Leeds United only need another six points to reach the number that teams usually need to avoid relegation. This season is the 30th in English top flight football where three points are awarded for a win and 20 clubs have been in the division.
Teams who finished in 18th place - the last spot in the relegation zone - in that time have ended the campaign with 35.7 points on average. Over the last 10 seasons it’s been slightly lower at 34.0 points.
Those are worrying figures for the Premier League’s current bottom five clubs, all of whom are on course to finish with fewer points. Leeds are currently in 16th place with 30 points to their name.
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That suggests they only need to pick up another six points to surpass the average tally of teams that go down. Of course, the average isn’t always enough. Sheffield Wednesday and Luton Town both ended the old First Division 1989/90 season with 43 points.
Luton had a better goal difference though so finished in 17th and Sheffield Wednesday in 18th. That meant Wednesday were relegated with the highest points total of any side in a 38-game top flight season.
West Ham finished 18th in 2002/03 with 42 points, while Bolton and Sunderland finished 18th on 40 points in 1997/98 and 1996/97 respectively.
Fulham achieved the lowest points total of a club in 18th in 2020/21 when they ended the season with just 28 points. That ‘beat’ the previous record of 30 points set by Burnley in 2009/10.
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