of the 2019/20 season.
Of course, much will depend on the club’s ability to retain the services of striker Rodrigo and in-demand USA international Tyler Adams, while the tricky 19-year-old forward Wilfried Gnonto may also be coveted by other clubs. However, the team should at least be able to muster a play-off challenge, especially with the proven and experienced Farke at the helm.
Southampton – The Least Likely to Bounce Back?
Perhaps the biggest level of doubt revolves around Southampton, who finished bottom of the Premier League table last season and face a potential exodus during the summer.
Both Mohamed Elyounoussi and Theo Walcott have already been released, for example, with influential skipper James Ward-Prowse is also on the verge of a move to West Ham United. At the same time, 20-year-old right back Tino Livramento is being courted by Chelsea, while the 19-year-old midfielder Roméo Lavia continues to be linked with Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United.
Such moves would severely weaken the Saint’s engine room and defence, while new managerial appointment Russell Martin is also highly inexperienced at the age of 37 and with just 179 games under his belt (he also has a losing record as a head coach).
All things considered, the Saints may be in need of a much larger and more extensive rebuild if they’re to reclaim their EPL status, especially as any departures (particularly those involving Ward-Prowse and Lavia) would command high quality replacements. So, this could be a season consolidation on the south coast, ahead of a more concreted promotion charge in 2024/25.
