Tottenham remain two points from safety after Brighton's late equaliser, while West Ham's draw at Crystal Palace keeps the relegation fight wide open.
Tottenham supporters endured another heartbreaking Saturday before finding a sliver of relief on Monday. Despite conceding a stoppage-time equaliser at home to Brighton, they could take slight encouragement from West Ham’s inability to capitalise at Crystal Palace. The Hammers’ draw at Selhurst Park leaves the Premier League landscape unchanged, with Spurs still two points adrift of safety as they battle to avoid their first top-flight relegation since 1977. West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo reflected on the tightness of the season, stating: 'It will go all the way, for sure. Not only at the bottom of the table but at the top.' He added, 'This season has been very tight. We don’t make points, we play games. We have a mission ahead and keep going.'
Leeds and Nottingham Forest emerged as the biggest beneficiaries from the most recent matchday, securing commanding home victories to pull clear of the drop zone. Leeds moved eight points from safety, while Forest extended their advantage to five. Daniel Farke’s Leeds side may now feel confident about their survival prospects, though they remain hopeful of being formally removed from relegation discussions soon. Wolves have already been relegated, with Burnley set to follow, but the remaining four teams still have work to do in the coming weeks.
Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi expressed unwavering belief in his side’s ability to survive, claiming they are 'able to win five games in a row' to close out the season. However, the numbers paint a far grimmer picture, as Spurs have failed to record a top-flight victory in 2026 and have managed just two wins since 26 October. Their upcoming clash with bottom-placed Wolves on Saturday is pivotal, as a defeat would equal the club’s worst-ever winless league run—a record set nearly a century ago between 1934 and 1935. By contrast, their rivals have shown signs of improvement, with West Ham, Leeds, and Forest all enjoying recent upturns in form.
Tottenham’s relegation rivals have turned the tide in recent weeks. Leeds have claimed back-to-back wins to edge closer to safety, Nottingham Forest have triumphed in two of their last three games and remain unbeaten in five, and West Ham have secured two victories in their past five outings. A broader view reveals strong recent performances: West Ham have collected 19 points from their last 12 matches, Forest 18 from 13, and Leeds 18 from 14. Since overcoming Crystal Palace on 28 December, Spurs have managed just six points from 15 league games, highlighting their stark decline.
With five matches remaining, Tottenham will view their upcoming fixtures as opportunities to stage a late recovery. A trip to relegated Wolves presents a chance to regain momentum, while a home clash with Leeds on 11 May could be pivotal if Daniel Farke’s side beat Burnley first. Even a difficult away game at Aston Villa on 3 May arrives at a convenient time for Spurs, falling between the two legs of the Europa League semi-final for Unai Emery’s team. However, the final stretch includes tricky fixtures against Chelsea and Everton, both of whom are still in the European race. West Ham face their own challenges, hosting Everton before travelling to Brentford, with a daunting trip to title-chasing Arsenal on 10 May to follow.
Nottingham Forest’s run-in looks particularly gruelling, with away games at Chelsea and Manchester United in May—just three days before the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa. Home meetings with Newcastle and Bournemouth to close the campaign could prove decisive, while a victory at Sunderland on Friday would significantly ease pressure on Vitor Pereira’s side. West Ham’s path is no easier, with a tough sequence including games against Everton, Brentford, Arsenal, and Newcastle, before a final-day showdown with Leeds that could decide their fate.
The last time Spurs found themselves in the relegation zone after 33 league games was 49 years ago in the 1976-77 season, and they ultimately failed to escape. Their current struggles are underscored by grim records: only Sheffield Wednesday, who have already been relegated from the Championship, have a worse home form than Spurs’ two wins in the English football league this term. The statistics worsen, as only Derby County in 2007-08 and Sunderland in 2002-03 endured longer winless runs to start a calendar year than Spurs’ current 15-game streak—and both were relegated that season.
Leeds and Forest can draw encouragement from the fact that 36 points have been sufficient for survival in every Premier League campaign since 2015-16. For Leeds, only six teams have ever been relegated with 39 points or more in a 38-game season, and none have done so in the past 14 campaigns since Birmingham and Blackpool both went down on 39 points. This year may prove the exception, but West Ham are all too aware that even 40 points—a traditional safety threshold—is not always enough. They hold the unwanted record of the most points ever scored by a relegated side, with 42 points in 2002-03 failing to spare them from the drop.
With so little separating the contenders, particularly London rivals West Ham and Tottenham, the fight to retain top-flight status looks destined to go down to the wire. Former West Ham striker Dean Ashton believes Leeds will survive on 39 points, stating: 'It is such a tough task with so few games for Tottenham to gather that many points under such pressure.' He added, 'I think Tottenham are going down, I don’t see the character or mindset in them to get out of it.' Ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher echoed this view, predicting: 'I see West Ham beating Brentford and Leeds and staying up at the expense of Tottenham.' He also noted that Nottingham Forest’s focus must remain on Europe, given their Europa League semi-final commitments.
Supporters have shared their perspectives on the relegation battle. Harry from Manchester argued: 'To me Leeds are no longer in the conversation. Forest are hitting form at the right time too. It’s got to be between Spurs and West Ham. And honestly, I’m not seeing this “fight” we’d usually see from relegation candidates in Spurs. West Ham look motivated, so I’m saying Spurs.' Martin from North Yorkshire concurred, stating: 'Tottenham most likely to get relegated, but West Ham’s poor goal difference could still prove to be a factor.' Dougal from Liverpool added: 'West Ham has the trickier run-in, but the benefit of momentum. De Zerbi is having an impact, but is it too late? I think so.'