Blackburn Rovers, QPR, Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers keep on missing opportunities to pull away from the pack.
Looking at the Premier League table, the bottom end is every bit as congested as the race for the Champions League places.
Wolves are six points adrift and it looks fair to say they appear to be doomed, unless they can get an unlikely three points against Arsenal tonight.
Ahead of them, four teams are separated by just one point, but each have been unable to free themselves from the dogfight.
Aston Villa have been floundering above them, winless in four, but as yet the clubs have been unable to drag them into it.
Two weeks ago each of Blackburn, QPR, Wigan and Bolton looked to be finding form and momentum at a crucial time- the problem was, they all did so at the same time as each other.
Over Easter none of the troubled four have picked up a single point, each blowing their chance of freeing themselves.
Blackburn were incredibly unlucky to lose to Liverpool last night, having fought back from two goals down, only to concede to an injury time Andy Carroll winner.
Bolton may not have expected much from a trip to Newcastle on Easter Monday, but they would have targeted a home game with poor travelers Fulham as a great source of three points, but they blew it- losing 3-0.
QPR never looked like getting anything at Old Trafford, but have a great chance to pull away from the pack when they host Swansea City tonight.
Wigan Athletic have a chance, although some may argue not much of one, to get three points tonight against Manchester United, but the smart money would be on a loss, as the Latics have never even so much as picked up a draw against United.
Tonight brings a great chance for QPR, but the way things are going, both they and Wigan will lose.
It is becoming the relegation battle that nobody is capable of escaping from, but sooner or later one team will get a win, and when they do it could be a huge advantage.
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Who will be relegated?
image: © illarterate
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