Premier League Relegation Candidates

Fabio Borini was an important player for Sunderland last season

The Premier League is less than a month away but Alex Johnson is looking at who are the early relegation candidates.

Of the three clubs promoted to the Premier League last season, only Cardiff City failed to make it a second-season stay.

Despite making a disastrous start and somewhat marooned at one stage, Crystal Palace managed to secure their Premier League status with a few games to go. While Hull City purchased two strikers in January, which proved a shrewd move, and they also safely made sure of another season in the top flight.

As the three clubs promoted from the Championship this time around - Leicester City, Burnley and Queens Park Rangers - make their quest this season for success in the Premier League - we look ahead to see if they have the financial resources and squads to make sure that happens.

First, we judge if any clubs potentially in trouble have made significant additions to their squad this season to avoid any repeat of the threat of relegation.

Looking at those that just managed to keep their heads above water in the Premier League.....

Sunderland last season were bottom of the league at Christmas, something which is usually targeted by pundits as an indication of a drop to England's second tier. Gus Poyet took over as manager in October and it took patience and understanding for the Uruguayan to turn the Black Cats' fortunes around.

Poyet will be looking to add to the squad in a bid to avoid any repeat of last season, although he has lost loanee Fabio Borini. After playing for several clubs on loan, Borini seemed to play the best football of his career at the Stadium of Light and is expected to sign for Sunderland in a 14m switch from Liverpool.

West Bromwich Albion survived last season despite strangely dumping Steve Clarke from his position as manager. They employed Spanish manager Pepe Mel, who had recently been sacked from Real Betis, as his replacement. Mel lasted only four months and won just three of his 17 matches during his tenure, Albion finished in 17th place just three points of the relegation zone.

The Baggies have decided to replace Mel with Alan Irvine, a former coach under David Moyes at Everton. Irvine has had managerial spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End, where he took them to the play-offs. The Scot was then sacked at Deepdale and took over at Hillsborough, where his tenure was short, brief and not very successful.

Whilst there were sides with worse defensive records last season, West Brom have added Joleon Lescott to their squad on a free transfer, which is likely to prove a decent signing. The England centre-half had five years at Manchester City, although barely featured in the last two seasons. Lescott has West Midlands roots with his career starting at rivals Wolves but it won't take him long to win over the fans if he helps shore up the defence.

Irvine has also added Chris Baird, Craig Gardner and Belgian left-back Sebastian Pocognoli in a bid to secure the side defensively and be free from any worries about relegation from the Premier League.

Looking to the new additions to the Premier League......

No one predicted when Sean Dyche took charge of Burnley that within his first full season at the helm of the Lancashire club, they would find themselves in the Premier League. Dyche was appointed in October 2012, following Eddie Howe's move back to Bournemouth and immediately set about changing the Clarets' fortunes.

Despite being unable to keep hold of top-scorer Charlie Austin, who was sold to Queen's Park Rangers last summer, they already had Sam Vokes and Danny Ings on their books and those two just stepped up a level. They bought Ashley Barnes from Brighton in January, when injuries played a part to Ings and Vokes towards the end of the season.

The Clarets have added to the squad this season, with more proven players that have played in the Premier League. Michael Kightly is one, he was on-loan at Turf Moor last season and helped Burnley into the Premier League.

They have also signed Scottish international goalkeeper Matt Gilks from Blackpool, who played in England's top flight with the Tangerines a few seasons ago. Dyche has also brought in the experience of former Bolton man Matt Taylor, who has been a feature of West Ham United's midfield for the past two seasons.

Despite these additions, Burnley this season will probably be favourites for relegation which is wholly understandable compared to the budgets that other clubs that got promoted with them.

Leicester City won the Championship and were by far and away the best side in the second tier last season. They have a bigger budget than most to work with, something which helped them get promoted, due to the financial backing from their owners.

Nigel Pearson will be keen to add to his squad, although at present it looks as though he is more inclined to stay loyal to the squad which got promoted, rather than to sign lots of fresh faces. A number of the players involved last season have already had their contracts extended.

Queens Park Rangers spent only one season in the Championship following a terrible campaign in the Premier League the year before. Plenty of players were signed on big contracts, which only added to the debt.

It was imperative that Harry Redknapp brought the side back up to the Premier League and they did it via the play-offs. Despite being out-played for much of the match against Derby County, Bobby Zamora's stoppage-time winner saved their blushes and no doubt the jobs of many of the QPR players and management.

Harry Redknapp has plenty of experience in his expensively assembled squad and will need to add to that if the Hoops are to be part of the mid-table collective in the Premier League.

Most experts will say that a good start is needed to have any hope of staying in the Premier League, although Crystal Palace and Sunderland made a very different point - it's not how you start, it's how you finish.