Habitually, when one scans the Premier League table around the halfway point, they check their own club’s position first. Then, careful to not crash the car, they also fulfil the driver’s duty of checking their mirror too. Perhaps out of paranoia (a classic Spook tactic, best executed by Jo Portman, to tail a car via taxi with the “I think my partner’s cheating on me, I have to know” manoeuvre), maybe even fear. Football-wise, most fans check those beneath them as well as looking ahead, to those further down the road.

A glance at the top half reveals that Chelsea have recently endured several lengthy stops by red lights, zebra crossings and self-enforced stalls. Aston Villa have more been clocked by the flashing amber lights their coronavirus outbreak has controlled. Whereas traffic in Manchester has been green lights only as both clubs ease smoothly through the congestion. While Jose Mourinho’s bus, after a few iffy services, appears to have fixed its engine.

Mired in poor parking and sloppy basics are those endangered by relegation. Oh, apologies, reader. I forgot the dreaded “R” word’s sensitivity can set some fans wincing whilst their wicked derby rivals grin gleefully. Of course, these supporters are of teams whose budgets are nowhere near the limousine-like “big six” standard but who really expects Mike Ashley to splash another £40 million out? Worry not, angry Toon army. Takeovers seemingly aren’t everything. Since Burnley’s new ownership was confirmed by American Alan Pace, their results have underwhelmed. A third-round FA Cup penalties scrape over MK Dons, a plucky loss to then-table-toppers Manchester United and a fruitless (not for the want of trying) striker-denying loss to West Ham. Simon Stone’s BBC Sport report of Pace’s takeover included a quote that Pace felt he was directing a movie. A neat vibe but not here. Sure, the main character (Burnley’s Premier League status) might die but hey, his children’s development can make two follow-up sequels! Get real, Yankee. No football club seeks the championship’s coldness. The bear-pit of a league renowned for its reputation of reputation-destroying, emotional wrecker and cage ensnarer of fallen giants. Just ask fans of Leeds, Nottingham Forest or, recently, Stoke or Swansea City.

Tonight Burnley play a Liverpool team (and many fantasy football managers) in dire need of goals and points. However, on their last four visits, Sean Dyche’s side have always scored, even going 1-0 up on three successive seasons prior to last. When the result was a sweetly-struck Jay Rodriguez volley levelled a 1-1 result and emitted vibes that an empty Anfield is a better Anfield (for away teams anyway). As much as Burnley need points, this is their game in hand (one of) and while a third successive loss may trigger outside alarms, it would equally be blatantly ignoring fine form that saw them lose only (unfortunately) to Leeds throughout December whilst finally claiming Arsenal’s scalp and taming high-flyers Everton and Aston Villa.

Unbeaten runs for scrambling sides, whilst morale-boosting are also devilishly deceptive. Take Fulham’s form as the prime example. Managed by the admirable Scott Parker, immense improvement has happened, especially through December. Although their last win, to highlight the devious manner of statistics, was actually November. Last Saturday, Fulham matched Chelsea and the Blues were rescued by Mason Mount’s constant crispness, Thiago Silva’s much-needed experience and Antonee Robinson’s reckless red card. Harsh reality dictates that Parker’s squad still needs victories and a reliable goalscorer with previous main man Aleksandar Mitrovic badly off-colour and Ivan Cavaleiro’s one-step-forward-two-steps-back approach to finishing.

Chelsea squeezed past a resilient Fulham with Mount’s goal

Despite West Brom’s defeat at London Stadium on Tuesday, they too have perked up, the “new year, new me” promise finally evident with a quality and gritty, in equal patches, satisfactory comeback at Wolves. Yet Sam Allardyce was unable to bribe any West Ham help on the first stop of his lengthy “I managed them” tour, despite arriving late for the 5-2 reunion at Goodison. Sheffield United, meanwhile, earned a confidence-lifting first win against Newcastle. Billy Sharp scorer, bad attitude Scot sent off, dubious penalty call going their way, calamitous own goal rescued. If Rhian Brewster had scored, it could have originated a fairytale escape. However, thanks to yet more erratic errors, characteristic of their season, they remain well adrift as Tottenham and Tanguy Ndombele, profited. Their defensive woes and striking issues are alarming. Oliver Burke and Brewster look fine potential but perhaps time to boost confidence in the championship will aid their all-round growth. Veteran muckers Sharp and David McGoldrick have done okay. McGoldrick, the club’s top scorer, is certainly silencing his critics of not scoring enough (despite all-round appreciation) from last year. It seems that particular burden was inherited by Roberto Firmino.

With their points buffer and pretty passing, Graham Potter’s Brighton have avoided too illuminating a spotlight on their one-win-in-nine drop-off and should an unsettled starting XI not soon stabilise, the Seagulls may have their Premier League wings clipped. Wolves, Crystal Palace and Leeds have all experienced various philosophical and principal issues that has them paddling just above choppy waters in precarious positions. Speaking of, where’s Steve Bruce?

His pre-Arsenal anger blast failed to charge Andy Carroll to ninety-minute battery-life nor did it magically give Ryan Fraser an angelic attitude, transform Joelinton into a bargain winger or promote Jonjo Shelvey’s outsider case for Euros 2021. Rafael Benitez hardly styled straight from the Bielsa-bible but his fan-worship was ultimately fuelled by club ambition and consistent results, backing such talk up. Such comparisons see Bruce under pressure and the Magpies flapping with fire, at risk of bad burns and sore, severe scaldings.

With the weekend’s FA Cup fourth round approaching and relegation rivals either resting (players) or recuperating altogether, there is the sense that for each club, they have numerous inner-wars to conquer. Those who do so quickest will win the overall battle, but recent results are revealing enough to show this particular battle won’t be as one-sided as previous Premier League traffic.

Rory Morrow is a QUB Anthropology student with a passion for sport and opinion

SPORT - Recent Wins Propel Hope Around The Relegation Zone