Only a few short weeks ago, the bottom half of the Premier League table was garnering more attention than the top, with a two-team title fight not anywhere near as unprecedented as the situation which saw nine clubs battling it out to stay in the division.
On 27 March – just three or four fixtures back – it was Crystal Palace who sat top of that not-so-mini league, with 12th place only good enough to be a mere three points clear of the relegation zone.
