BEWARE OF THE (UNDER)DOG

Time was, that a trip by a big club to a newly promoted side meant an easy 3-points for the favourite. But this season, West Brom, Newcastle and Blackpool are doing the best to punch above their weight.

Castrol Performance data suggests that despite predictions of a season of struggle for the three newly promoted sides in the Premier League, Blackpool, Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion, all three look on course to avoid relegation.

The table below shows that the three teams have picked up a combined total of 24 points after six games, the joint-highest total recorded in any of the last 10 Premier League seasons, level with 2002-03.

Over the last decade, whenever the three new arrivals have collected a combined total of at least 20 points from their opening six matches then at least two of the clubs have avoided the drop, with all three (Blackburn, Bolton & Fulham) surviving in 2001-02, the only time this has happened in Premier League history. With this season™s trio sharing the points fairly equally, all three sides can face the remainder of the season with confidence.

Castrol Performance data shows that single-mindedness in front of goal has been the hallmark of the promoted sides this season, especially compared to the three teams who went down last season after the same number of matches.

Blackpool have scored with almost one in every five and a half shots, while Newcastle™s conversion rate of almost 15% is only one percentage point lower than that recorded by 2009-10 Premier League champions Chelsea, thanks in no small part to adidas F50 adiZero wearer Andy Carroll

Furthermore, West Brom™s finest performance of the campaign, their 3-2 win at Arsenal, saw the Baggies convert 43% of their shots to record a famous victory and further emphasise the clinical nature of this season™s promoted teams.