5) All three newly promoted sides to survive
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One win (Hull City), one draw (Middlesbrough) and one defeat (Burnley) in the opening round of fixtures made for pretty inconclusive reading if one is looking to see how the newly promoted sides will fair this season. The Tigers undoubtedly looked the least prepared coming into the 2016/17 season, with just 13 first team outfield players available and Mike Phelan occupying the currently vacant managerial spot.
You would not have thought it the way they approached their game with Leicester City on Saturday though and perhaps the criticism they face could be all the motivation they need.
Middlesbrough are well set up with the likes of Alvaro Negredo and Victor Valdes coming in, as well as the fact they’ve retained the bulk of the squad that gained promotion to the top flight last season. Meanwhile, Burnley have a group and boss who experienced Premier League life just two seasons back and one can hope that they’ve learned from their previous errors.
It’s a big ask for all three to stay up given the limited resources available to them but a handful of other sides are home to just as much if not more unrest. Bournemouth, Swansea City, Crystal Palace and Sunderland are equally as vulnerable.
