MY ACCOUNT
Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest fans will be brimmming with excitement as their sides prepare for their 2022-23 Premier League campaign.
But four of six newly-promoted teams have gone straight back down to the Championship over the last two seasons, suggesting there is a sizeable challenge awaiting the trio next term.
We take a closer look at each side’s prospects of survival in the top tier, along with some of the strugglers from 2021-22.
Forest back in the big time
Forest are among the most famous clubs in English football due to their achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980 — but the Reds face a huge challenge as they seek to establish themselves in the top flight.
They earned their spot through the play-offs having amassed 80 points in the regular season, which is the second-lowest total of 24 promoted clubs over the last eight campaigns.
Steve Cooper’s men face a huge step up in class which will be made even tougher by the need to replace loanees Djed Spence, James Garner, Philip Zinckernagel and Keinan Davis, who all started the 1-0 Wembley victory over Huddersfield.
Forest made significant progress after appointing Cooper last September though and there will certainly be no thoughts of making a change in the dugout.
However, while the 42-year-old Welshman is a talented manager with a bright future, he needs to be backed to have any chance of keeping Forest up.
Relying on experience
Bournemouth and Fulham have a better chance of readjusting to top-level football.
The Cherries’ biggest assets are their bright boss, Scott Parker and centre forward Dominic Solanke, who has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign.
Bournemouth also possess a trio of talented youngsters — centre-back Lloyd Kelly, left-back Jordan Zemura and winger Jaidon Anthony — and if they can get their recruitment right, they have a decent chance of staying up.
Fulham, meanwhile, may face a tougher challenge unless Aleksandar Mitrovic can make the transition from an outstanding Championship striker to an effective Premier League marksman.
The Serbian has previously struggled at the highest level and will no longer be able to count on service from exciting attacking midfielder Fabio Carvalho, who has joined Liverpool.
Struggling duo seek improvement
Everton and Leeds were relieved to escape the drop in the last week of the season but both look at risk of being drawn into another scrap for survival.
The Toffees are paying the price for years of poor recruitment and may not have sufficient finances to make much-needed additions to their squad.
Everton often did their best work at Goodison Park and the vocal home supporters may be needed once again to steer them to safety in 2022-23.
Leeds are another side with issues to address because they are too reliant on younger players.
There is some fantastic talent emerging at Elland Road, with Joe Gelhardt in particular on the brink of a major breakthrough.
However, Leeds were poor at the back — conceding 79 goals — and must become harder to play against if they are to avoid another season of struggle.
Saints have work to do
Southampton suffered four successive defeats to end the campaign and the departure of Chelsea loanee Armando Broja will hurt them, although they were never truly at risk of relegation last term.
Brentford could also find themselves in trouble should Christian Eriksen move on.
The Bees were three points above the relegation zone when they handed the Dane his first start of the season and they will be anxious to get him to sign an extended deal.
However, both clubs look to have just about enough about them to avoid the dreaded drop next term.
