Swansea and Norwich Odds On for the Drop

The English Premier League season is still only a few months away and, with plenty of transfer wheeling and dealing along with a few management shake-ups, the 2011/12 season is looking like one of the most fascinating in years. We have Swansea back in the top flight for the first time in decades and the bookmakers appear convinced that they're the favourites for the drop.

It's not entirely unexpected to see the team that reached the upper echelon of the English game thanks to a play-off victory wind up as the favourites for relegation but the price remains relatively lukewarm with several bookies listing them at 4/7 at the moment. It hardly appears to be the slam dunk that many think it could be if things go pear-shaped.

The recent contract extension for Angel Rangel will certainly give Swans fans something to smile about – welcome news after seeing several of their marquee players move on after the Championship season. Darren Pratley and Dorus De Vries are the notable absentees from Swansea's lineup.

The Canaries also find themselves back in the Premier League and Norwich will certainly be hoping that this one goes a little better than the last one did. It remains a proud moment for the club, which didn't look like things were going well a few years ago.

The bookmakers are also relatively bullish on Norwich going down and they are just a step behind Swansea at a 4/6 price tag. Wigan are considered the other key relegation contender and they trade at a much longer 13/8 just ahead of newly promoted QPR at 7/4.

Confidence appears to be firming up in Mick McCarthy's Wolves, who escaped thanks to some luck on the final day of the season and they find themselves in the mix – but still a ways off the favourites position at a 2/1 price. Blackburn Rovers and West Brom are floated at 3/1 and 7/2, respectively.