"Last season, all three promoted sides in the Premier League were relegated. The season before that, all three promoted sides were relegated. The fear was that the gulf between the Premier League and Championship had become too big, with the increasing stratification of the English game essentially making it impossible for the promoted sides to survive, much less to thrive."
"It's a self-perpetuating issue; the longer the other 17 remain in the Premier League, fattened on television rights, the harder it will be for teams coming up to make an impression. There was a need for the promoted sides to put up a better fight than they managed last season when, between them, Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton collected just 59 points."
Consecutive seasons saw every promoted side relegated, raising concerns about an increasing gulf between the Premier League and the Championship driven by stratification and television revenue. The established top-flight clubs benefit from sustained income, making it tougher for promoted clubs to compete. Last season's promoted trio collected only 59 points between them. Nine games into the current season Sunderland, Leeds and Burnley have 38 points collectively and none occupy a relegation place. Sunderland have impressed most, securing 17 points and sitting fourth after a favourable early fixture list, while a recent away win at Chelsea tested and affirmed their credentials.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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