It looks like three of these five teams will be relegated at the end of the season, and this weekend could be crucial.
With Wigan and Bolton on 20 points, and Wolves, Blackburn and QPR on 22, the race for survival could not be tighter.
But this weekend four of the five face each other, with Wigan the odd one out, traveling to East Anglia to face 11th placed Norwich City, who have 35 points.
Bolton hosting QPR is Saturday’s early kick-off, and if QPR could record an away win it would really elevate them above the rest, to 25 points.
Lose, and the R’s, currently in 16th on goal difference, will expect to end the weekend in the relegation zone, with Bolton leapfrogging them to 23.
It really is a crucial ‘six-pointer’ and a draw, while not the end of the world for either side, will not the the result they want.
This is the time of season when the relegation-threatened sides need to start putting wins together, and form is important, and neither side have any at present.
Bolton have lost four straight matches, with QPR last winning six games ago. QPR also lost a crucial ‘six-pointer’ at Ewood Park 3-2 last month, but something has to give here, surely someone can step up and help their side record a win.
QPR finally have Djibril Cisse back from suspension and we think he could help make the difference for Mark Hughes side.
In a 3pm kick-off, Wolves host Blackburn, with Terry Connor looking to record his first win as Wolves caretaker manager.
After their inept display against Fulham last week they will be hoping to repay the fans, but Blackburn have been in this situation all season and Steve Kean’s side are up for the scrap. Can the same be said of Wolves? We will find out, with Yakubu likely to be the side’s biggest goalscoring threat.
These two sides met on the final day of last season, with Blackburn racing into a half-time lead, before Wolves fought back to score the goals to ensure Premier League survival, and condemn Birmingham to relegation. The atmosphere tomorrow could be almost as tense, with the winner going to 25 points in the table, opening up a three point lead.
As for Wigan, they have a tough task away to Norwich tomorrow, but will be keen to make up for a poor display against Swansea last weekend.
The trouble is for Wigan, is that their defence seems too brittle to cope with the power of Norwich’s attack, and the Canaries have only been beaten twice at Carrow Road this season, by Tottenham and Manchester United.
These games could go either way, whatever happens, when all is said and done in May, the clubs could all look back on this weekend as a pivotal point in their seasons.
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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