Getting into the Premier League is a challenge in itself, although staying in the division is becoming increasingly more difficult. The gap appears to be growing ever wider.

In both 2023/24 and 2024/25, the three promoted sides swiftly tumbled back down to the Championship, with most having almost been resigned to their fate from the outset of the campaign.

And yet, in years gone by, there are those who have managed to shake off a slow start to eventually stave off the drop by their fingernails, having battled their way to retaining their top-flight status.

Ranked: The 11 best starts to a Premier League season

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ByBarney Lane

As a few examples below showcase, that ability to cling on can prove to be a turning point, a defining moment in sparking something of a revival for a club.

Here, we rank the best sides to beat the drop against all odds.

10 Wigan Athletic (2006/07) Final day showdown sees Latics send Blades to Championship

Wigan Athletic’s form in early 2007 saw them plummet down the table, and ended up requiring a victory on the final day to secure their safety.

Three wins in five months meant the Latics had inadvertently set up a final day play-off with Sheffield United, who only needed a point to survive the drop.

Wigan led through Paul Scharner before Jon Stead equalised for the hosts, but David Unsworth’s penalty on the stroke of half-time was the eventual winner that saw the visitors survive.

Since this came down to one game, it’s hardly the greatest escape of all time, but pulling a win out of the bag when it mattered most deserves some credit.

9 Leeds United (2021/22) Late Harrison winner gets Leeds out of bottom three

Leeds United spent the entirety of the 2021/22 season in the bottom six, and after losing three on the spin in mid-May, the Whites would need at least another win from their final two matches to stay up.

A late draw against Brighton on matchday 37 ensured that bettering Burnley’s result on the final day would be enough to stay afloat, ensuring a tense clash with Brentford would decide their fate.

Jesse Marsch’s side had led through Raphinha, but Sergi Canos’ equaliser meant the West Yorkshire outfit were one goal from relegation with Burnley trailing to Newcastle.

But a late Jack Harrison strike ensured Leeds would live to fight another day in the Premier League, staying up by the skin of their teeth.

8 Wigan Athletic (2010/11) Rodallega heroics secure another great escape

Wigan had started to make a name for themselves as survival specialists, and one of their finest escapes came in the 2010/11 season, when they stayed up despite starting the final day in the bottom three.

The Latics were once again in peril and had spent most of the campaign in the relegation zone.

And along with Charles N’Zogbia, Hugo Rodallega popped up with some crucial goals to save Roberto Martinez’s side.

Wigan somehow grabbed a last-minute win to relegate West Ham in their penultimate match before visiting Stoke City on the final day.

And Rodallega pounced late on at the Britannia Stadium to secure Wigan’s safety, despite being on the brink of demotion on multiple occasions.

7 Bradford City 1999/00 Bantams beat Liverpool to stay afloat

Bradford City notched three wins in their final four games to stay in the Premier League amid a tense conclusion to the 1999/00 season.

The Bantams were in big trouble with just five games to go, trailing 17th-placed Wimbledon by six points and coming off the back of six successive defeats.

But Paul Jewell’s side earned 10 points from a possible 15 in a run that included a win over Wimbledon at Valley Parade and a dramatic 1-0 victory over Liverpool on the final day to guarantee survival.

6 Everton 1993/94 Goodison drama sees Toffees survive on final day

Everton have been in relegation trouble in more recent times, but their finest escape from the drop is probably their Houdini act in 1994.

The Toffees had recorded just 1 win in 10 going into the final day, and would require another victory to escape the bottom three.

Facing a Wimbledon side in the top six at Goodison Park, the home side made the worst possible start after going 2-0 down inside 20 minutes.

But a barnstorming comeback through Graham Stuart’s double and Barry Horne’s screamer saved Everton from relegation in the most dramatic of turnarounds.

5 Aston Villa 2019/20 Superb run-in keeps Villans alive

The 2019/20 season was a little different for all involved, and having resumed the pandemic-affected campaign with two draws and four defeats, Dean Smith’s Aston Villa were strong favourites for the drop.

Having trailed Watford and West Ham by four points, the final four games saw the Villans grab eight points to sneak out of the bottom three.

A huge turning point was their 1-0 win over Arsenal in their penultimate game, which handed them the most slender of advantages ahead of the final matchday, when they simply had to better Watford’s result.

After a tense draw with West Ham, Villa were made to wait for the Hornets’ defeat at Arsenal to be confirmed, which led to wild celebrations in east London.

4 Sunderland 2013/14 Black Cats win four on the spin to surge to safety

Sunderland may have finished in 14th place back in 2014, but that hardly tells the story of their impressive escape.

Not only were the Black Cats bottom at Christmas – often a death knell for teams battling the drop – but Gustavo Poyet’s side were at the foot of the table as late as 27th April, when a victory over Cardiff City saw them surge out of the bottom three.

The Wearsiders’ run-in was mightily impressive, with a run of four straight wins securing survival that included victories away from home over Chelsea and Manchester United.

Having looked doomed for much of the season, Sunderland finished five points above the drop, making their final-day loss to Swansea City academic.

3 Leicester City 2014/15 Insane run of form saves Foxes and sets up historic campaign

Seven wins in their last nine games saved Leicester City from dropping straight back into the Championship – and set the scene for perhaps the greatest campaign we have ever witnessed.

The Foxes looked destined to return to the second tier, having been left seven points adrift of safety with nine games remaining.

Having won just four games all season and been without a victory in almost three months, Nigel Pearson’s inspired team were only beaten by champions Chelsea in the run-in, making the King Power Stadium a fortress as they coasted to safety, finishing six points above the drop zone.

We all know what happened next.

2 West Brom 2004/05 Baggies pull off miraculous escape on final day

West Bromwich Albion were the victors on a historic final day, which remains the only time that all three demoted teams had their relegations confirmed in the last round of matches.

And despite being rooted to the bottom at Christmas and spending most of the year in the drop zone, the Baggies held on to give themselves a fighting chance thanks to key victories over Charlton Athletic and Everton either side of the final mid-season international break, as well as a credible point away at Manchester United.

The final day itself saw Bryan Robson’s side requiring a win over Portsmouth and other results to go their way.

Defeats for Norwich City and Southampton, along with Crystal Palace’s draw at Charlton, meant that goals from Geoff Horsfield and Kieran Richardson were enough to somehow prolong their stay in the top flight.

1 Fulham 2007/08 Roy Hodgson's side complete miracle turnaround

When Roy Hodgson took over as Fulham boss in December 2007, the Whites were in trouble. Just two wins all year and facing the prospect of their seven-season stay in the Premier League coming to an end, they were going to need to turn a corner, and quickly.

Hodgson took just over a month to claim his first win, but it didn’t lead to a transformation of Fulham’s fortunes.

Following a defeat to Sunderland in early April, Fulham were six points from safety and had an inferior goal difference to most of their relegation rivals. But somehow, they did enough in their final five matches to save their Premier League status.

A crucial win over lowly Reading started their revival, before being brought down to earth with a home defeat to Liverpool.

Then, their most miraculous result of the campaign almost single-handedly gave them the inspiration they needed to stay up.

2-0 down at Manchester City, Fulham were all but down, but an incredible comeback in the final 20 minutes – sealed by Diomansy Kamara’s superb double – rejuvenated the Cottagers.

Tense wins over Birmingham and Portsmouth saw Fulham complete their turnaround, as Danny Murphy’s late winner at Fratton Park saw them stay up by three goals at the expense of Reading.