As always, the bottom of the Premier League table can be as riveting, if not more so, than events at the top of the pile. Our review of this season's basement dwellers starts with West Ham United, Crystal Palace, and West Bromwich Albion, all of whom will finish in either 11th, 12th, or 13th place come the final whistle on Sunday (the order has yet to be decided). For West Ham, this has been a strange season: it represents yet another safe, solid campaign, but fans are still not happy with Sam Allardyce's style of play and inability to push the team past the mid-table. The manager looks set to go on the summer, and Hammers fans will be hoping they can get a personality in who can take the team to the next level. Be careful what you wish for though; better the devil you know...

Crystal Palace and West Brom have had very impressive seasons relatively: dispensing with underperforming managers early on led them to find the right men to stave off relegation in Alan Pardew and Tony Pulis respectively. With their Premier League status secured for another season, the task for both will be to further consolidate that place and avoid relegation battles next term. Leicester, Sunderland, and Aston Villa are all safe for next season as well, by the skin of their teeth. Like the three teams above them, this trio will be fighting between themselves for three places: 14th, 15th, and 16th (and more for the money that goes with each better place rather than the honour). Leicester and Nigel Pearson have had a fantastic late surge of form that has seen then wade confidently through the quagmire of the relegation battle, while Dick Advocaat and Tim Sherwood have done enough in the league to earn their newly adopted sides safety as well. I said before be careful what you wish for: Newcastle got rid of Crystal Palace saviour Alan Pardew and replaced him with coach John Carver. The result has been disastrous: if Newcastle fail to win on Sunday and Hull beat Manchester United, the Magpies will be relegated to the Championship again - a bitter pill to swallow for the passionate Geordie faithful. Even a draw wouldn't be good enough for Newcastle if Hull win, so shabby is their goal difference. The odds are in their favour though: Hull are 1/6 to go down with Coral, while Newcastle are at 5/1 with Bet365.

The two already-relegated teams, Burnley and Queens Park Rangers, will be disappointed this year by bowing out so meekly. Burnley have been spirited in spells, but QPR have been rightly awful, as they have in most of their recent Premier League seasons. Both will be hoping to spring straight back up next season. Whether they can, in the increasingly competitive Championship, is a matter for next season.

We can't wait.

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