This year it looks almost certain that two of the three sides promoted from the Championship last season will be relegated again, while at least two and maybe all three of the sides relegated from the Premier League last season will be immediately promoted back to the top flight. Meanwhile, it looks certain that at least one and possibly two of the sides who were promoted to the Championship last season will be relegated back to League One at the first attempt. So is any of this unusual?

The following is a list of the teams who were relegated from the Premier League during the last ten years having been promoted from the Championship the previous season:

2010/11 - 1 (Blackpool)
2011/12 - 0
2012/13 - 1 (Reading)
2013/14 - 1 (Cardiff)
2014/15 - 2 (Burnley, QPR)
2015/16 - 1 (Norwich)
2016/17 - 2 (Hull, Middlesbrough)
2017/18 - 0
2018/19 - 2 (Cardiff, Fulham)
2019/20 - 1 (Norwich)

The following is a list of the teams during the same period who were relegated from Premier League to the Championship but went straight back up:

2010/11 - 0
2011/12 - 1 (West Ham via the play-offs)
2012/13 - 0
2013/14 - 1 (QPR via the play-offs)
2014/15 - 1 (Norwich via the play-offs)
2015/16 - 2 (Burnley as champions, Hull via the play-offs)
2016/17 - 1 (Newcastle as champions)
2017/18 - 0
2018/19 - 0
2019/20 - 1 (Fulham via the play-offs)

Lastly, a list of the teams during the last ten seasons who were relegated to League One after being promoted to the Championship the previous year:

2010/11 - 0
2011/12 - 0
2012/13 - 0
2013/14 - 2 (Doncaster and Yeovil)
2014/15 - 0
2015/16 - 1 (MK Dons)
2016/17 - 0
2017/18 - 0
2018/19 - 1 (Rotherham)
2019/20 - 1 (Charlton)

Does any of this suggest that the gaps between the divisions are widening? Personally, I don't think so. I believe the Covid-19 situation has meant the transfer markets have been quieter during the last twelve months and that has undoubtedly played a part, but I think a bigger influence on the way things are at the moment is the actual clubs involved. West Brom have long been a Premier League/Championship yo-yo club, Fulham have become one in recent years, Norwich and Watford retained strong squads from last season, it will be no surprise to anyone if Rotherham get relegated again given their small budget and it was a miracle that Wycombe got promoted promoted to the Championship in the first place.