Dean Smith may need to form one of the Premier League’s best ‘great escapes’ yet to save Norwich City from relegation, as they fight to usurp Watford, Everton, Burnley and Leeds.
The Canaries are staring down the barrel of a second relegation from the top-flight in the last three seasons. They sit rooted to the bottom of table with five games to play, and trail the 17th-place Clarets by 10-points. And Norwich’s final fixtures are not the easiest, either.
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Premier League football may only return to Norfolk twice before the 2023/24 campaign, if Smith cannot coach a likely unbeaten run. Norwich host West Ham between trips to Aston Villa then Leicester and Wolves. They will end the term at home to Tottenham on May 22.
Norwich have fallen away from their relegation rivals, having won just one of their last 11 Premier League matches. They beat Burnley on April 10, who had just beaten Everton. But the Clarets responded with a point at West Ham before beating Southampton and Wolves.
Momentum is firmly with the managerless-Turf Moor natives heading into the season run-in, despite sacking Sean Dyche. Leeds are also gaining traction in 16th, having won three and drawn two of their last five as Jesse Marsch makes an impact as Marcelo Bielsa’s heir.
Smith, then, likely needs to create one of the Premier League’s best ‘great escapes’ of all-time to keep Norwich from relegation, at Watford, Everton, Burnley or Leeds’ expense. So, who can the Canaries draw some inspiration from, with one defeat all that they can take?
Portsmouth’s miracle 2005/06 season
Harry Redknapp coaxed a miracle end to Portsmouth’s term in 2005/06 to keep the south coast side above the drop. Pompey had only taken 18-points through their first 28 games, yet claimed 20 from their final 10 matches after a stunning late turnaround to the season.
Portsmouth sat eight points adrift in the relegation zone entering their final 10 matches of the term. Yet Pedro Mendes slamming the ball home against Manchester City stopped an eight-game winless run, and inspired confidence at Fratton Park that survival was possible.
What makes Portsmouth’s survival all the more special was that Lomana LuaLua ended the season as their top-scorer with just seven goals. Teemu Pukki has offered Norwich 10 over 32 games so far this term. But he is just one of 10 Canaries players to score at least once.
Fulham leave it late for Premier League safety in 2007/08
Relegation came calling for Fulham during the 2007/08 season, but the Cottagers refused to give up on Premier League football. The west London oufit seemed set to drop into the second-tier with two games and 20 minutes to play as they trailed Manchester City 2-0.
Yet Diomansy Kamara and Danny Murphy ensured their fight would go down to the wire, hitting the net to complete a 3-2 comeback. Victory over Birmingham in their penultimate match gave Roy Hodgson’s men control of their future, but it was not easy at Portsmouth.
The clock kept ticking down on the final day of Fulham’s season and top-flight status, with relegation-rivals Birmingham and Reading winning. But Murphy would be the Cottagers’ hero again, heading home from a free-kick to keep them up through goal difference alone.
Sunderland overcome fraught finish to avoid relegation in 2013/14
Sunderland must have felt relegation was already determined with six games left to play in 2013/14, including trips to Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United. Manager Gus Poyet even said ‘it would be a miracle to stay up’, via BBC Sport, with seven still on the list.
Yet that is just what the Black Cats managed, as Connor Wickham emerged as the miracle Poyet pleaded for. The striker scored twice to hold the Citizens to a 2-2 draw before taking wins at Stamford Bridge with a Fabio Borini penalty and Old Trafford through Seb Larsson.
A 2-0 win at home to West Brom then secured Sunderland’s survival with a game to spare at Norwich’s expense. The Canaries fell out of the top-flight with Fulham and Cardiff, with just six-points separating the trio and West Brom. Sunderland finished the season in 14th
West Brom set Premier League record with 2004/05 survival
West Brom achieved the first truly great, ‘great escape’ in the Premier League era as they set a new record in 2004/05. No club had avoided relegation from the top-flight since the rebrand in 1992/93 who had sat bottom of the standings at Christmas before the Baggies.
What made The Hawthorns side’s ‘great escape’ all the more remarkable was that all three relegation places were determined on the final day of the Premier League season. What’s more, West Brom even sat bottom of the table entering and through most of the final day.
The West Midlands outfit needed all three of their relegation-rivals to lose, and Fulham did them a favour by beating Norwich. Manchester United also came good for the Baggies and beat Southampton, having trailed. But Charlton were not helping against Crystal Palace.
As West Brom led Portsmouth 2-0, the Eagles took the lead. But the Addicks responded on 82-minutes and as the Baggies waited on bated breath following their final whistle, a draw at The Valley ensured it was Crystal Palace who joined the Canaries and Saints going down.
Leicester produce 2014/15 ‘great escape’ before Premier League title triumph
Leicester followed West Brom’s example to avoid relegation, despite sitting bottom of the Premier League table at Christmas. The Foxes even sat bottom of the pack on April 17 with seven games left, as Nigel Pearson bid to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
Yet they made those last seven games count with five wins and a draw, only losing to title-winners Chelsea. Additionally, no side took more points than Leicester achieved from April 4, as the Foxes took 22 of a possible 27 following a run of just two from their previous 24.
Their late surge saw Pearson’s men finish the season in 14th as Hull, Burnley and QPR fell a division. But their ‘great escape’ would be his last act in charge before the Foxes appointed Claudio Ranieri, who secured Leicester’s historic Premier League title the following season.
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