Brighton ace Glenn Murray says Premier League safety is No1 ambition for Seagulls and Newcastle United
MY side Brighton go head to head with Newcastle tomorrow with only one ambition for both clubs: Premier League survival.
As two of the three teams promoted last season there’s an extra number to renewing rivalry with the Toon — 64 per cent.
That’s the rate of clubs promoted to the Premier League since 2000-01 who manage to extend their stay in the top flight beyond one campaign.
Almost two thirds is quite impressive but statistics never tell the whole story and the difference between the Prem and Championship is evident from the list of elite clubs who have been swallowed up by its competitiveness and hunger.
Our second tier is scattered with former PL clubs never mind three that have won European trophies (Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Leeds) in their illustrious history.
Not to mention ex-champions Blackburn Rovers, now floundering in League One.
Are you surprised 22 former FA Cup winners are still down in the Football League, where the relentless Saturday/Tuesday schedule is punishing and games are so physically demanding?
I’ve had the privilege of playing in our top seven leagues and the main differences when stepping up are organisation, athleticism and decisiveness. Believe me, the gap is even more evident when you achieve the holy grail of the Premier League.
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Organisation is key because you need to defend in unison, knowing when to press and when to sit as a group and resist individual impulses.
If the team is too expansive at the wrong times the more gifted players will cut you open and create chances at will.
Players at the top level are generally more athletic, stronger and more thoughtful. They have a quicker turn of pace but more than anything they’re clinical and decisive in their actions.
Teams full of talent and top-flight experience know when to engage a tackle at crucial times, when to compete in an aerial duel or seize on a chance — often resulting in the net rippling.
I’ve been part of a newly-promoted team in three different seasons and it’s very unusual to arrive with as much individual talent as established clubs have.
That makes working together absolutely key, as a less-talented unit playing for one another can often prevail against a more talented group playing as individuals.
With promotion to the Premier League you also take a camaraderie into the dressing room which cannot be fabricated or copied.
Then people immediately write you off, which adds to the players’ desire to stay up and intensifies an already strong bond which can be invaluable in the quest to remain.
In this millennium, never have all three promoted clubs been relegated immediately and only twice have all three escaped the dreaded drop.
The 2001-02 season saw the most successful triplet staying up but they’re all now plying their trade in the Football League — Fulham (who stayed in the PL for 13 seasons), Blackburn (11) and Bolton (11).
Surviving beyond the first campaign or two may be difficult but it’s not impossible and the rewards for success are huge. Look how Swansea, Southampton, Stoke, Bournemouth and Leicester have thrived.
Newcastle benefited from a lengthy spell in the PL in the past and the history of the club as well as the passion of their fans makes the pressure to remain even greater.
Football can give everyone who loves the game their great moments and most dreadful disappointments. All it takes is a couple of bad injuries or decisions to turn a season and that’s just the unforgiving nature of sport.
There is no chance of either team giving an inch at the Amex Stadium tomorrow afternoon, which should make it another great advert for the Premier League.
⚽ Ian Wright's First Goalscorer Tips ⚽
Sun Bets are the best price on all first goalscorers in the Premier League this season
Former striker Ian Wright selects his top picks for the weekend.
- Harry Kane (West Ham v Spurs): "The Tottenham star is up and running now." (3/1 - add to your betslip)
- Jermain Defoe (Everton v Bournemouth): "Jermain is looking sharp and ready to pounce." (13/2 - add to your betslip)
- Jamie Vardy (Leicester v Liverpool): "He's the standout contender to give the Foxes the lead." (11/2 - add to your betslip)
The summer transfer window was one the craziest we have ever seen.
Take a look at the most profitable transfers of ALL time.
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