With twelve games to go in our maiden Premier League season, Stoke City sit seventeenth in the table on 25 points, two points clear of the relegation zone. While I, and any Stoke fan, would be delighted to see us finish in this position come May, we are undeniably in a relegation scrap. In the past, as a rule, 40 points has been the benchmark for Premier League survival. This season is the tightest ever at the bottom though, and with no club Max Pircher Jersey cut off from the rest, the points are being spread around more evenly, meaning fewer should be nece sary for survival. Personally, Id be survived if anyone is relegated with more than 36 or 37 points. There are, as I see it, four clubs in real danger of going down, the current bottom four of West Brom, Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Stoke. There are also three or four other teams who are far from safe, and could still get sucked into the mix with a bad run of late season form. Ill look at the clubs who I see as the candidates for relegation, and the reasons for which I think they could go down, or beat the drop below.West Bromwich AlbionPosition: 20th, 22 pointsRemaining Fixtures: (home in caps)EvertonARSENALWest HamBOLTONSTOKEPortsmouthManchester CitySUNDERLANDTottenhamWIGANLIVERPOOLBlackburnWhy they could go down: Theyre currently rock bottom, as they have been most of the season and on a poor run of form. They lack firepower and have a very leaky defence and struggle badly on the road.Why they could stay up: Their home form has been half decent recently, with wins over Manchester City Brandon Powell Jersey , Middlesbrough and Tottenham. They have experience of pulling off The Great Escape so could do it again.Likelihood of survival: As likely as a one-legged man winning Olympic tae-kwon-do gold.MiddlesbroughPosition: 19th, 23 pointsRemaining Fixtures:LIVERPOOLTottenhamPORTSMOUTHStokeBoltonHULLFULHAMArsenalMANCHESTER UNITEDNewcastleASTON VILLAWest HamWhy they could go down: Confidence at the club is very low, with no league wins since early November. Goalscoring has become a problem, with blanks drawn in their last five league games.Why they could stay up: They have undoubted quality in the squad in the likes of Stewart Downing and Afonso Alves. If these players, and the team as a whole could play to their potential, they could ease away from trouble.Likelihood of survival: As likely as Arsene Wenger seeing a bad tackle by one of his playersBlackburn RoversPosition: 18th, 23 pointsRemaining Fixtures:HullEVERTONFulhamArsenalWEST HAMTOTTENHAMLiverpoolStokeWIGANManchester CityPORTSMOUTHChelseaWEST BROMWhy they could go down: A dreadful start to the season under the management of Paul Ince has left them with a mountain to climb. They also have tricky fixtures against Big Four clubs in the run-in.Why they could stay up: Their form has improved under Sam Allardyce, and star player Roque Santa Cruz has rediscovered his scoring touch after his move to Manchester City broke down. They also have a game in hand (Fulham away) on all the other relegation threatened teams.Likelihood of survival: As likely as Stoke winning away this seasonStoke CityPosition: 17th, 25 pointsRemaining Fixtures:Aston VillaBOLTONEvertonMIDDLESBROUGHWest BromNEWCASTLEBLACKBURNFulhamWEST HAMHullWIGANArsenalWhy they could go down: Away form has been dire, with just three draws and no wins on the road all season. A tendency to concede late goals has been costing vital points.Why they could stay up: Home form has been excellent, and with six winnable home fixtures left, theres a good chance enough points can be mustered from these games. New signing James Beattie has also been on fantastic form, scoring four goals in his first five Stoke games.Likelihood of survival: As likely as an away side getting a penalty Bobby Evans Jersey at Old Trafford in any given season.PortsmouthPosition: 16th, 28 pointsRemaining Fixtures:CHELSEAMiddlesbroughEVERTONHullWEST BROMBOLTONManchester UnitedNewcastleARSENALBlackburnSUNDERLANDWiganWhy they could go down: They are in a bad position following Tony Adams reign as manager and lost key players La sana Diarra and Jermain Defoe in the transfer window.Why they could stay up: They seemed to have turned the corner under Paul Hart and are pulling away from the relegation zone.Likelihood of survival: As likely as Rafael Benitez using the phrase its good for us in any interview.Newcastle UnitedPosition: 15th, 28 pointsRemaining fixtures:BoltonMANCHESTER UNITEDHullARSENALCHELSEAStokeTottenhamPORTSMOUTHLiverpoolMIDDLESBROUGHFULHAMAston VillaWhy they could go down: They have Merlin Olsen Jersey the toughest run-in of all the struggling sides, with games against all of the current top five still to be played.Why they could stay up: They are five points clear of the drop zone and this cushion should prove sufficient.Likelihood of survival: As likely as Rob Styles making a controversial decision in a match he referees.Tottenham HotspurPosition: 14th, 28 pointsRemaining Fixtures:Manchester UnitedMIDDLESBROUGHSunderlandAston VillaCHELSEABlackburnWEST HAMNEWCASTLEManchester UnitedWEST BROMEvertonMANCHESTER CITYLiverpoolWhy they could go down: Theyve had a very poor season and are in the relegation mix for a reason. Anythings po sible.Why they could stay up: They have on paper one of the best squads in the league and a good manager in Harry Redknapp. With a five point cushion, they should avoid the drop comfortably.Likelihood of survival: As likely as David Pleat mispronouncing a players name in any commentary.Hull CityPosition: 13th, 29 pointsRemaining Fixtures:BLACKBURNFulhamNEWCASTLEWiganPORTSMOUTHMiddlesbroughSunderlandLIVERPOOLAston VillaSTOKEBoltonMANCHESTER UNITEDWhy they could go down: They are on absolutely dreadful form, without a league win in nearly Taylor Rapp Jersey three months. They are leaking goals and have a tough run in, with fixtures against Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester United coming up.Why they could stay up: They have a good cushion over the drop zone and have at least gained a few draws in recent weeks. The points they ama sed while playing well may just be enough.Likelihood of survival: As likely as someone not getting Tom Arto Soaress nickname. With three months of the season left, it would be a brave man to predict the three clubs who will be relegated come May. While I am all but certain that they will come from the teams above, and I hope that Stoke are not one of them, I am by no means sure of who the final three will be. What I am sure of though, is that in a season where Manchester United are boringly running away with the title race, the enthralling relegation scrap has added a lot to the entertainment value of the Premier League, and whoever does go down will not be disgraced in doing so.