14th: AFC BOURNEMOUTH
Reasons to be optimistic
Despite being weakened by injury, Bournemouth has a strongish squad, with a manager who looks the real deal. Eddie Howe has brought this team up from League One and will not let them be relegated easily.
Howe's the squad?
Patchy. The team has a leaky defence, which has suffered ever since Nathan Aké left. Bournemouth has strength in central midfield, but Jordan Ibe and Max Gradel have not lived up to expectations this year. Josh King will be integral to their survival hopes.
Can they survive relegation?
Probably. The nucleus of this team has come up through the leagues, and, while a few (such as the injured Callum Wilson) could receive transfer offers from other Premier League teams, the squad would remain mostly intact and could lead a promotion charge next time round.
15th: SWANSEA CITY
Reasons to be optimistic
Swansea are a changed side. Paul Clement is the man responsible for the side's big turnaround in fortunes. This does look like a team on the rise.
How's the squad?
It contains some undeniable quality. Lukasz Fabianski, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente are all good players, Luciano Narsingh and Leroy Fer provide some Dutch strength on the flanks, and Alfie Mawson is finding his feet at centre-back. The next few weeks could be interesting for Swansea.
Can they survive relegation?
Yes and no. It doesn't seem likely that Llorente and Narsingh, among others, would be all that happy to play in the second tier. While Sigurdsson and Fer have been with the club for longer, the four could expect some tempting offers upon Swansea's possibly relegation. It's likely, however, that not all would leave. And Routledge, Britton, Mawson, Amat etc. would all likely stick around.
16th: MIDDLESBROUGH
Reasons to be optimistic
Aitor Karanka is a good manager. The Boro squad has quality, with Alvaro Negredo, Gaston Ramirez, Cristhian Stuani, Adama Traore, Stewart Downing and Viktor Fischer all reasonably talented. The defence and defensive midfield is built around a core of Adam Clayton, Bernardo Espinosa, Grant Leadbitter, Adam Forshaw and Calum Chambers, and Victor Valdes brings serious international experience in goal.
How's the squad?
With all those names you'd think that Boro would be packing goals this season, but no. They're just not scoring. Ramirez has fallen out of favour, and Downing's not starting. Karanka's tactics of a rather fixed 4-3-3 - with Stuani and Traore the widemen - doesn't allow anyone to bridge the gap between the striker and midfield. But then Karanka has faith in his tactics, even if the rest of us don't. Ramirez, Downing and Fischer will be key come the business end of the season - and hopefully for Boro fans there'll be a 4-2-3-1 lineup soon.
Can they survive relegation?
Financially, the answer is probably yes. But I doubt that the likes of Fischer, Negredo, Valdes and Ramirez would be comfortable in the 2nd tier.
17th: LEICESTER CITY
Reasons to be optimistic
Leicester may have just sacked their only Premier League-winning manager, but they shouldn't give up hope just yet. They're still in the Champions League with an away goal but, more importantly, survived from an even worse position (bottom at Xmas) two years ago with a similar squad. Speaking of which...
How's the squad?
N'golo Kanté's gone. That's the big issue. Wilfred Ndidi solves part of the problem, but Danny Drinkwater still has to drop back and screen the defence, when he should be putting balls in to Jamie Vardy like Leicester did so well last season. Riyad Mahrez has looked a shadow of his former self. And the defence is leaky - the left side needs shoring up (Ben Chilwell, anyone?) and maybe Molla Wague should be given a go in the centre. Just something different.
Can they survive relegation?
Financially I'm honestly not sure. But I imagine that most of the squad would stay.
18th: HULL CITY
Reasons to be optimistic
Two words: Marco Silva. The Portuguese has basically revolutionised Hull. He's revitalised players like Tom Huddlestone and under him the team has been playing well.
How's the squad?
Snoddy may be gone, but Andrew Robertson, Sam Clucas, Curtis Davies and Michael Dawson anchor what is possibly the league's best value-for-money squad. Despite being ravaged by injury, there have always been bright spots. Eldin Jakupovic has been a revelation in goal. Harry Maguire and Andrea Ranocchia have shone in central defence, Omar Eladellaoui and Ahmed Elmohamady provide options at right-back, and there's a good selection of midfielders and forwards. The signings of Elabdellaoui, Ranocchia, Lazar Markovic, Goebel Evandro, and Oumar Niasse could be instrumental, and buying Kamil Grosicki could honestly be the best of the lot. Time will tell, but things look good.
Could they survive relegation?
The hub of this squad has been hardened by relegation and has stuck together. All those loan signings would probably go, of course, but I'd expect the majority of the squad to stay. Financially, the answer's probably yes as well.
19th: CRYSTAL PALACE
Reasons to be optimistic
They have the currently unrelegated Big Sam. But then, there's a first for everyone. It was Rafa Benitez last season.
How's the squad?
This squad is very strong. Steve Mandanda, Scott Dann, Christian Benteke, Wilfred Zaha, Yohan Cabaye...there's depth as well. But individual performances have been very weak and flaky in a lot of cases.
Could they survive relegation?
Probably, though I'd expect a large exodus.
20th: SUNDERLAND
Reasons to be optimistic
They've done it before, riiiiiiiight???
How's the squad?
Aside from Defoe and Pickford, pretty weak. And Lamine Koné, but he wants to leave anyway. Apparently the atmosphere's toxic.
Could they survive relegation?
Would players leave? Aside from Defoe and Pickford, probably not. And Lamine Koné, but he wants to leave anyway. Even Seb Larsson's probably had enough by now.
Financially...erm. I have doubts.