Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland are dragging Premier League mainstays into a much greater relegation battle. Fulham could well be a part of it.
The media narrative last season in the Premier League was that the gap for promoted clubs has become too vast for anyone to stand a chance.
Burnley and Leeds currently have a five and six-point cushion to the bottom three. Meanwhile, Sunderland are amazingly fourth in the division. They’ve not only proven the gap isn’t too big, but will also having mainstays fearing for their Premier League lives.
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Are Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland going to drag Premier League regulars towards relegation?
The bottom two in the Premier League table will currently be worrying that this may be the year they face a return to the EFL.
West Ham were deservedly beaten away at Leeds on Friday night. Then, Wolves lost their third meeting with a promoted side already, losing in the last minute to Burnley at home.
Leeds United have beaten the current Premier League bottom two: Wolves and West Ham. (REUTERS/Chris Radburn)
It leaves Wolves six adrift, and the Irons four adrift with Nottingham Forest making up the bottom three on five points.
This time last year, the three promoted teams only had two wins between them. Both of those belonged to Leicester City. This time around, all three sides have at least three wins on the board.
Could Fulham be looking at a looming relegation battle this season?
Back in the summer, Leeds and their promoted counterparts were speculating who might be down there with them.
Unsurprisingly, Wolves and West Ham are down there after poor summers. Forest’s manager turmoil leaves Sean Dyche with a task on his hands. However, the side directly above the bottom three is one very few seem to be acknowledging in a relegation discussion: Fulham.
The Cottagers have two wins from nine. They’ve scored (nine) and conceded (14) the same as Leeds, but sit on three points fewer.
Gabriel Gudmundsson’s own goal gave Fulham an undeserved win v Leeds United. (Action Images via Reuters/Cat Goryn)
Back in September, Leeds were left kicking themselves that their better share of chances at Craven Cottage yielded zero points. Fulham were left wondering how they’d fluked a win as Gabriel Gudmundsson headed into his own goal under no pressure in stoppage time.
Had that game ended a stalemate as looked likely, Fulham would be sitting on a measly six points. As a result, more questions would be getting asked.
Their performance at Wycombe in the EFL Cup last night did little to suggest they’re imminently due for an upturn. They needed penalties with a strong side named to get past League One opposition.
A simple search of “FFC” on X paints quite a vivid picture of the current feeling at the West London club. Their fans are worried:
In January, it was clear Fulham needed a centre midfielder.
In the summer, it was clear Fulham needed a centre midfielder.#FFC look the same in every games slow, and flat. That’s been the case since March.
Silva’s system has to change. That’s big-on impossible without a CM.
— CJ (Charlie Shaw) – London’s Original (@BlancosAway) October 28, 2025
For Leeds, it’s another team to drag into the mix. Therefore, we could make this a really competitive relegation battle right up until May.
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