Six Clubs are in the relegation zone, Portsmouth, Manchester City, Grimsby Town, Birmingham, Huddersfield, and Everton, Portsmouth have to meet Grimsby twice and Everton once. Manchester City meet only. Huddersfield; Birmingham have to play Everton once. Last season Portsmouth gained six points from the corresponding games, Manchester City 9, Grimsby 4, Birmingham 4 (both Grimsby and Birmingham have to play Leicester whom they did not meet last year, and Grimsby has to meet Blackpool at home, another side they did not meet last year), Huddersfield 8, and Everton 7, and assuming that they repeat the performance this season, Grimsby would finish at the bottom with 34, and Portsmouth and Birmingham would have 35 points the others would be safe.
Portsmouth would therefore appear to require ab least six points from their remaining games to avoid relegation, a& Grimsby should secure at least six from their remaining games, Portsmouth appear to have the hardest programme, meeting both Bolton Wander s and Leeds.
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