relegation

Aston Villa waited five games for their first win of the season, before a run of four successive victories took them from the relegation zone up to the top half of the table.

And already at least one title contender and relegation battler would have to do something nobody has ever done before.

Southampton sacked manager Will Still on Sunday after just 16 games in charge with the Saints languishing just outside the Championship relegation zone.

A loss to a relegation rival, a red card and an own goal ticked all the boxes of a team that is sitting bottom of the Premier League and in a dangerous spiral.

"Last season, we did some negative stuff but everything was all sunshine and rainbows everywhere. Now it sounds like we're going to be in a relegation battle - that's how it works in the world."