After three months away, the Premier League is returning, with Watford hosting Leicester City in their first game back in two weeks' time.

Whatever pleasure can be taken from the fact football, in some form at least, is coming back will shortly be replaced with nervousness, with the Hornets looking at a difficult run of fixtures between now and the end of the season.

A torrid start to the campaign left the Golden Boys in desperate need of help, as both Javi Gracia and Quique Sanchez Flores struggled to get a tune out of their squad, before Nigel Pearson finally managed to get the team playing with a semblance of self-belief that saw them pick up some vital points, while ending Liverpool's 44-game unbeaten run with a crushing 3-0 victory at home in their finest hour so far under the new boss.

Now they sit in 17th place, with just goal difference keeping them ahead of Bournemouth and out of the relegation zone, with nine games to ensure they do not slip back under.

Realistically, there are five teams currently in direct competition for Premier League safety, with Norwich City all-but relegated and the teams above 15th place arguably safe enough - although the likes of Southampton and Newcastle will need to tread carefully with just five points separating them from the rest of the pack.

That leaves Watford battling for survival with Aston Villa, Bournemouth, West Ham and Brighton, two of whom will join Norwich in the second tier next season.

Villa have the advantage of a game in hand on their relegation rivals, which will be the league's first game back following the postponement.

It may be a tough home fixture against this season's surprise package Sheffield United, but it is still a chance for them to leap-frog both Bournemouth and Watford and climb out of the relegation zone right from the off.

Such a boost to momentum could be key if they are to stay in the Premier League, with an awkward run of games following the visit of the Blades.

Out of the teams in the bottom six, they will only face West Ham between now and the end of the season, with games against Chelsea, Wolves, Arsenal, Man United and Liverpool all still to come. Newcastle, Everton and Crystal Palace complete a not-too-easy schedule.

While Brighton are currently in the best position of the relegation threatened teams, their run in is not an enviable one.

They kick off with Arsenal, Leicester and Manchester United one after another, before Man City and Liverpool await along with Newcastle and away trips to Burnley, Norwich and Southampton and could easily find themselves back in the bottom three come the end of the season.

West Ham's fixture list looks kinder in comparison, although they do begin the restart with Wolves, Spurs, and Chelsea all in a row.

Following that, they face Man United, Newcastle, Norwich, Villa, Watford and Burnley, with the games against their relegation rivals presenting them with a solid opportunity to pick up vital points.

Bournemouth meanwhile have four games to play against teams in the top six (Man City, Leicester, Wolves, Man United), as well as games against Spurs and Everton, while Southampton, Crystal Palace and Newcastle do not look like the easiest of fixtures for them either. Having played all of the teams around them already this season, they are going to need to start punching above their weight.

Amidst all of this,Watford will come up against Leicester, Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal between now and the end of the campaign, with Newcastle, Burnley, Southampton, Norwich and West Ham all also on the cards.

Hornets fans would hope there are enough points to be gained from those fixtures to keep them in the top flight. However, City and Arsenal are scheduled to be the final two games of the campaign and going into those two in need of points would surely be seen as the worst case scenario, short of already being relegated by that point.

If they do manage to avoid relegation this season, a long hard look at their shortcomings will be required during whatever off-season period they have, while the transfer window will have to be utilised to strengthen in some key areas.

Making the most of attacking opportunities has been a real issue, as has killing games off, with 17 points squandered from winning positions.

Defending was far from pretty at the beginning of the season, although Pearson has made noticeable improvements there in his short time with the club.

Whether or not he is there to try and make his mark for the 2020/21 campaign is something that is also yet to be resolved and will likely depend on whether or not he keeps the Hornets in the top flight. He has nine games to prove that he is exactly what they need.

For now, the preparation will be in place for Leicester City, the Champions League hopefuls, after which the games will come thick and fast in an historic end to an already extraordinary campaign of Premier League football at Vicarage Road.

Whether or not they will be in the division again next season remains in their hands.