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After missing out on Tuesday night, Tottenham Hotspur still need a point to retain their Premier League status, with the relegation scrap being decided on the final day.

Roberto De Zerbi suffered his second defeat as Spurs boss on the night their fiercest rivals were crowned champions. It was a torturous Tuesday, and the period leading up to Sunday’s decisive fixture has been even more unbearable.

While a point technically doesn’t guarantee them safety, West Ham United would need to beat Leeds United by 12 goals to usurp the Lilywhites. There’s ’Spursy’ and then there’s that.

Tottenham’s disgraceful home form has unnerved supporters who are fearing the worst, even if Everton have suffered mightily down the stretch. The Toffees seemed primed to secure a European berth two months ago, but a run of six games without a win leaves them down in 12th.

Last week, they concluded their first season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium with a 3–1 defeat to Sunderland that turned toxic towards the end. They’re ending a promising season on a disappointing note, yet they have the chance to help condemn one of the Premier League’s supposed elite to the second tier on Sunday.

Tottenham vs. Everton Score Prediction

Spurs Survive

Everton know all too well what Tottenham are feeling. The Toffees have survived by the skin of their teeth on two occasions in recent years, including on the final day in 2022–23. Abdoulaye Doucouré’s stunning strike at Goodison Park against Bournemouth kept them in the top flight when they needed to triumph.

Spurs don’t have to win on Sunday. In fact, they can lose and still stay up. It’s the likelihood of survival which worries supporters most, with fatalistic urges coming to the fore.

De Zerbi has claimed the upcoming bout boasts greater importance than last season’s Europa League final, and the Italian wouldn’t be wrong. The ramifications of relegation are frightening, humiliating and likely long-lasting. Everyone in N17 just wants this nightmare to be over.

Everton’s north London woes: Not only do Everton have a terrible record at Arsenal, but they also don’t travel well to the opposite half of north London. The Toffees have won just one of their previous 16 away games against Spurs, losing 11.

Slumping Toffees: Tottenham have won just one league game at home since the opening weekend of the season, but they’re facing a flat Everton team playing for nothing. It’s a pretty good fixture for Spurs, with the Toffees winless in six games and playing particularly poorly in the second half against Sunderland last week. They cannot hold onto leads.

Richarlison rescue act: The Brazilian has been here before with the visitors, saving Everton down the stretch in 2022. He hasn’t yet come to the fore in desperate times for Spurs, but it‘s set up for Richarlison to save the Lilywhites this weekend. He’s their leading scorer this season, scoring for the 15th time on Tuesday, and his spirit can be relied upon in crunch time.

Prediction: Tottenham 2–1 Everton

Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs. Everton

De Zerbi is, of course, limited in terms of the number of changes he can make, but there‘s got to be some tinkering from the team that was beaten at Stamford Bridge.

James Maddison won’t play 90 minutes and probably won’t start either, but De Zerbi could use Djed Spence, a surprise inclusion in England’s World Cup squad, down the right-hand side in place of the wretched Randal Kolo Muani.

Yves Bissouma hasn’t been used all that much this season, but his bravery in possession could be needed on the final day. The Mali international is a contender to partner Rodrigo Bentancur in Tottenham’s midfield, with De Zerbi likely to retain his faith in Conor Gallagher.

The injury list remains lengthy and it is full of key names. Cristian Romero, Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski and Ben Davies won’t be able to help the hosts out on the final day. Dominic Solanke, who’s nursing a hamstring injury, could feature.

Tottenham predicted lineup vs. Everton (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Bissouma; Spence, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison.

Everton Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham

Everton manager Moyes has said midfielder Idrissa Gueye has a “50/50” chance of playing on Sunday, having missed the previous three outings through injury. Tim Iroegbunam has stepped up alongside James Garner, who’d have been disappointed to miss out on Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.

Moyes blamed Everton’s poor form down the stretch for Garner’s omission.

The visitors are still without Jack Grealish and Jarrad Branthwaite, who could’ve been considered by Tuched had he enjoyed an injury-free season. The English defender’s stock has dwindled somewhat over the past 18 months.

Going forward, Thierno Barry should be preferred to Beto, while Merlin Röhl has settled in down the right flank.

Everton predicted lineup vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Garner, Iroegbunam; Röhl, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry.

What Time Does Tottenham vs. Everton Kick Off?

Location: London, England

Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Date: Sunday, March 24

Kick-off Time: 4 p.m. BST / 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT

Referee:Â Michael Oliver

VAR: Paul Tierney

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Tottenham Hotspur head into the final day of the 2025–26 Premier League season in unprecedented circumstances: they are still facing the very real threat of relegation.

After what has been a nightmare campaign—one that has seen them dismiss two managers and win just nine of their 37 matches so far—the Lilywhites welcome Everton in what could prove to be a defining moment in the club’s modern history. Spurs have not been relegated from England’s top flight since the 1976–77 campaign, two years before current manager Robert De Zerbi was born.

Here is what Tottenham need to do on Sunday to remain above West Ham United and avoid that unwanted piece of history.

How Tottenham Can Stay Up on Final Day

The mission for Spurs on Sunday is very simple: avoid defeat to Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and they stay in the Premier League for another season.

That, however, will not be straightforward.

The Toffees are still in the hunt for a top-half finish and have generally been the stronger side over the course of the season. David Moyes’s team, though, are without a Premier League win since their 3–0 victory over Chelsea on March 21, which should offer De Zerbi’s side some encouragement.

Spurs, however, have problems of their own. Captain Cristian Romero is injured and, controversially, will not even be in the stands—instead attending boyhood club Belgrano’s historic Argentine league championship final against River Plate on the same day. Xavi Simons, who had been enjoying a resurgence in form, is also out injured, alongside Wilson Odobert, Mohamed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski, meaning De Zerbi may be forced to rely heavily on a depleted and patched-together side.

Premier League Table Ahead of Season Finale

If Tottenham lose to Everton, they will then have to hope West Ham fail to secure all three all three points against Leeds United at the London Stadium—although the Hammers would simply need a win regardless of circumstances.

If Spurs draw, they should be safe. Tottenham’s goal difference is so superior, West Ham could post the largest margin of victory in Premier League history and still not overtake their London rivals in the table.

So, in essence, a win or a draw should be enough for Spurs to secure Premier League survival, but if they lose, their fate is no longer in their own hands.

READ THE LATEST TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE

The Premier League title race has been sewn up before the final day of the season, but the relegation scrap remains undecided.

Sunday marks the season finale and it remains to be seen who will join Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley in gracing the Championship. There will be devastation for one of Tottenham Hotspur or West Ham United this weekend.

Spurs boast the advantage in their surprise relegation fight, Roberto De Zerbi’s men currently two points clear of 18th-placed West Ham and with a vastly superior goal difference. However, the tables could still turn.

Here’s who Tottenham and West Ham face in their final Premier League fixture.

Tottenham vs. West Ham: How Their Last Fixtures Compare

It’s advantage Tottenham in the fight for survival. They know that victory will guarantee their safety this Sunday, while a draw is just as fruitful with West Ham’s goal difference of -22 paling in comparison to Tottenham’s -10.

Unfortunately for Spurs, wins have not been easy to come by, especially on home turf. They welcome Everton to north London for their last outing having won just two league matches on their own patch this term. No team has picked up fewer points at home in the Premier League.

In better news, Everton appear to have given up. Their European hopes have been dashed by a string of bad results, with the Toffees having won just one of their last eight games. Spurs know avoiding defeat will be enough, although an 11th league loss at home this season remains firmly on the cards.

Tottenham’s Tuesday night defeat to Chelsea kept the West Ham dream alive. No matter what, they know they must win on the final day of the season and rely on Everton and former manager David Moyes doing them an enormous favor across London.

West Ham are also on home turf for their final match, welcoming a Leeds United side with nothing on the line to the London Stadium. The Yorkshire outfit are in fine form and have picked up four points since learning of their safety, meaning they will be no pushovers this weekend.

The Hammers have lost their last three matches, but their home form has saved them in recent weeks. A harsh defeat to Arsenal is their only loss at home in their last seven Premier League games. Survival is not yet out of the question.

Premier League Table: Relegation Fight

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It was the chastening 3–1 home defeat to Crystal Palace in March that convinced the bulk of the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase that relegation was no longer a possibility worthy of laughing off.

Even when Spurs were in the midst of Thomas Frank-led purgatory, few projected the most unfathomable of fates. However, their fortune deteriorated with Igor Tudor at the helm. The Croatian’s bizarrely dreadful 44-day reign left the Lilywhites 17th, hovering a point over the drop zone.

West Ham United’s emphatic victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in early April meant Spurs slipped into the bottom three for the first time in a decade, less than 48 hours before Roberto De Zerbi’s managerial bow.

There were few signs of progress on the Italian’s debut at Sunderland, but Spurs have since grown with their gifted head coach on the touchline. Eight points from their four most recent outings leaves the north Londoners on the brink of safety, with the once feared trip to Stamford Bridge against Chelsea considerably less ominous for De Zerbi’s men.

Here‘s how they can preserve their Premier League status when they face beaten FA Cup finalists on Tuesday.

If Spurs Beat Chelsea

Spurs know that victory isn’t paramount in west London, but it would be a significant triumph. The Lilywhites have won just one Premier League game at Stamford Bridge since the competition’s inception—a 3–1 victory in April 2018, with Dele Alli scoring twice.

A rare win can confirm Tottenham as a Premier League team for 2026–27, given that they’ll be five points clear of West Ham with just one game remaining.

Chelsea, meanwhile, would see their faint Champions League hopes fade completely. They may have been dashed by the time the full-time whistle is blown anyway, given that sixth-place Bournemouth kick off against Manchester City 45 minutes prior.

If Spurs Draw With Chelsea

A point at Stamford Bridge for Spurs would also be a collector’s item, and might be enough to keep them in the top flight, albeit not mathematically.

They would move three points clear of West Ham heading into the final day, and it would require a 13-goal swing for the Hammers to usurp De Zerbi’s side. That’s why Opta is convinced that Spurs are safe.

Thus, a draw, no matter how ugly or gritty, would be absolutely huge for the visitors.

If Spurs Lose to Chelsea

Back-to-back defeats for the Hammers have greatly emboldened Tottenham’s chances of avoiding the drop, but the innate pessimism that resides within every single Spurs supporter means few are counting their chickens. This isn’t done just yet.

Moreover, far superior Spurs teams have rocked up at the Bridge and wilted. It’s been a graveyard of a ground for so many Lilywhite iterations, and the fact Chelsea are so poor makes supporters all the more concerned.

The buffer over West Ham eases the pressure on the contest, there’s no doubt about that, but another defeat at the Bridge would take the relegation battle into the final day. Then, they’d need to secure at least a point against a slumping Everton at home, or hope West Ham fail to beat a resilient Leeds United at the London Stadium.

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A fixture that’s long been dreaded by Tottenham Hotspur supporters no longer appears so ominous, and the visitors have the chance to enjoy a celebratory night in west London on Tuesday.

While 10th-place Chelsea only have an outside shot of reviving their season and qualifying for the Champions League, Spurs require just a point from their final two games to stay in the Premier League.

West Ham United are still two points back after losing 3–1 at Newcastle United on Sunday. Their woefully inferior goal difference leaves Spurs needing one positive result over the next week to avoid a once-unfathomable fate.

However, trips to Stamford Bridge are seldom productive for the Lilywhites, no matter the quality of the hosts. This Chelsea team has been bad for months, although news of Xavi Alonso’s impending arrival should at least permeate a sense of optimism across a previously apathetic Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

The Blues were beaten in the FA Cup final by Manchester City on Saturday thanks to Antoine Semenyo’s pinpoint flick that’s drawn comparisons to Danny Welbeck’s similar-looking effort for England against Sweden at Euro 2012.

Chelsea vs. Tottenham Score Prediction

Spurs Get Their Point

There was a sense of ambivalence in N17 after Spurs were held to a point by Leeds United on Monday night, but that result could prove critical in keeping them in the division. Few supporters ever expect anything at the Bridge, but Sunday’s result on Tyneside has greatly improved their survival hopes.

While Chelsea will be keen to ensure the relegation scrap veers into the final day, they continue to perform with indifference. Sure, they’ve been relatively spirited in their most recent outings against Liverpool and Man City, but little indication that anything will be majorly different before Alonso takes the reins.

Spurs should fancy their chances of earning a sacred point.

Tottenham’s Stamford Bridge record: Spurs simply do not show up at Stamford Bridge. They’ve won just once away at Chelsea since the Premier League’s inception, and the Blues have won their five previous league outings against the Lilywhites.

Chelsea’s winless run: The hosts stopped the rot at Anfield by holding Liverpool to a 1–1 draw, but the Blues still haven’t won a league game since the start of March, a run of seven games.

Pressure eased on visitors: Had West Ham earned a result at Newcastle, you’d have fancied the still-depleted Spurs to wilt at the Bridge. However, the Hammers’ defeat should embolden Roberto De Zerbi’s side, who will feel as if they’re ever so close to avoiding humiliation.

Prediction: Chelsea 1–1 Tottenham

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham

Levi Colwill’s level of performance since recovering from a long-term knee injury may earn him a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, but Chelsea will be wary of overworking him. He’s played back-to-back 90 minutes, and could earn some respite here.

The same goes for captain Reece James, who’s only recently recovered from another hamstring injury.

Estêvão’s hamstring issue will sideline him for the World Cup, and there are no signs of Jamie Gittens returning before the end of the season. Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are both in contention after fighting off their respective knocks, with Marc Cucurella likely to drop back into Chelsea’s defense.

Youngster Jesse Derry is out of action until the summer after sustaining a nasty head injury in the 3–0 defeat to Nottingham Forest earlier this month.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Palmer, Fernández, Neto; Pedro.

Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea

De Zerbi has confirmed Guglielmo Vicario’s availability for Tuesday’s game after he recovered from hernia surgery, but Antonín Kinsky deserves to keep his place between the posts. Kinsky’s outstanding save from Sean Longstaff in stoppage time preserved a point against Leeds United last Monday.

Dominic Solanke’s not yet ready to return from a hamstring injury, so Richarlison will continue up top for the visitors. Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani are likely to operate out wide again, although Djed Spence could be a contender to replace the latter down the right-hand side.

James Maddison missed a couple of training sessions after making his first appearance of the season last time out, and won’t return to Tottenham’s starting lineup in west London. However, the Englishman should once again be available for minutes off the bench.

Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons and Ben Davies are all out injured for the visitors.

Tottenham Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Bentancur; Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison.

What Time Does Chelsea vs. Tottenham Kick Off?

Location: London, England

Stadium: Stamford Bridge

Date: Tuesday, May 19

Kickoff Time: 8:15 p.m. BST / 3:15 p.m. ET / 12:15 p.m. PT

Referee: Stuart Attwell

VAR: John Brooks

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Chelsea were unable to atone for their Premier League collapse at Wembley, as Manchester City claimed FA Cup glory at the spirited Blues‘ expense.

A six-game losing run was at least brought to an end via a 1–1 draw at Anfield, and Chelsea, as bad as they’ve been over the past couple of months, still have an outside shot of securing Champions League soccer for 2026–27—even if it’d take a minor miracle.

News of Xabi Alonso’s impending arrival should embolden Stamford Bridge ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s midweek arrival, with the visitors needing just a point from their remaining two games to remain in the top flight.

Ensuring that Spurs supporters are sweating on the final day will be among Chelsea’s priorities on Tuesday.

Chelsea Wary About Levi Colwill’s Minutes

Chelsea appear to have come out of Saturday’s FA Cup final unscathed. Still, McFarlane has said a cautious stance will be taken regarding Levi Colwill’s workload after his recovery from a long-term knee injury.

“We need to be careful with Levi. He’s obviously off the back of a very serious injury and has performed well in those two games [vs. Liverpool and Man City]. We’ll see how he looks today [Monday], how he reports, and we’ll make a decision on that,” the Chelsea boss said.

Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo are on stand-by.

Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho were both used off the bench at Wembley and are in contention for midweek starts. However, the hosts are without Estêvão, who’ll miss the World Cup with a hamstring injury, as well as Jamie Gittens.

Jesse Derry’s season is over after sustaining a nasty head injury in the 3–0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

⚠️ Key injuries, doubts, suspended: Levi Colwill, Estêvão, Jamie Gittens, Mykhailo Mudryk, Jesse Derry.

🔢 Predicted formation: 4-2-3-1

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham

GK: Robert Sánchez—The headguard-donning Spaniard will once again attempt to channel his inner Petr Čech when Spurs come to town, having failed to keep out Antoine Semenyo’s sublime flick at Wembley.

RB: Malo Gusto—Gusto started in the cup final as Reece James was used in midfield, and the Frenchman is likely to continue in McFarlane’s back four midweek.

CB: Wesley Fofana—It’s been a rather difficult end to the season for the undeniably talented Fofana. He’ll have to prove his worth to the new manager in the summer.

CB: Trevoh Chalobah—Colwill should be available for minutes, but no chances will be taken after he completed back-to-back full 90s. Chalobah is a more than adequate deputy.

LB: Marc Cucurella—His left-wing stint will come to an end here, with McFarlane restoring the eager Spaniard to his back four. Jorrel Hato is emerging as a handy alternative for the Blues.

DM: Andrey Santos—Reece James’s recent fitness setback could mean his minutes are managed against Spurs, with the skipper potentially only playing a role off the bench. In that case, we could see Santos make a rare start under the interim manager.

DM: Moisés Caicedo—The Ecuadorian could probably do with some respite, having started and finished Chelsea’s six previous games. Caicedo has picked up a booking in each of his last four outings, too.

RM: Cole Palmer—Palmer’s meek campaign continued at Wembley, and the Stamford Bridge faithful will be hoping the instinctive playmaker has saved his best work for their final home outing of 2025–26.

AM: Enzo Fernández—The Argentine came closest to equalizing for the Blues at Wembley, and will be particularly keen to hurt the survival hopes of Chelsea’s London rivals.

LM: Pedro Neto—Chelsea supporters will soon have fresh faces to marvel about out wide, and not be subjected to energetic left backs performing critical attacking functions. Assuming Cucurella drops back into defense, there should be an opening for Pedro Neto to return to the XI.

ST: João Pedro—The Brazilian has had a great first season in west London, and he loves playing against Spurs. João Pedro has recorded four Premier League goal contributions in two starts against the Lilywhites and was the match-winner in the reverse fixture.

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West Ham United’s hopes for survival were greatly hindered by one of the most significant VAR calls in Premier League history, and perhaps crushed by their opening 20 minutes on Tyneside.

The Hammers entered Sunday’s game having been offered a lifeline by Leeds United in the wake of their cruel home defeat to league leaders Arsenal. Leeds’ point at Tottenham Hotspur kept the Lilywhites within grasp, and a victory at Newcastle United would’ve placed immense pressure on Spurs ahead of their trip to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

But instead of producing the sort of performance that has thrust them into a potential position of top-flight security, West Ham reverted to their early-season selves at the worst possible time. Newcastle saved some of their best stuff for their final home outing of a disappointing season, even if West Ham’s sloppiness, set-up and laziness out of possession facilitated their impressive start.

A 2–0 deficit left them chasing the game from almost the very outset, and although there was a window for an unlikely comeback when Taty Castellanos scored brilliantly after William Osula had netted his second, West Ham ultimately fell well short of the result they required at St. James’ Park.

Here’s how their defeat has changed the outlook of the relegation scrap, according to Opta’s supercomputer.

Supercomputer Predicts 2025–26 Final Premier League Standings

Spurs supporters left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night feeling as if they’d missed a huge opportunity to take a giant leap towards safety, even if they were eventually forced to cling on to a point against Leeds.

However, they’ll be feeling considerably better about their chances of staying up after enjoying West Ham succumb up north. The Hammers were dire, with supporters exiting St. James’ Park as early as the 20th minute after goals from Nick Woltemade and the emerging Osula.

Now, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are all but guaranteed to be playing second tier soccer next season. Their relegation chances have increased to 93.83%, with Spurs now boasting just a 6.17% likelihood of succumbing to a once-unfathomable fate.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side need just one point from their remaining fixtures to survive.

West Ham, Tottenham’s Remaining Fixtures

Despite Sunday’s boost, the innate pessimism that resides within every Spurs supporter means few will be considering summer transfer plans and the exciting future that awaits them with De Zerbi at the helm. There have been marked improvements under the Italian, but two tricky fixtures are left.

They always struggle at Stamford Bridge, no matter the quality of the Chelsea team they come up against. Fortunately, victory isn’t necessary on Tuesday night, but it’d be sweet. 10 years on from the ’Battle of the Bridge’ that confirmed Leicester City’s miracle, the Lilywhites could secure safety at the home of their London rivals, who were beaten in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

If their wretched record continues in West London, though, it’ll go to the final day.

West Ham welcome the Leeds team that left the door ajar for Nuno’s men last week, while Spurs face off against a slumping Everton outfit in N17. The Toffees’ European ambitions have dwindled after failing to win any of their previous six games, but traveling teams are ensured plenty of joy when they visit the Lilywhites’ imperious amphitheater.

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Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham Hotspur failed to pull themselves clear of West Ham United in the Premier League relegation scrap on Monday night, having directly benefited from perhaps the biggest VAR call in the competition’s history the day before. The Italian backs that decision.

West Ham thought they had snatched a late point against Premier League leaders Arsenal, thus denting the Gunners’ title hopes, when Callum Wilson thumped home after a set-piece melee.

However, Wilson’s strike was ruled out following a lengthy VAR review, as David Raya was deemed to have been fouled by West Ham’s Pablo from the initial corner. The significance of the decision drew widespread debate, with plenty falling on either side of the referendum.

While De Zerbi had no issue with the reversal of Chris Kavanagh’s on-field call, he did suggest that Jarred Gillett’s “frenetic” officiating on Monday night may have been influenced by the drama.

VAR Overturn “200% Correct“

De Zerbi was the most agitated he’s been on the touchline since taking the Tottenham job, as his team toiled against a physical Leeds team and failed to make the most of a huge opportunity.

The 1–1 draw leaves them two points clear of the Hammers with two games remaining, and their relegation rivals can at least temporarily move to a position of safety by beating Newcastle United at St. James’ Park on Saturday before Spurs next play on Tuesday.

De Zerbi admitted his team didn’t play well, but he also wasn’t impressed by Gillett’s officiating.

“The first minute until the end of the game, the referee went to me, ‘if you go out, yellow card,’ and I think they were not calm today,” he told reporters . The Italian was booked late in the game for entering the field, having been warned in the first half for leaving his technical area.

“Maybe they suffered the pressure of the West Ham-Arsenal game and VAR. For sure, we suffered the pressure for the speed of the ball, for the order on the pitch and we didn’t play with patience.

“Frenetic and we were rushed, but also the referee was not calm,” he added.

And while he wasn’t directly asked about the incident, unrelentingly discussed in the soccer world since it occurred, given its potential ramifications, De Zerbi weighed in: “I can’t understand the polemic because it was a foul, 200%, not 100%, if you want to talk about football.”

The Tottenham boss refused to get lured into a discussion about the decisions that went against Spurs on Monday night, notably Mathys Tel’s penalty giveaway and the spot-kick they weren’t awarded for Lukas Nmecha’s challenge on James Maddison.

Asked about the latter incident specifically, De Zerbi replied: “No, I don’t want to come inside the polemic. I didn’t see. I didn’t watch again. I don’t know."

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Before even taking club rivalries into consideration, local fans of Arsenal, Chelsea and any London team apart from Tottenham Hotspur have been urged to support West Ham United in their battle against Premier League relegation by the capital’s mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.

As Khan pointed out, the taxpayers of the entire city stand to face a cumulative bill of an extra £2.5 million ($3.4 million) should West Ham get relegated due the added costs of their London Stadium hosting Championship fixtures.

With two games of the campaign remaining, the Premier League relegation battle has boiled down to a two-way duel between Spurs and West Ham. While the cost of demotion for Tottenham could exceed $300 million for the club’s billionaire owners, a drop out of the division for the Hammers would hurt the pocket of regular Londoners, according to Khan.

“What I’d say to Londoners who don’t support Spurs is you should probably be cheering on West Ham,” the mayor, who was convinced to support Liverpool after being subjected to racist abuse by fans of multiple capital clubs during his youth, told The Standard.

“The previous mayor, Boris Johnson, did the worst deal that can be imaginable,” Khan explained when referring to the agreement struck between West Ham and the government to rent out the London Stadium in 2016.

“As far as West Ham are concerned, [it’s] a deal of the century where he basically gave them rent free, this amazing stadium for 100 years. Now if West Ham are relegated, we, the taxpayers, we City Hall, could lose up to £2.5 million a year.

“So what I say to Londoners who don’t support Spurs is you should probably be cheering on West Ham, because the taxpayer will lose out if West Ham go down.”

The Numbers Behind West Ham’s Potential Relegation

West Ham’s home ground, formerly known as the Olympic Stadium which was opened for the summer Games in 2012, is owned by the Greater London Authority (GLA), which is the responsibility of mayor Khan.

In the deal brokered by Boris Johnson—a fact that Khan was keen to get across given he sits on the opposite side of the political divide—West Ham pay £4.4 million per year to rent the stadium, with the rest of the costs to host each fixture taken up by GLA, i.e. the London taxpayer.

Labour assembly member Bassam Mahfouz revealed to The Standard earlier this season that West Ham’s rent will halve should they drop into the Championship—that’s already £2.2 million off the table. Furthermore, there are 23 home fixtures for clubs in England’s second tier compared to 19 in the Premier League, forcing the expenditure which goes on the likes of stewarding to rise.

“It’s a financial fiasco so badly negotiated it could only be described as an own goal,” Mahfouz seethed.

The individual cost for each taxpayer amounts to less than 50 pence—a figure which doesn’t quite grab the attention like £2.5 million. However, it is a very real problem for the government, who warned that they “would need to find additional support” to plug this yawning hole in the budget.

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Had a few balls bounced differently, Tottenham Hotspur could already be safe. Don’t concede that stoppage-time equalizer to Brighton & Hove Albion and convince Mathys Tel to refrain from attempting an overhead kick in his own penalty box and Spurs would be out of West Ham United’s reach.

But that’s not how it went.

Georginio Rutter did score in the 95th minute of Roberto De Zerbi’s first home game and Tel did swiftly cancel out his crisp opener against Leeds United on Monday night with a bizarre penalty concession leapt upon by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Fortunately for Spurs, West Ham have endured their own fine-margin fumbles. The dramatic defeat to Arsenal on Sunday ensured that the Premier League relegation battle has been reduced to a straight shootout between these two capital foes. With just a pair of matches remaining, Opta’s supercomputer has offered up its best guess at the outcome of this duel.

Supercomputer Predicts 2025–26 Final Premier League Standings

“It’s going to be tough,” Nuno Espírito Santo admitted when reflecting on West Ham’s chances of survival after Sunday’s bitter reverse against Arsenal. Tough, but not yet impossible. The Hammers are given an 80.46% chance of relegation by Opta’s supercomputer, tumbling out of the division in four out of five scenarios.

Spurs are considerable favorites to keep their head above water but only two points are expected to separate the two sides, theoretically taking this relegation battle down to the final day. De Zerbi would expect nothing less: “It will be tough until the last minute against Everton,” he warned after getting a firm grasp of just how mentally fragile his roster is.

Tottenham could technically wrap it up before that final Sunday in May. Should West Ham fail to defeat Newcastle United at St. James’ Park this weekend, Spurs would mathematically guarantee their survival with a win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, May 19.

West Ham, Tottenham’s Remaining Fixtures

As wretched as Chelsea have been recently, it would be incredibly surprising to see them roll over against their fierce London rivals on home turf. Spurs have recorded just one win at Stamford Bridge in the last 36 years. Danny Drinkwater was on the Chelsea roster which last lost a home game to Tottenham on April Fool’s Day 2018.

If De Zerbi is correct in his assumption that this race against relegation will come down to the final round of fixtures, Spurs can take comfort from their record against Everton. The Toffees have lost their last four trips to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium by an aggregate score of 9–1.

West Ham host Leeds at the same time on Sunday, May 24. Daniel Farke’s side proved on Monday that they won’t necessarily have their feet up for the rest of the season—De Zerbi is certainly hoping so. “Congratulations to Leeds,” the Italian boss tactfully mused, “they played a great game, they have to play the last game at West Ham and we’ve no doubt that they will play the same way.”

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