Battle to beat the drop A terrible run since the turn of the year leaves them scrambling for points. That should add life to Saturday's home game with Aston Villa, a match they should win. I can imagine Tony Pulis pumping up his players to grab the points that would relieve some of the pressure. Remaining fixtures: Apr 6 Villa (h) Apr 14 Man Utd (h) Apr 20 QPR (a) Apr 27 Norwich (h) May 4 Sunderland (a) May 12 Tottenham (h) May 19 Southampton (a) Norwich City Like Stoke, Chris Hughton's team have not looked in danger until recent weeks when their strikers have struggled to score. And if they cannot win on Saturday against Swansea, who have run their race, panic might set in, making home games against Reading and Villa crucial. Remaining fixtures: Apr 6 Swansea (h) Apr 13 Arsenal (a) Apr 20 Reading (h) Apr 27 Stoke (a) May 4 Villa (h) May 12 West Brom (h) May 19 Man City (a) Newcastle United With the Europa League clouding the picture, Alan Pardew must hope his players can summon the urgency to claim the two wins needed for survival. They should be OK. Players such as Yohan Cabaye and Papa Cissé can steer this side to safety. Remaining fixtures: Apr 7 Fulham (h) Apr 14 Sunderland (h) Apr 20 West Brom (a) Apr 27 Liverpool (h) May 4 West Ham (a) May 12 QPR (a) May 19 Arsenal (h) Sunderland Of all the sides scrapping for their lives, this one must go down as the hardest to gauge now that the combustible Paolo Di Canio has taken over. Can the Italian inspire a group of players shorn of confidence and belief? Looking at their fixtures, Di Canio might have to be patient. Remaining fixtures: Apr 7 Chelsea (a) Apr 14 Newcastle (a) Apr 20 Everton (h) Apr 29 Villa (a) May 4 Stoke (h) May 12 Southampton (h) May 19 Tottenham (a) Wigan Athletic Unlike in previous seasons, a possible FA Cup final appearance could muddy the waters for a side well versed in narrowly avoiding the drop. But two wins on the trot should help self-belief going into Saturday's belter at QPR. Remaining fixtures: Apr 7 QPR (a) Apr 17 Man City (a) Apr 20 West Ham (a) Apr 27 Tottenham (h) May 4 West Brom (a) May 7 Swansea (h) May 12 Arsenal (a) May 19 Aston Villa (h) Aston Villa Home games against Fulham and Sunderland could be key, as could the final-day trip to Wigan. But Christian Benteke always gives them a chance. Keep him fit and firing and Paul Lambert's side might just have enough. Remaining fixtures: Apr 6 Stoke (a) Apr 13 Fulham (h) Apr 22 Manchester Utd (a) Apr 29 Sunderland (h) May 4 Norwich (a) May 12 Chelsea (h) May 19 Wigan (a) Monday night's loss at Fulham seemed to seal their fate. But to stand any chance at all, they have simply got to beat Wigan at home on Saturday. The gap would then at least close to something more encouraging for a side with good players. Remaining fixtures: Apr 7 Wigan (h) Apr 13 Everton (a) Apr 20 Stoke (h) Apr 28 Reading (a) May 4 Arsenal (h) May 12 Newcastle (h) May 19 Liverpool (a) Reading Whoever was in charge, be it Brian McDermott or Nigel Adkins, the chances of survival were always slim. A lack of investment leaves Adkins with the weakest squad in this division. Only an extraordinary turnaround can save them now. Remaining fixtures: Apr 6 Southampton (h) Apr 13 Liverpool (h) Apr 20 Norwich (a) Apr 28 QPR (h) May 4 Fulham (a) May 12 Manchester City (h) May 19 West Ham (a)