Performances of promoted teams good news for Premier League

The performances of the promoted teams so far this season should offer encouragement about the competitiveness of the Premier League .

Last season, all three promoted teams went straight back down to the Championship, with that situation having also occurred in 2023/24. Before the previous two campaigns, the three promoted teams had only all been relegated once before, in 1997/98, when Bolton, Barnsley and Crystal Palace went down.

That season, however, at least saw Bolton go down narrowly. Over the last two seasons, the promoted teams have been thoroughly out of their depth. It has raised concerns over a growing gap between the Premier League – and its riches – and The Football League, but this season could be different.

After five games this season, none of the promoted teams are in the relegation places. Sunderland, backed by an admittedly lucrative spend, were play-off winners last season but are now sat seventh in the top division. The Black Cats have lost just once, are unbeaten at The Stadium of Light, and now sitting in a Premier League position not seen since the early 2000s.

Leeds won on the road for the first time this weekend, as new signings Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor all fired their first goals for the club at Wolves. Though there are some reservations about the firepower of Daniel Farke’s team, their seven points from five games has matched both Manchester City and Manchester United.

Burnley, meanwhile, are 16th and, at the very least, look tough to beat. The Clarets came within seconds of earning points against Manchester United and Liverpool.

For the first time in several seasons, we might have a real relegation battle on our hands.

Read – Five things we learned from the Premier League weekend

See more – Premier League Team of the Week – Stach, De Ligt, Iwobi

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