To get a sense of how volatile the bottom half of the Premier League is, you only have to consider the build-up to Patrick Vieira’s sacking. It isn’t that long ago that it was widely said Arsenal went for the wrong former midfielder in Mikel Arteta, and that Vieira was going to be the future of the club.
That has all been turned on its head, which is exactly what might happen to the bottom half of the table. The situation is all the more striking since Palace still lie in 12th. The problem, even before you get to the club’s long winless run, is that they are only five points above the bottom and three above the relegation zone. There has never been a crunch like it.
