Nervous times for nine clubs in Premier League relegation scrap

LONDON : A two-horse race will almost certainly decide the destiny of the Premier League title this season with Arsenal leading Manchester City and the home straight in sight but almost half of the top-flight clubs are still battling to avoid relegation.

Last week's results left bottom side Bournemouth and 12th-placed Crystal Palace separated by a mere six points and incredibly none of those teams in the mix meet this weekend.

For those not involved in the fight to stay away from the bottom three it makes for compelling viewing towards the end of a season and this campaign looks like being a blockbuster.

Unusually, no club has been cast adrift, meaning three from the bottom nine will fall.

Any win can have huge ramifications for a struggling club and those around them and this weekend could see the bottom three revolving door spinning again.

Bournemouth could count themselves dreadfully unlucky to lose 3-2 at Arsenal last weekend - having led 2-0 and conceded the match-winning goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

It does not get any easier for the south coast side as on Saturday they host a Liverpool team finally looking like themselves and crowing after a 7-0 hammering of Manchester United which fired them firmly into top-four contention.

Bournemouth lost 9-0 at Anfield earlier in the season and with only one win in their 11 previous league games against the Merseyside club the odds on a surprise result are long.

Southampton, like local rivals Bournemouth, also have 21 points but a better goal difference. They will be braced for a Manchester United backlash on Sunday at Old Trafford.

Everton, who are third from bottom on 22 points, have played a game more than all the clubs around them and this Saturday host a Brentford