When Tottenham Hotspur finished 17th in the Premier League last season, fans of the north London club must have thought it couldn't get any worse.
Spurs took just 38 points from their 38 league games in 2024/25, losing 22 times, although their awful domestic form was masked slightly by the club ending their 17-year wait for a trophy with victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final.
In truth, the failings of relegated trio Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton meant Tottenham, who finished 13 points clear of the bottom three, were never at risk of the drop - but this season they have much less margin for error.
When were Tottenham last relegated from the top flight?
Spurs head into the midweek round of matches 15th in the Premier League, just six points above the relegation zone.
Their form is even more alarming than their position in the table, having taken just four points - all draws - from their past seven league games.
And if Thomas Frank's side can't turn their fortunes around, there is a real danger that Tottenham could drop into the second tier for the first time since 1977.
The club had enjoyed a successful start to the 1970s, winning two League Cups and the UEFA Cup, but they finished bottom of the First Division in 1976/77 under manager Keith Burkinshaw.
Spurs sealed an immediate return to the top flight as they took the third and final automatic promotion place in the second tier the following season, behind Bolton Wanderers and Southampton.
In fact, Burkinshaw even went on to become one of Tottenham's most successful managers, guiding the club to consecutive FA Cups in 1980/81 and 1981/82 and the UEFA Cup in 1983/84.
A first relegation in 49 years would be hugely embarrassing for a club who won a European trophy less than 12 months ago, reached the Champions League final as recently as 2019 and boast one of the most impressive grounds in the world in the form of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
But they will need to find a few wins from somewhere in their final 13 games of the season, with the points total required for Premier League survival looking set to be close to the traditional 40 points this term.
West Ham United are 18th but have 23 points from their 25 matches - and the Hammers are in form, having won three of their past four games.
And Leeds United and Nottingham Forest, who occupy the two positions immediately below Spurs, have each tasted victory in two of their past five matches to narrow the gap to the north London club.