Mark Lawrenson on the Premier League relegation scrap and if he thinks Brighton will stay up

BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson says ten clubs could still be relegated from the Premier League this season - but he feels Brighton can stay up after a strong January transfer window.
Brighton celebrate a goal against West Ham on Saturday. Picture by Angela BrinkhurstBrighton celebrate a goal against West Ham on Saturday. Picture by Angela Brinkhurst
Brighton celebrate a goal against West Ham on Saturday. Picture by Angela Brinkhurst

The Seagulls added strikers Jurgen Locadia and Leonardo Ulloa to their squad in January and are now unbeaten in three matches, after they backed up a 1-0 FA Cup win at Middlesbrough with a 1-1 draw at Southampton and 3-1 victory over West Ham.

Lawrenson played for Brighton from 1977 until 1981 before joining Liverpool but he has predicted the Seagulls to win just three of their 26 Premier League games this season in his weekly predictions on the BBC website.

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If the results occurred how he predicted, Brighton would be fourth from bottom and have just 18 points from their 26 games - but Albion sit 13th in the top flight and have 27 points.

Lawrenson correctly predicted Brighton would beat West Ham on Saturday, although he went for a 2-1 scoreline.

Speaking on BBC 5 Live about the relegation scrap at the bottom of the table, where just seven points separate 11th-placed Watford to bottom club West Brom, he said: "West Brom are one of eight clubs who are in real trouble of going down but there's maybe even ten teams who could be relegated.

"Huddersfield dropping into the bottom three is ominous for them."

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Asked if he thought the three teams who went up from the Championship last season would occupy the bottom three places, Lawrenson said: "No. I think Brighton have got the best chance of staying up.

"They also bought well in the transfer window and they had a very good win (against West Ham)."