The points required for survival has dropped significantly in recent seasons - 34 points would have been enough to stay up last season, while over the last five campaigns an average of 35.4 points was sufficient. Compare that to the previous 18 seasons (1995-2013) when an average of 36.7 points was required to survive.
But only one team in Premier League history has stayed up on 34 points. In 2004/05, Bryan Robson's West Brom survived with that total when a final-day win for any of the three relegated clubs - Crystal Palace, Norwich and Southampton - would have seen them avoid the drop instead.
Burnley's current run of seven games unbeaten may prove to be crucial as they look to have the trickiest run-in of any of the teams threatened by relegation. The Clarets' future opponents have an average of 1.63 points per game and they are the only team among the bottom eight who still have five games left against the top six, including visits to Liverpool and Chelsea.
Huddersfield's fixtures also look tough - they have trips to Tottenham and Liverpool to come in April and are the only Premier League team without a single remaining home game against a team in the bottom eight.
In fact, the greatest escape in Premier League history would be required for Huddersfield to extend their two-season stay in the top division. There is no precedent for a team surviving from Huddersfield's current situation of 14 points from safety with 12 games left. However, one more point will at least see them avoid the ignominy of equalling Derby's all-time low of 11 Premier League points, set in 2007/08.
Fulham's current position of 19th and eight points from safety also looks dire, although there are one or two instances in Premier League history of teams rescuing themselves from similar situations, most notably West Ham in 2006/07 who were 10 points from safety in mid-March. It took a Carlos Tevez-inspired run of seven wins from their final nine games to get out of trouble.
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