Project Restart: Which Premier League clubs have the toughest and easiest run-ins?

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 15 June 2020

Ahead of the Premier League's return on Wednesday, Sports Mole looks at which clubs have the easiest and hardest run-ins during the outstanding 92 games of the season.

The Premier League makes its long-awaited return on Wednesday, more than three months after the last taste of top-flight action in England.

Aston Villa host Sheffield United before champions Manchester City welcome Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium - the two outstanding games in hand before gameweek 30 gets underway this weekend.

With 92 games remaining in 2019-20 there are still plenty of matters to be decided, from the battle for European places to a very tight relegation scrap at the other end of the table.

It is that stage of the season where fans will be looking at both their own fixture list and that of the teams immediately around them in the table to try to figure out what chances they have of reaching their goals in the closing stages of the campaign.

Here, Sports Mole looks at which clubs have the most difficult and the easiest run-ins.

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe on February 1, 2020

The run-in makes grim reading for Bournemouth, who are already in the relegation zone on goal difference and still have five of the top eight left to face this season.

Eddie Howe's side crucially do not play any of the teams around them in the table again in 2019-20, with the average position of their remaining opponents being a league-high 8.2 - only Crystal Palace have a run-in as hard as the Cherries.

With things so tight at the bottom of the table one point could prove to be the difference when all is said and done, so Bournemouth fans will have an eager eye on their rivals' run-ins too.

They will be happy to see that Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion also have difficult run-ins, with their remaining opponents having average positions of 8.4 and 8.6 respectively.

Watford's remaining opponents have an average position of 10.1, though, while Norwich City and West Ham United stand at 11 and 11.3 respectively.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer celebrates their second goal scored by Odion Ighalo on February 27, 2020 © Reuters

At the other end of the table, Manchester United will feel confident of claiming a top-four spot considering they have the easiest run-in of any Premier League club with an average position of 12.3.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (11.8) are also in the mix, although Sheffield United, who have enjoyed such a memorable campaign so far, face a difficult end to the season with their opponents boasting an average position of 9.4.

Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are both around the middle of the pack when it comes to their remaining opponents, while Chelsea's have an average position of 11th as they look to hang on to fourth place.

Average position of every team's remaining opponents

1. Bournemouth 8.2
2. Crystal Palace 8.2
3. Aston Villa 8.4
4. Brighton 8.6
5. Sheffield United 9.4
6. Watford 10.1
7. Tottenham 10.4
8. Arsenal 10.5
9. Burnley 10.6
10. Liverpool 10.6
11. Everton 10.7
12. Norwich 11
13. Chelsea 11
14. West Ham 11.3
15. Leicester 11.3
16. Newcastle 11.4
17. Southampton 11.7
18. Wolves 11.8
19. Man City 12.1
20. Man Utd 12.3