Where would AFC Bournemouth sit in the Premier League based on 2016 results?

Position: 9th
Games: 14
Points: 21

Bournemouth are on the verge of mathematically preserving their Premier League status for next season – Photo: Kieran Clarke.

“We are staying up! Say, we are staying up!” – AFC Bournemouth’s form so far this year has been nothing short of marvellous; in fact, the newly promoted outfit would sit up in ninth spot if the Premier League season had started by the turn of the new calendar year.

The Cherries; who currently sit comfortably in 11th place in the English top-flight standings, just behind reigning champions Chelsea, are a whopping 14 points clear of the bottom three with only five games remaining of the campaign.

Eddie Howe’s side can already relax a little knowing that they have all but secured a second successive spell in the Premier League beyond this summer, capping off a remarkable debut term for the south coast club in the top-flight.

Bournemouth have managed to pick up an impressive 21 points from a possible 42 on offer so far in 2016 – averaging 1.5 points a game – a statistic that has seen Howe’s men soar clear of the drop zone with a handful of fixtures remaining.

Three back-to-back wins over Southampton (2-0), Newcastle United (1-3) and Swansea City (3-2) at the beginning of March spearheaded Bournemouth’s survival charge, whilst their most recent 2-1 triumph over rock-bottom Aston Villa rubbed salt in the Villans’ wounds as they look destined to be playing in the Championship next season.