4. West Ham United
Considering their lavish spending since the change of ownership which has seen former Birmingham City owners Gold and Sullivan take control at Upton Park, it is perhaps unlikely that the Hammers should be harbouring concerns of relegation as they enter the new season. With seasoned manager Sam Allardyce at the helm, a master in the art of keeping teams above the dreaded trapdoor, some may say it is inconceivable that fans of the East London club will have their heads in their hands come May. But for all West Hams money and their talented squad, skippered by Kevin Nolan, the fact remains no side is too good to go down. And no one knows that better than the Hammers themselves who suffered a surprise demotion with relegation specialist Avram Grant in 2011. The Premier League is unforgiving and Big Sam will have to drill into his players the importance of every point, and Im sure everyone at Upton Park will only begin looking up the table when they surpass the magical 40 point mark. But considering the investment made in the club over the past 12 months, West Ham will surely be looking to emulate the Stoke City model, hoping for a lower to mid table finish, to then build on further and further throughout the coming seasons. With Sam Allardyce the football may not be the prettiest, but for any newly promoted side the importance is finding a footing in the division and West Ham are no different. Having retained Carlton Cole, and added Premiership experience to the squad in the form of Matty Taylor and Kevin Nolan, West Ham should be blowing bubbles in the Premier League for many seasons to come.
Safety/Relegation Verdict: SAFETY