Monday 20 April 2015 13:56, UK
Hull and Sunderland could face relegation from the Premier League this season, according to Stuart Pearce.
The former are without a win in six league matches, leaving Steve Bruce's side just outside the relegation zone on goal difference and one point behind Sunderland, who have won just once in nine league games.
The bottom three sides have hit good form recently, with Leicester winning three in-a-row, QPR taking four points from a possible nine and Burnley claiming four points from their last five games, leaving Hull and Sunderland looking over their shoulders.
“Hull haven’t been in the bottom three for weeks now,” former West Ham and Newcastle defender Pearce told the Morning View on Sky Sports News HQ.
“I don’t think it’ll be a surprise if they drop into it. I think Sunderland have got a bit to do, but it all comes down to the head to heads, what are your fixtures like.”
Meanwhile, Leicester’s resurgence under Nigel Pearson in recent games has seen them move off bottom spot for the first time since November.
Four of their last five matches are at the King Power Stadium, but it’s their trip to Burnley on Saturday that could be decisive in their battle to beat the drop.
'Pressure'
“At Leicester, the crowd have come to the party, they’ve pushed the team on,” Pearce added. “They’ve got their tails up and the pressure is off them a little bit because everyone wrote them off a few months ago.
“The Burnley-Leicester game on Saturday, if there is a winner in that, it gives that side every chance of staying up too. If one team loses it, that could be the death knell to them.”
However, Leicester’s resurgence carries its dangers according to former West Ham and Blackburn defender Tony Gale, a fellow-guest on the Morning View.
He said: “In fairness to Leicester and Nigel Pearson, they’ve played so many games this season that they’ve lost by the odd goal and done very well.
“The last three games have turned and momentum is everything at this stage of the season. The worst thing they can do now is think they are safe.
“Everyone has written QPR off all season, if there is going to be a surprise, it’s going to be QPR. That pitch, the intensity, it’s all close to you and in your face, it could be QPR getting out of it.”
Remember you can see the best bits of the Sky Sports News HQ Morning View on demand.
