Playing for 90
Fansided

Leicester City: from champions to relegation battle

By Jocelyn Taub

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 21: Dejected looking Wes Morgan and Leonardo Ulloa of Leicester City after losing 4-3 to Tottenham Hotspur after the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City at White Hart Lane on March 21, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 21: Dejected looking Wes Morgan and Leonardo Ulloa of Leicester City after losing 4-3 to Tottenham Hotspur after the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City at White Hart Lane on March 21, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Leicester City are in danger of becoming the first Premier League team to go from champions to relegation

Last May Leicester City were the top story in world football. Defying all odds, the Foxes lifted the Premier League trophy and became just the sixth team to win the title in the league’s 24 year history.

Just nine months later and Leicester City is facing the real possibility of becoming the first EPL champions to be relegated the following season. Instead of fighting to regain the title, the champions are currently in a battle to maintain their top flight status.

Only once throughout the history of English football has a league champion been relegated the very next year. Way back in 1937-1938 First Division title holders Manchester City followed up its championship season with a 21st place finish and relegation to the Second Division.

As of this writing, Claudio Ranieri’s team are 16th in the table with 21 points. They have won just five times and are one point above the relegation zone. Last season at this time, Leicester topped the table with 50 points from 14 wins, eight draws and just two losses.

To get an idea of just how far Leicester City have fallen, it’s worth taking a look at how former Premier League champions have fared the following season.

How former Premier League champions have fared the following season

WIGAN, ENGLAND - MAY 11: The Manchester United squad celebrate on the pitch with the Premiership trophy after the Barclays FA Premier League match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United at the JJB Stadium on May 11 2008, in Wigan, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
WIGAN, ENGLAND – MAY 11: The Manchester United squad celebrate on the pitch with the Premiership trophy after the Barclays FA Premier League match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United at the JJB Stadium on May 11 2008, in Wigan, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images) /

Under Alex Ferguson, Manchester United won 13 Premier League crowns. Not surprisingly, the Red Devils were generally in the title hunt on most occasions. The club retained its trophy six times, finished runners-up four times and third twice.

United’s last EPL title came in 2012-2013. With Ferguson retiring, it was no shock that the club suffered the next season. Under David Moyes United went from champions to seventh.

More from Playing for 90

Chelsea have won the title four times since Roman Abramovich became the team’s owner. The Blues retained their title once and came in second twice.

The Premier League’s biggest fall from grace thus far came after Chelsea’s 2014-2015 title. Jose Mourinho was fired in December 2015 with his team languishing in 16th place. In the end, the Stamford Bridge outfit ended the season in tenth place.

Arsenal have been crowned champions three times and on each occasion the Gunners finished runners-up the following campaign.

Manchester City have won the title twice. Both times, they finished second the season after.

The only other club to win the title during the Premier League era was Blackburn in 1994-1995. Rovers finished seventh the next year.

Next: 5 reasons Leicester City must keep Claudio Ranieri

It’s painfully obvious that Leicester City will not be lifting the trophy this May. There is time, however, for the Foxes to finish strong and avoid becoming the first Premier League side to go from first to relegation. Barring a miracle, they end up setting the record for the biggest drop in form of any previous EPL champions.

Home/Leicester City