The Mirror

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Tottenham's Premier League status hangs in the balance but with arch-rivals Arsenal doing a favour by beating West Ham at the weekend, a win against Leeds will give Roberto De Zerbi's side some breathing space

A Monday-night meeting between Tottenham and Leeds rounds off the Premier League action this weekend, with plenty at stake for both sides at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs are chasing a first run of three consecutive top-flight wins this season after back-to-back victories away in the West Midlands. Having beaten Wolves for their first league win of 2026, they followed up with a 2-1 success against a heavily-rotated Aston Villa side as Conor Gallagher and Richarlison struck inside the opening 25 minutes.

The bookies are expecting only one end result here with Spurs the favourites at 3/4 with BetGoodwin while Sky Bet have Leeds at 16/5 to seal the deal and a draw is 11/2 with Ladbrokes. You can also find more betting offers at the Mirror Betting Hubs Free Bets offers.

Tottenham begin the weekend 17th, a point above West Ham, and could be overtaken if the Hammers spring a surprise against Arsenal on Sunday. Despite a poor home return of 11 points from 17 games, Roberto De Zerbi’s early impact has been underlined by aggressive pressing numbers, with Spurs averaging 5.3 final-third ball recoveries per match under his watch.

Leeds, meanwhile, are closing in on safety. Daniel Farke’s side sit seven points clear of West Ham with three games left and could even be safe before kick-off on Monday depending on Sunday’s result. On 43 points - a total no team has previously been relegated with - the Whites have taken 10 points from their last four games and are unbeaten in six, including a 3-1 win over Burnley two weeks ago.

Leeds have also gone six away league matches without defeat, though draws have been an issue, with eight stalemates in their last 10 top-flight trips. Spurs, however, have had the better of this fixture recently, winning the last five league meetings, including a 2-1 victory at Elland Road in October.

Spurs vs Leeds Prediction

Spurs to win and both teams to score - 19/10 ( BetGoodwin )

Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score anytime - 7/4 ( BetGoodwin )

Over 2.5 goals - 3/4 ( BetGoodwin )

Spurs vs Leeds Team News

Tottenham’s injury concerns from Villa Park look minor, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison expected to be fit for Monday. However, Dominic Solanke (hamstring) is likely to miss out, while Guglielmo Vicario, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero remain sidelined. James Maddison could get his first minutes of the season, likely off the bench.

Leeds have been dealt a blow after Daniel Farke confirmed Okafor has a calf injury and will miss the next two games. Lukas Nmecha and Brenden Aaronson are options to replace him, while Gabriel Gudmundsson and Ilia Gruev are also out; Pascal Struijk could return.

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The Tottenham hierarchy didn't see eye to eye over the sale of a fan favourite

Aaron Lennon claimed former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and ex-manager Mauricio Pochettino disagreed over allowing him to leave for Everton. The now-retired winger insists Levy was against his departure in 2015 when Pochettino looked to put his own stamp on the squad.

Lennon will watch as his two former clubs, Spurs and Leeds United, face off in a crucial Premier League fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night. While his boyhood club Leeds, currently in 16th, have already secured Premier League safety with two games to go, 17th-placed Spurs are desperate for a win to increase the gap on West Ham and the drop zone to four points, greatly boosting their chances of survival.

The 39-year-old signed for Tottenham from Leeds in 2005 as a youngster, going on to become one of the north Londoners’ most important players during his time at the club. He made 364 appearances for the Lilywhites over a decade-long stint, registering 30 goals and 78 assists while lifting the League Cup in 2008.

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Yet, despite all his importance to Spurs for much of that period, Lennon fell out of favour once Pochettino arrived in 2014. The Argentine tactician sought to overhaul the squad with a brand new style of play, which Lennon became a casualty of.

He made just nine appearances in the 2014/15 season and was sent out on loan to the Toffees in January 2015. Lennon returned to Spurs briefly that summer but was sent to join the Under-21s and was not handed a squad number, essentially forcing him out of the club.

That decision, according to the winger, was Pochettino’s, as he claimed the often brutal Levy actually wanted Lennon to stay. But the England international ended up reluctantly signing for Everton permanently in a £4.5million transfer in September 2015.

Talking about his departure, Lennon told Off The Shelf Podcast: "I was gutted. I knew it was coming because I wasn't playing much and I was out of the squad, but it was tough because I felt I could play in that side."

He added: "This club was like home then, I'd been at Leeds, but this became home... It was tough, I knew it was coming but until it happens you don't realise how hard it hits you.

"I remember I sat with Daniel and I think he didn't want me to leave also, but even then we both knew it was right, I wasn't playing and needed to play."

The former Spurs and Leeds star made a quick exit after being asked about his future

Former Leeds and Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane hastily exited an interview earlier this year after he was asked about taking over at the north London club. Spurs, now managed by Roberto De Zerbi, will take on Leeds at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night, looking to edge further away from the drop zone following two successive victories in the Premier League.

Keane retired from playing in November 2018 and ventured into management. His post-playing career saw him appointed as assistant with the Republic of Ireland, Middlesbrough and Leeds.

The ex-forward was later handed the reins at Maccabi Tel Aviv ahead of his appointment at Hungarian side Ferencvaros, where he won the league title last season. However, despite being a bonafide Spurs icon, the former striker bristled at the idea of succeeding Thomas Frank, who was sacked in February this year after a rotten eight-month spell.

Asked if he was expecting an approach from Spurs earlier this year, Keane, 45, replied: "I can't help speculation," before shrugging his shoulders and quickly walking out of the room.

Keane also confirmed his stance on his future earlier this year, saying he was not actively seeking a role in the Premier League. Speaking with Hungarian newspaper Nemzeti Sport, he said: "I never dream about it.

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“After playing there the most, people back home expect me to work in England. It doesn’t work that way for me. Am I looking for the opportunity to sign for England? No. Would I like to be the manager of Liverpool? No. If they want me to be one, we can talk about it.

"I feel great at Ferencvaros, I couldn’t be in a better place right now. I am lucky because I don’t need money, I earned a living when I was a player, I don’t do it to get money at the end of the month, I am motivated by something completely different."

However, The Telegraph stated that Keane was reluctant to leave his current position unless it was for a full-time role at Spurs. The Lilywhites ultimately opted for former Brighton and Marseille boss De Zerbi, 46, who has taken charge of four games so far, winning two, drawing one and losing once since taking over at the end of March.

Keane’s stock has since been boosted further after he guided Ferencvaros to the 2025/26 Hungarian Cup on Saturday, beating Zalaegerszeg 1-0 after extra-time. His side now heads into next week’s final round of league fixtures a point behind Gyor as they look to retain the title.

After the Hungarian Cup win, Keane hinted he is hungry for more success with Ferencvaros. He said: “This victory is very special to me. Of course, winning trophies is always a good thing and to have managed to win another trophy after last year’s championship is a huge achievement.

“The main thing is that we won the Hungarian Cup. The Europa League is very important for the club, seeing the experience we have gained this season. Hopefully, we can have another good run next season too."

Keane signed for Leeds from Inter Milan in 2001, after initially joining on loan the season before. He scored 19 goals for The Whites before joining Spurs in 2002. He went on to score 107 goals for Spurs across nine seasons, with the Republic of Ireland forward leaving the club for a six-month stint at Liverpool in 2008 before returning until 2011.

Games are running out for teams at the foot of the Premier League to save themselves with Tottenham and West Ham trading places following a huge victory for Roberto De Zerbi's men

Nottingham Forest were the big winners of the weekend in the Premier League relegation battle as they all but clinched safety with a stunning 3-1 triumph at Chelsea.

And with Tottenham also recording a seismic away win over Aston Villa, it's West Ham who are now staring relegation in the face after dropping back into the bottom three just as the sand in the hourglass begins to run dry.

Forest have managed to put daylight between themselves and the two beleaguered London clubs in recent weeks as a result of an upturn in form which has been timed almost to perfection. Few, though, would have been expecting an afternoon to remember in the capital when Vitor Pereira made eight changes to the side that beat Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final in midweek.

But they were leading inside 90 seconds at Stamford Bridge courtesy of Taiwo Awoniyi. And they were two goals to the good on 15 minutes when Igor Jesus diligently dispatched a penalty kick after Malo Gusto mindlessly dragged back the Brazilian's strike partner inside the area.

Cole Palmer spurned a golden opportunity to get Chelsea back into it before half-time when he failed to convert another spot-kick, given after a sickening clash of heads involving the unfortunate Jesse Derry in the Forest area.

And Awoniyi took full advantage by adding a third for Forest early in the second half to nudge them six points ahead of West Ham with three games left to play.

The weekend started badly for the Hammers, who were poor in defeat against Brentford. And things got even worse on Sunday night when Tottenham picked the perfect time to win consecutive Premier League games for the first time since August 2025, beating a much-changed Aston Villa team 2-1.

While Forest now look out of reach for West Ham, albeit not quite so mathematically, Nuno Espirito Santo's side are still in touching distance with Tottenham.

But with a trio of challenging games remaining, Spurs could retain their Premier League status without picking up another point unless West Ham can muster up something special between now and their home finale against Leeds.

As it is, Forest can almost taste safety. It also now feels like Spurs sense a route to it after weeks of darkness. For West Ham, it's now a case of hoping they can engineer one last twist to spare them from doom.

GAMES REMAINING

Nottingham Forest: Newcastle (H), Man Utd (A), Bournemouth (H)

Tottenham: Leeds (H), Chelsea (A), Everton (H)

West Ham: Arsenal (H), Newcastle (A), Leeds (H)

There was a major change of direction in the Premier League relegation battle this weekend and emotions are running high.

West Ham's 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Brentford on Saturday opened the door for Tottenham and they accepted the invitation. Roberto De Zerbi's side came out swinging on Sunday, racing into a 2-0 lead at Aston Villa before conceding a late consolation goal.

Spurs' second straight win moved them one point ahead of the Hammers into 17th place with three games left to play. Tottenham were full of energy and good value for their win, yet Villa's flat performance and third straight loss raised eyebrows.

With Villa fairly comfortable in fifth place and prioritising the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest, Unai Emery made seven changes to his side. That decision perhaps played into the hands of Spurs and, for some, raised questions of sporting integrity.

So was there something untoward about the scenes at Villa Park on Sunday? Or was it a simple case of squad rotation? Here the Mirror Football writers give their take on the issue.

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John Cross

Let's be absolutely clear: Aston Villa’s so-called “performance” on Sunday night was probably the worst I’ve seen from a Premier League team this season. And yes, I’ve watched a lot of games. And if I’m Nottingham Forest or West Ham then I would be screaming: that stinks.

Tottenham were excellent. The best I’ve seen them play by far. They thoroughly deserved to win. But Villa did make it easy for them. They made seven changes. Would Spurs have won if Villa had not been playing the stiffs? Maybe. But the fact is we’ll never know.

We’ll never know whether in the second half a first teamer would be caught offside in Sunday League fashion at a short corner routine. Or whether they would have chased the ball Jadon Sancho gave up on. It’s clear he won’t be playing Thursday.

Here’s the thing. There’s more onus on relegation-threatened Forest to get a result at Chelsea on Monday. And that’s three days ahead of Forest’s Europa League semi final second leg at… you’ve guessed it: Aston Villa. Forest can’t rest any players. That’s why we’re using the word integrity.

West Ham sank into the bottom three after Villa rested seven players. How can that be right? During the game a contact from another club - with absolutely no skin in the game - messaged me about it. Could see it a mile off. Afterwards, an ex-player got in touch. “What about Forest?”

People in the game know the score. Emery will argue he's within his rights to make changes. But my God, he’d be moaning if he was Forest boss. It’s not right.

Jeremy Cross

Unai Emery is the manager of Aston Villa. Which means he can pick whatever side he wants, for whatever game he wants. He is paid the big bucks to make decisions which are in the best interests of his team.

And if he thinks resting some of his stars will give Villa a better chance of overcoming Nottingham Forest in the semi finals of the Europa League this week, then so be it. Because if Villa can go on and win the Europa League, it will be a much bigger achievement than finishing in the top four.

Villa will have another European trophy to boast about, not to mention be in the Champions League. Emery is being selfish. Which makes all those complaining about him damaging the integrity of the Premier League, one of the greatest ironies of all. Because when it comes to the top flight of English football, every club takes care of itself at all costs.

Andy Dunn

The Premier League allows clubs to lend players to each other and has a rule that forbids certain players from playing in certain games. The Premier League allows TV companies to dictate its schedule. The Premier League brought 115 charges against Manchester City over three years ago and there has still been no outcome.

Let’s not talk integrity.

Unai Emery was well within his rights to field a team that showed seven changes from the game at the City Ground last Thursday night. After all, Villa were pretty poor in that first leg. He is allowed to drop a few. The performance level from the players he brought in for the game against Spurs might have been unacceptable but his decisions were not.

He was entitled to make those decisions but they have backfired significantly. This Villa squad now goes into the second leg devoid of confidence. Still, at least Emery has done Spurs a favour.

James Whaling

Villa were awful. Abject. It happens. But the fact they made seven changes makes it seems a whole lot worse. Unai Emery picked a team flooded with internationals that was more than capable of beating a Spurs side languishing at the wrong end of the table.

Those who perhaps haven't seen as much game time as they'd have liked this season had an opportunity to stake a claim and they wasted it. Emery knows what he's doing. He's won the Europa League four times before and Villa are favourites to give him a fifth.

The wider debate should probably be on the over saturation of football that made Emery deem it necessary to make such sweeping changes. This has only been brought into sharper focus because it affected Spurs and their bid to stay in the division and avoid what would be the biggest relegation in the history of the Premier League.

Emery doubtless did them a favour. But he shouldn't have to answer to anybody.

Conor Mummery

This is not the first time a team has made changes for a Premier League game ahead of a big European tie, and it won't be the last. It is, however, the first time a team with the opportunity to have a big hand in sending Tottenham Hotspur down to the Championship has done so.

West Ham fans are naturally unhappy about Emery's selections given the result sent them back into the bottom three, but they were more understanding when David Moyes made six changes for the Hammers' 2-1 defeat at Leicester back in 2023, 10 days before their Conference League triumph in Prague.

If Aston Villa had made similar changes for a match against Crystal Palace or Sunderland, it would've gone largely unnoticed in comparison. But fans want Spurs down. And it's understandable. Seeing a 'Big Six' side in genuine danger of being relegated to the Championship is unprecedented and opposition supporters are naturally revelling in it.

Villa fielded as many regular starters in their line-up as Spurs did. The difference being the decision was taken out of Roberto De Zerbi's hands given Tottenham's ludicrous injury crisis. If fans want to criticise Emery's players for a perceived lack of effort and having one eye on Thursday's huge semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest, that's another debate. But to question the Villa manager's integrity for rotating his team four days out from one of the club's biggest games in the modern era is disingenuous at best.

Felix Keith

Oliver Glasner made five changes to his Crystal Palace side to face Bournemouth on Sunday. They were thrashed 3-0 and no-one seemed to mind, given the second leg of their Conference League semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk is around the corner. “Bournemouth’s semi-final was today. Ours is Thursday," Glasner admitted afterwards.

To my mind, the situation is exactly the same, it's just that Palace weren't playing a side involved in the relegation battle. But what makes it even more ridiculous is that, as Emery himself pointed out in his post-match interview, Villa had lost their last two matches ahead of facing Spurs.

Why shouldn't Emery change things up after watching back-to-back 1-0 losses against Fulham in the league and Forest in the Europa League? It's not like he put out a team of academy players. It's a complete non-issue.

Nathan Ridley

I can understand why West Ham and Nottingham Forest fans might feel frustrated, but Aston Villa did nothing wrong. Unai Emery's side have earned the right to prioritise the Europa League by giving themselves breathing room in fifth place.

If they get knocked out by Forest on Thursday and finish outside of the Champions League places, then questions can be asked. But not in relation to the relegation battle.

Whoever Villa were scheduled to play on Sunday would've faced a rotated team. The opposition happened to be Tottenham - just like when it was Brentford who got the benefit of facing a weakened West Ham XI between the Irons' Conference League semi-final fixtures in 2023. It's just how the cookie crumbles.

The only problem West Ham and Forest supporters should have is with their own results over the course of the whole season.

Roberto De Zerbi has led Spurs to back-to-back wins and the North London side are now favourites to escape the drop into the Championship ahead of next season

Roberto De Zerbi saw Tottenham take a huge step towards Premier League survival - but warned they are still a long way from safety.

Conor Gallagher scored his first goal for Spurs since his £35m move from Atletico Madrid in January with Richarlison also on target against a much-changed Aston Villa side.

The win lifted Tottenham out of the relegation zone above West Ham with just three games left but De Zerbi warned they cannot get carried away after their first back-to-back league wins since August.

Spurs boss De Zerbi said: “Nothing because the season is not finished yet. We have to play another three games starting next Monday night with Leeds, they are playing very well.

“We can't forget what the situation was before Wolves. It was a very sad situation and these memories have to stay in our heads. I'm pleased with this performance from my players. I know how much they have suffered this season.

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“We played very well when we had to attack the space or to shoot. I love playing football. My job is to help them and show what they are capable of.”

Tottenham’s wins at Wolves and now Villa have lifted them and De Zerbi says he wants to reward the fans in their two remaining home games against Leeds and Everton.

De Zerbi added: “Just one time we have played at home and the atmosphere was amazing in the stadium. I think it was a mental problem and these two wins, I hope we can play with more confidence and better mentality."

Tottenham goal scorer Gallagher said: “We’re really happy with the performance and the three points. It's been a perfect night but hopefully it's just the start. We want to carry it on for the last few games of the season.

"It's a good goal. I'm really happy with my first goal. It's always a relief to get the first goal and hopefully a few more can come now.

“The fans have had a really rough time this season, along with us. We're all one. Hopefully, this can be the start of something great.”

Gallagher also hailed De Zerbi’s impact on the team and added: “I can't speak highly enough of him. He's been so good. Every player in the squad has taken to him; he makes you feel so good. He brings the best out of you.”

Meanwhile, Villa boss Unai Emery defended the wholesale changes he made and insisted he wanted to shake things up after two straight defeats.

Emery said: “We lost on Thursday. We lost the previous match against Fulham. Maybe it’s better to continue with the same players - but we lost. But some of the players who came in had a challenge.

“We made changes a few weeks ago and you were not asking me then because we won. If people do not believe in these players then there is nothing I can do.

“But these are the players who won 11 games in a row and I am very proud of the players this season.”

Emery also said that he did not want to “take any risk” by using John McGinn ahead of their Europa League semi final second leg against Nottingham Forest on Thursday.

ASTON VILLA 1-2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Spurs gave their hopes of surviving relegation from the Premier League a huge boost as Unai Emery's men were booed off the pitch following a dismal performance

This was an absolute gift for Tottenham - and a present which may help them stay up. In fairness, Tottenham were excellent as you could see Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi’s methods are taking shape as they looked hungry, sharp and dangerous.

But Aston Villa were so bad it was embarrassing. The Villa Park faithful booed their team off at half time, full time and vented their frustrations throughout a dreadful display.

Penny for West Ham’s thoughts? Villa made seven changes, they rotated their squad between the two Europa League semi final ties with Nottingham Forest and the regulars who did play barely lifted a leg.

The win meant Tottenham leapfrogged above West Ham, climbed out of the relegation zone and now Spurs look clear favourites to survive with just three games left each.

These are the breaks at this stage of the season with some players already on the beach and other clubs prioritising different competitions.

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But Villa’s lack of interest was shameful. They did not manage an effort on target until Emiliano Buendia’s 96th minute consolation by which time it was too late. This raises questions about integrity. If you are West Ham or Forest you have every right to be fuming.

The Hammers are now in the drop zone and Villa’s surrender also means struggling Forest’s trip to Chelsea on Monday will take on greater importance just three days before their second leg with Villa.

It this was one hell of a lucky break for Spurs who have now strung back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since August.

Last week it was a scrappy, ugly win at Wolves. This time it flowed as they played some good stuff but Villa just stood off and there was no hint of any pressing or tackling.

No wonder the atmosphere inside Villa Park felt rather toxic at times. Unai Emery has got plenty of credit in the bank with Villa fans but it was little wonder most home fans had left before the final whistle.

Furthermore, Villa have yet to secure Champions League football themselves yet. If they keep playing like this then they will not get another point.

In contrast, Tottenham were sharp, fired up and tearing into tackles. They looked on a totally different level to Villa. It is no wonder that the likes of Jadon Sancho, Ross Barkley and Victor Lindelof do not start very often.

Tottenham were at it from the off. Tottenham were ahead after just 12 minutes. And it rather appropriately came from Conor Gallagher with his first goal for Spurs since he turned down Villa to join Tottenham for £35m in January.

Kevin Danso’s long throw was headed clear by Youri Tielemans but it fell to Gallagher who controlled the ball on the edge of the box and then had time to steady himself before firing low into the net from 20 yards.

It was nearly two five minutes later. Joao Palhinha’s low shot required a brilliant low diving save from Martinez to push the ball onto the post. Richarlison did then make it 2-0 after 25 minutes with a close range header from Mathys Tel’s lovely cross.

Villa were no better after the restart. When a short corner routine ended with an offside flag going up, there were audible groans. Sancho simply gave up on a pass forward. It was embarrassing.

Villa did finally create something deep into injury time. Matty Cash’s cross was flicked in by Bunedia but it was too little too late and it was never going to stop the wild celebrations in the away end.

Fair play, the long-suffering Spurs fans have been magnificent all season.

At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share my Data" button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.

At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share my Data" button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Terms and Conditions.