This season's battle for the Premier League has arguably been the most exciting and unpredictable ever, with just three points separating the top five clubs with three weeks to go.

There are two automatic places up for grabs but the hard work starts then for those clubs, and whichever sides go up will have to work hard over the summer to bring in the players capable of keeping them up.

Stoke are currently in pole position - they lie a point clear with three games to play - and, despite what some critics may say, they would stand a decent chance of survival in the Premier League.

They would obviously need to spend a significant amount of money, but so does every team that goes up.

The things to look for are how many players they already have that can make the step up, whether they could realistically attract top stars, and whether their manager is cut out for the league above.

It bodes well for Stoke. They've already signed some good Premier League players on loan - Shola Ameobi, Chris Riggott and Stephen Pearson - and will be able to sign them permanently should they go up. Add in star man Liam Lawrence, who shone in Sunderland's relegated side a few years back, and they already have almost half a team capable of surviving.

There's also the likes of Ryan Shawcross, Glenn Whelan and Ricardo Fuller who would relish the chance to step up, as well as a number of players who have already spent time in the Premier League - Salif Diao, Rory Delap and Steve Simonsen the pick of them.

They would need to strengthen quickly, particularly in attack and defence, but chairman Peter Coates - a lifelong Stoke fan - is not short of money. Their proud history would help attract decent players and their location wouldn't harm either - Cheshire's Golden Triangle of Alderly Edge, Wilmslow and Prestbury is just down the road.

The manager, Tony Pulis, is yet to test himself in the top flight but he has never been relegated and has built a career on making teams hard to beat. Stoke lost the least amount of games in the league last term and have repeated the trick this time around, a sure sign that they can grind out results.

Their football may not be the prettiest in the league but it is obviously effective and remarkably similar to that of Portsmouth, who have made a huge impact this season.

Stoke are big, strong and powerful with pace and skill in the final third. They are also unbelievably hard working and organised and all these attributes will be key should they go up. They certainly wouldn't 'do a Derby' and they could well take everyone by surprise.

The next team looking to make the step up this season is everyone's favourite Championship team West Brom.

The Baggies have won plenty of friends with their passing football this season and many people believe they would relish life in the Premier League. Anyone who saw them outplay Pompey for 45 minutes of their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley would find it hard to argue.

They are arguably the only side in the Championship that can really demolish their opposition and have racked up 5-0, 5-1 and 4-0 wins at home this season. They are good at exploiting gaps in sides and this would stand them in good stead against the Premier League's weaker sides, particularly at The Hawthorns.

However, they are also renowned for having a soft underbelly and would need to spend a significant amount on their defence should they go up. They would also have to temper their attacking approach slightly as the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United would simply rip Albion to pieces if they tried to outpass them.

It is not only in defence where they would need to strengthen, however, as their game against Pompey highlighted a lack of cutting edge against a strong defence.

Kevin Phillips will never lose his touch in front of goal, though, and Zoltan Gera and Jonathan Greening have also proved themselves in the Premier League.

The likes of Ishmael Miller, Chris Brunt and Robert Koren would also fancy their chances of stepping up and Albion's recent top-flight stints would stand them in good stead to attract more decent players.

Tony Mowbray, like Pulis, hasn't tested himself as a boss against the Uniteds and Arsenals of the world and you get the impression he is still on a learning curve.

If he could find a happy medium between flowing attacking and solid defending then Albion would stand a great chance of survival next season.

The three other sides chasing an automatic spot, however, will face a far tougher task if they go up.

Watford are the most equipped for the Premier League after spending last season there and the club will have learnt the harsh lessons of their relegation.

They didn't disgrace themselves but the lack of a goalscorer cost them - Marlon King missed most of the season through injury - and they would need to address that this time around, with current top scorer Darius Henderson on just 12 for the season.

Hull City, meanwhile, are a club geared for the Premier League and they will undoubtedly get there before long. However, promotion now would be a season too soon as they have few players ready to make the step up, Michael Turner being the pick of those that could.

Bristol City, meanwhile, could suffer humiliation should they gain promotion. The Robins have had a fantastic season but they need to establish themselves in the Championship for at least another year before launching a real promotion drive.

Stoke, West Brom and Watford have all been planning for the Premier League, both on and off the pitch. Hull are almost ready but Bristol City, in my opinion, are some way off. Adriano Basso and Marvin Elliot are both excellent players but they are too few and far between in City's squad and they would need a whole new squad to survive in the Premier League.

Gary Johnson is a fantastic manager and he might take them there eventually but now is too soon.