Only Tottenham or West Ham will join Burnley and Wolves in relegation by the end of the 2026 Premier League season.
Nuno Espirito Santo arrived at West Ham in September, while Roberto de Zerbi took over at Tottenham in March. Both clubs now face an intense fight to avoid dropping into the Championship. West Ham sit 18th, two points behind 17th-placed Spurs after a draw with Leeds United. Spurs also hold the better goal difference ahead of their remaining fixtures.
Tottenham remain two points clear of West Ham despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Leeds on Monday. Roberto de Zerbi’s side missed the chance to extend their lead after the draw. Spurs still have not won a home match in the top flight since 6 December. De Zerbi stated, "If we want to win, we have to reduce the mistakes."
West Ham suffered a 1-0 loss to Arsenal on Sunday, with Callum Wilson’s stoppage-time equalizer ruled out by VAR. Nuno Espirito Santo admitted, "It’s going to be tough [to stay up] - we know it is not in our hands. We will fight for it and we will keep on fighting." The club plans to contact the referees' body over the disallowed goal.
With Leeds, Crystal Palace, and Nottingham Forest already safe, only Spurs and West Ham remain in danger. According to Opta’s projections, West Ham have a 19.5% chance of relegation compared to Spurs’ 80.5%. West Ham travel to Newcastle on Saturday, while Spurs face Chelsea two days later, on the following Monday.
If West Ham beat Newcastle, they would leapfrog Spurs into 17th place by one point. Any result other than a Hammers win would restore Tottenham’s advantage. Spurs could secure safety with a win at Chelsea, though their recent struggles at Stamford Bridge make that difficult. Chelsea have beaten Spurs just once at home since 1990, in April 2018 with a 3-1 victory.
Both teams have home games on the last day of the season, with Tottenham hosting Everton and West Ham facing Leeds. West Ham have lost only once in their past seven home matches and have three wins and three draws in that span. The final day could see West Ham relegated or just minutes away from survival, making this weekend pivotal.
De Zerbi feels confident about Tottenham’s chances, citing eight points from the past four games—two wins and two draws—as evidence of progress. He admitted, "I’m glad De Zerbi came in when he did; it was certainly a waste of time with [former interim head coach] Igor Tudor, his 44-day stint." Spurs need at least four points to guarantee safety, though the Chelsea away trip remains a major concern.
West Ham’s controversial loss to Arsenal left fans feeling deflated, but Spurs’ draw with Leeds keeps the Hammers’ hopes alive. If West Ham beat Newcastle, they become favorites to survive, though their inferior goal difference means a draw would not be enough. A potential Everton win over Spurs could also help West Ham, given Everton’s need for points to secure European qualification. Spurs have managed just two home wins all season.