Portsmouth behind Leicester, West Brom, Sunderland and Fulham among the best Premier League great escapes

Harry Redknapp’s side pulled off a near-impossible job when they preserved their top-flight status in 2006.

The Blues looked doomed for the drop following a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on March 4. They were eight points adrift of safety and had gone more than two months without a league victory.

However, a 2-1 victory over Manchester City - inspired by two Pedro Mendes wonder strikers – was the start of an unbelievable run.

Pompey would amass 20 points from nine matches, with a 2-1 success at Wigan on the penultimate day of the season securing their safety.

Yet a poll on the BBC Sport website ranks the Blues' efforts as just the fifth best, having collected eight per cent of votes cast.

Topping the list with 34 per cent was when Leicester battled to avoid an immediate return to the Championship in 2013-2014, garnering 22 points from 27 and to finish 14th in the table.

In second spot was West Brom (24 per cent) becoming the first club in Premier League history to avoid relegation un Bryan Robson, having been bottom at Christmas in 2004-05.

In third was when Sunderland (11 per cent) survived in 2013-14 while Fulham's efforts in 2007-08 bagged them fourth spot (nine per cent).

Finishing behind Pompey was Wigan in 2011-12 (eight per cent) and Oldham in 1992-93 (six per cent).