5 Premier League clubs most likely to be relegated this season

(Left to right): Rafa Benitez, Neil Warnock, Claudio Ranieri
(Left to right): Rafa Benitez, Neil Warnock, Claudio Ranieri

#4 Newcastle United

Rafa Benitez
Rafa Benitez

Rafa Benitez surprised virtually everybody when he decided to replace Steve McClaren as Newcastle's new manager back in 2016. With a CV like his -- which features clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea, and Real Madrid -- joining Newcastle, who were about to be relegated, was a very odd one.

However, he did what many expected him to do, and led Newcastle back to the Premier League. In their first season back in the top flight, Newcastle flourished and finished 10th. This was a prime example of what Benitez was capable of, but then the summer came, and the Magpies began to suddenly fall apart.

Their pre-season was dismal and there were clear causes for concern regarding the depth in their squad, which Mike Ashley was uninterested in fixing. This prompted yet another divide between the fans and the board, and the turmoil started to affect the players on the pitch.

This is certainly evident now, as we take a look at Newcastle's position in the table half-way through the season. They currently sit in 17th place with just 21 points, and with the recent news from the Telegraph, which reveals that Rafa will leave in the summer if he doesn't get the players he wants this month, Newcastle could be heading down a very slippery slope.

Quick Links

Edited by Sripad