ARSENAL ARE IN A SURVIVAL SCRAP

New Albion boss Allardyce says he includes Gunners as relegation rivals

SURVIVAL expert Sam Allardyce has put Arsenal in his personal relegation Table of Doom.

The new West Brom boss with an honours degree in how to avoid the drop believes Mikel Arteta’s side are right in the mix to go down.

Allardyce has drawn up an eight-club mini league that he wants the Baggies to be top of come the end of the season – and 15th placed Arsenal are in it.

Although one of the so-called Big Six, Allardyce warns the Gunners cannot rely on that to get out of trouble and must accept being among West Brom’s relegation rivals.

“If they’re in the bottom eight at the moment, then yes absolutely,” he said. “I believe they haven’t won a Premier League game in nearly double figures, and it appears their big results have come in the Europa League.

“Getting beaten in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night drains the confidence of Arsenal’s players, of course it will.

“They will be wondering what’s hit them. They will be wondering why they’re down there and they will be wondering what it’s going to take to get out of that position.”

On Albion’s survival chances, he added: “I know what it takes and I hope I can convince the players to respond to what I say on that.

“If we can beat our rivals in the bottom eight, or draw and we finish top of that table, we will almost certainly guarantee our safety.

“It’s a test for us and a challenge for the players to realise the most productive performances need to happen against the bottom eight.

“There are no easy wins but the c a pabi l i t ies of winning those games are better than they are playing the top five or six.”