Relegation: Premier League not the only battleground

Paolo Di Canio has a hell of a job on his hands

This season has seen the scrap to avoid relegation embroil a much larger spread of teams than normal across each English division, writes Christian Crowther...

Premier League
Prospects now look increasingly grim for Reading and QPR following critical defeats over Easter. The bottom two are cut seven points adrift of Aston Villa in 18th, residing on 23 points apiece. However, there are still only six points separating Villa from West Ham, a full seven places ahead of the midlanders, bringing numerous other sides into contention for the drop. Heading firmly in the wrong direction are Paolo Di Canio's new side Sunderland, who've not won in eight games, losing five of those. The Black Cats are 3.1511/5 for the drop.

Championship
Equally as intriguing is the battle to stay in the second tier with a similarly concertinaed looking table in the Championship. There are just ten points between basement boys Bristol City on 40, right up to Blackpool in 15th, with no fewer than four clubs locked on 47. The last of the quartet is Huddersfield, who are currently occupying the last relegation spot - two points clear of Peterborough. Heading up that precariously-placed pack on 47 is Blackburn, who are in all kinds of trouble, without a win in nine league games and priced at 6.05/1 to go down.

League One
Bury and Hartlepool's hopes are not looking good in the third tier, seven and eight points adrift respectively, while Portsmouth's revival is likely to be in vain with another point deduction due. However, after those clubs, the final trapdoor spot is far from being decided with any one of Colchester, Oldham and Scunthorpe extremely vulnerable to a divisional drop. Nevertheless, five losses from their last six games makes Scunny prime candidates to be plying their trade in League Two next season and you can get the Lincolnshire side at 1.574/7.

League Two
Probably the most fascinating scrap in the top four divisions is raging in League Two, with just four points dividing bottom side Aldershot and Dagenham and Redbridge, seven places above in 17th. The Devon duo of Torquay and Plymouth are in big trouble, currently locked on 46 points each in the places directly above the two relegation spots. However, with Monday's win over Plymouth being York's first in 17 league games, the rot may be too deep for York, currently available at 2.111/10 to go down.