The Independent

Premier League relegation odds: What are Tottenham’s relegation odds?  The Independent

Football manager Ange Postecoglou believes his best work is still ahead, despite a turbulent period marked by two recent Premier League dismissals.

His brief tenure at Nottingham Forest lasted only 39 days, culminating in his sacking in October after a 3-0 loss to Chelsea left the club languishing in 17th place.

Earlier, he guided Tottenham Hotspur to the Europa League title last May, ending a 17-year trophy drought.

However, he was dismissed just two weeks later, paying the price for a "horrendous" Premier League season which saw Spurs also finish 17th.

Postecoglou, 60, told SEN radio: "I want to win things still. I still have that drive and passion to achieve, that has not changed.

"Wherever I go in, there will be plenty of scepticism.

"I know whatever it is going to be, I have this thing in my head that this will be the best one I've done yet ... the recent experiences, maybe I needed them."

The Australian said he was not concerned about damage to his reputation in England and added that he had learned from his previous stints.

"You can't always be flying high and successful. Sometimes you need to cop a couple of whacks.

"It didn't work out. It's probably hurt me reputationally, probably here in the EPL for sure, but I don't worry about that.

"It didn't leave any marks on me as a person or a football manager. If anything, it allowed me to know that next time, I will seek some counsel before I bite off more than I can chew."

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou recently warned his old club faces "a hell of a fight" to avoid Premier League relegation, but has backed them to secure safety.

Speaking to Gerard Whateley on Australian broadcaster SEN 1116, Postecoglou articulated his enduring connection: "I still have a really strong attachment to the club. It was two years and they were by no means easy years, but we invested a lot into them.

“Second last game we won a European trophy, which was an incredible high. The connection there will be there forever.

“To watch them struggle has not been easy and it’s not the way I thought it would go. They’re in a hell of a fight, relegation is massive for any club but for Tottenham, it’s a pretty big deal.

“They have some fighting to do and they have the quality to get out. They need a circuit-breaker, for sure."

Both Forest and Spurs sit 16th and 17th in the table and face the threat of relegation.

Forest are only two points clear of 18th-placed West Ham, while Tottenham hold a one-point cushion.

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has warned his old club faces "a hell of a fight" to avoid Premier League relegation, but has backed them to secure safety.

Spurs are 17th in the Premier League table, just one point above the drop zone, after only two top-flight wins in 22 fixtures.

Postecoglou, who was dismissed last June despite guiding Tottenham to their first trophy in 17 years, remains confident they will have enough to stay up.

Speaking to Gerard Whateley on Australian broadcaster SEN 1116, Postecoglou articulated his enduring connection: "I still have a really strong attachment to the club. It was two years and they were by no means easy years, but we invested a lot into them.

“Second last game we won a European trophy, which was an incredible high. The connection there will be there forever.

“To watch them struggle has not been easy and it’s not the way I thought it would go. They’re in a hell of a fight, relegation is massive for any club but for Tottenham, it’s a pretty big deal.

“They have some fighting to do and they have the quality to get out. They need a circuit-breaker, for sure."

With no fixture until 12 April, Tottenham players and staff have been given time off.

However, the club faces a complex situation with interim head coach Igor Tudor, who is mourning his father's death.

Former Spurs midfielders Tim Sherwood and Gus Poyet have offered their services should Tudor depart after five defeats in seven, including Sunday’s 3-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest.

Speculation has heightened around former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, though he is unlikely to accept a mid-season role after his Marseille dismissal in February, and would prefer to wait until summer.

Reports from France have also linked former Monaco head coach Adi Hutter to the Tottenham job.

Mauricio Pochettino, who is currently preparing the United States national team for this year’s World Cup, has expressed a strong desire to return to Premier League management in the future.

The Argentine has been linked with a return to former club Tottenham after coaching the north London team between 2014 and 2019.

Spurs find themselves in a relegation battle after sacking Thomas Frank in February and installing Igor Tudor on an interim basis.

Tottenham sit just one point above the Premier League relegation zone with seven games remaining, and Tudor has earned them only a single point from his first five league games in charge.

Pochettino articulated his affection for English football in L'Equipe. "I love the country, its culture, the football culture," he stated.

"For anyone with a competitive spirit who wants to measure themselves against others and test their abilities, it's the ideal place. You have to constantly give your best."

Pochettino boasts significant Premier League experience across three spells. He began with Southampton before five years at Tottenham, where they became regular top-four finishers and reached the 2019 Champions League final. He also had one season at Chelsea.

After parting ways with Tottenham in 2019, Pochettino took charge at Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

However, he revealed he was approached by a London club, understood to be Tottenham, six months into his French capital tenure.

"Not just Tottenham. Other very big clubs too. When that six-month season ended, with the whole Covid situation, the club situation created instability," he explained.

He reflected: "I enjoyed my experience at PSG. But I had other options, which I shared with the club, but they chose not to listen to any of them."

Pochettino was also a Tottenham target when Ange Postecoglou was sacked last season, but then said a return to north London was not realistic.

Tottenham interim head coach Igor Tudor is mourning the death of his father, a loss confirmed by his former club Juventus on Monday.

The news meant Tudor was unable to attend post-match media duties following Spurs’ damaging 3-0 home defeat by relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Tottenham assistant Bruno Saltor stepped in for Tudor, initially declining to provide details on what he described as a "family issue”.

Juventus, where Tudor previously played and managed, released a statement expressing their condolences.

"Juventus stands with Igor Tudor and his family at this difficult time. Juventus joins in mourning the passing of his father," the club said.

It is understood that Tudor was informed of his father's passing after the final whistle of Sunday's match.

Saltor later commented on the situation, stating: "It’s a personal family issue and obviously it’s a difficult moment for him. I’m just trying to support the best way we can."

A statement by Tottenham on Monday read: “Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Igor Tudor’s father Mario.

“Our thoughts and condolences go out to Igor and his family during this incredibly difficult time.”

The devastating personal news for Tudor comes at a time when he is facing an uncertain future at Tottenham, with the north London club finding themselves in a battle to avoid relegation after a horrendous run on form.

Spurs have not won a Premier League game in 2026, and Tudor has been unable to turn their fortunes around since replacing Thomas Frank last month.

Tottenham have lost four of their five league games under Tudor and are now just one point above the bottom three with seven games remaining.

They also exited the Champions League last week following a 7-5 aggregate defeat by Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.

The club’s board could decide now is the time to make another change, given that Spurs are not due to return to action for almost three weeks.

Tottenham’s next game is against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on 12 April.

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The Premier League relegation battle looks set to go right down to the wire with four clubs seemingly battling to avoid the one remaining spot in the drop zone.

Perhaps Wolves or Burnley could still pull off the greatest of escapes but, in all likelihood, they will crash into the Championship and then be joined by one of Tottenham, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds.

Relegation for a Spurs side that won the Europa League last season, reached the Champions League knockout stage this term and has spent just one season outside the top flight since 1950 would go down as one of the biggest shocks in Premier League history but their chastening 3-0 defeat to Forest in their final game before the March international break and Igor Tudor’s catastrophic spell in charge has made that a real possibility.

The north Londoners are currently 17th in the table, just a point above bitter rivals West Ham in 18th, while Forest and Leeds have a marginally greater cushion between them and the bottom three. But with seven games remaining for each, there will be plenty of twists and turns still to come.

Here’s how the crucial relegation run-in is shaping up.

Position: 15th | Played: 31 | Points: 33 | GD: -11

Remaining fixtures:

Where to pick up points? The fixtures have fallen fairly kindly for Leeds and the chances are there for them to secure Premier League football next season. Three wins would definitely be enough to survive and two may well do it, so they’ll be eyeing up home fixtures against the current bottom two – Wolves and Burnley – to get over the line. Away games against relegation rivals Tottenham and West Ham also look like prime opportunities to get results on the board.

Tricky contests? Their first game after the international break, away to high-flying Manchester United, is their toughest remaining fixture on paper and leaving Old Trafford with anything would be hugely impressive. That is their only game against a team currently above 10th in the standings but a trip to Bournemouth in April and hosting European football-chasing Brighton in their penultimate fixture won’t be easy. Will an FA Cup quarter-final against West Ham straight after the international break proce to be a welcome distraction or a hindrance?

Final straight? Leeds will be desperate to have secured safety by the time they travel to West Ham on the final day but if not, that could be a high-octane shootout for survival. Games against Brighton and Spurs immediately preceding that are too unfriendly as finales go.

Position: 16th | Played: 31 | Points: 32 | GD: -12

Remaining fixtures:

Where to pick up points? The three points they picked up by securing their first Premier League win since late January by hammering Tottenham 3-0 in the final match before the international break could prove vital with a tricky-looking remaining schedule. A home fixture against seemingly doomed Burnley is a golden opportunity for Forest to collect three more points and one further win in addition to that could be enough to get over the line. A home game against a mid-table Bournemouth side who may have nothing to play for on the final day could be their best chance.

Tricky contests? Games against three of the current top six still await Forest with trips to Man United and Chelsea on the docket as well as Aston Villa heading to the City Ground just three days after Forest travel to Porto for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. A trip to Wearside to face this season’s surprise package Sunderland at the end of April is also a tough ask.

Final straight? It’s not the best with a journey to Old Trafford on the penultimate day of the season far from ideal although, as mentioned above, hosting Bournemouth on the final day could offer a chance to snatch the points required if things aren’t wrapped up by then. A home match against a floundering Newcastle as their antepenultimate fixture could also be worse. Things could be complicated if they are still going in the Europa League by that point, however.

Position: 17th | Played: 31 | Points: 30 | GD: -10

Remaining fixtures:

Where to pick up points? At the moment, Spurs can’t pick up points from anywhere... They haven’t won for 14 league matches, with their last Premier League triumph coming against Crystal Palace back in December and their most recent attempt being a 3-0 hammering by relegation rivals Nottingham Forest. On paper, a game away to Wolves at the end of April is a good opportunity for three points, as is a potentially pivotal clash with Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium three matches from the end of the campaign, but every clash is tough currently. There’s a good chance they may have a new man in charge by the time they face Sunderland on 12 April though and how they could do with a new manager bounce.

Tricky contests? Sidestepping the obvious quip of ‘every single one’, given their recent form, away games at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa and Chelsea in May don’t look too fruitful. Even home fixtures with mid-table sides Sunderland, Brighton, plus top-half Everton suddenly look that much more dangerous as well.

Final straight? Leeds at home as the third-last game is absolutely huge. Should that game go awry and Spurs head into the final two matches in the relegation zone, then a trip to Stamford Bridge and clash with Everton to finish up appear unlikely to provide succour.

Position: 18th | Played: 31 | Points: 29 | GD: -21

Remaining fixtures:

Where to pick up points? Their impressive form since hugely damaging back-to-bac defeats to Wolves and Nottingham Forest at the start of the year have seen West Ham go from doomed to having a genuine chance of survival. They may well be questioning exactly where the form that has seen them claim four wins and three draws from their last 10 league games was earlier in the season but if they can keep it going from here, then a home game against cellar-dwelling Wolves straight after the international break and a trip to struggling Crystal Palace to follow look like brilliant chances to rack up victories. Welcoming Leeds to the London Stadium on the final day also looms incredibly large.

Tricky contests? The Everton (H), Brentford (A), Arsenal (H) run from late April to early May does not look very friendly. The games before and after that run appear to be much better chances to pick up the points the Hammers need to pull off an impressive escape.

Final straight? If West Ham can get through that three-game stretch with a realistic shot at survival then an away game against Newcastle and a home clash with Leeds to finish the season might just be the ticket to get them clear of the drop zone. The final-day showdown against Daniel Farke’s side could be an all-time classic but won’t be a pretty watch if both sides are still fighting for their lives. However, the fact that the Whites are coming to the London Stadium at least plays into Nuno and co’s hands.

This could genuinely go in any direction and you’d have to be a brave person to predict the outcome with any confidence. It will surely all come down to the final day when West Ham host Leeds in a showdown for the ages, Spurs play Everton and Nottingham Forest host Bournemouth. Leeds generally have the kindest fixtures and although the goals have dried up for them recently, they should have enough to survive given the current cushion.

Forest could be adversely affected by their Europa League run and will probably need to have survival wrapped up going into the final couple of games, while West Ham’s crunch period comes straight after the international break. The next two fixtures could make or break the Hammers’ chances. Meanwhile, Spurs are in abject form and appear to be on the brink of ditching Igor Tudor. Could a new manager bounce prove sufficient? At this stage, we’ll say no and condemn Tottenham to the Championship for next season. But everything will change week by week.

Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League survival hopes have been dealt a significant blow following a demoralising 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, plunging the club into 17th place and intensifying fears of a first relegation since 1977.

In the wake of the crushing loss, defender Cristian Romero has vowed to commit "200 per cent" to the remaining "seven finals" as the north London side battles to avoid a seismic exit from the top flight.

The defeat extends Spurs' winless run in the Premier League to 13 matches, a stark contrast to the pre-match optimism generated by a spirited draw at Liverpool and a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid.

Despite an estimated 10,000 fans flooding High Road to create a raucous welcome for the team bus and a partisan atmosphere inside the stadium, the initial positivity quickly dissipated into a sense of inevitability.

While the first half saw some promising moments, including Richarlison heading wide and Forest's Igor Jesus diverting a header onto his own crossbar, it was Jesus who delivered a stoppage-time sucker-punch before the break.

Although Mathys Tel responded with a curled effort against the crossbar, Tottenham's performance collapsed after half-time.

Manager Igor Tudor's double substitution failed to stem the tide, as defensive lapses allowed Morgan Gibbs-White to double Forest's lead after 62 minutes, before Taiwo Awoniyi sealed a vital win for the visitors in the 87th minute, prompting a mass exodus of home supporters.

Reflecting on the difficult day, Romero expressed gratitude to the supporters. "It’s a difficult day for everyone, but the first thing is to speak about the fans. Thank you for today and always staying with us," he stated.

"They gave us fantastic support, but about us, it’s a bad day. Now it is finished and the most important thing is to understand the situation."

The Argentine international acknowledged the team's struggles, particularly the "sloppy goal" conceded just before half-time.

"It’s not easy but the most important thing is to get to national team and back here for the last seven finals," Romero continued, outlining the immediate focus.

"I promise (to) put 200 per cent in every one and for me it is not easy, but we have to stay all together. It’s a bad day yeah, but we will go again."

The captain also took personal responsibility for the team's poor season, adding: "Honestly me (I’m) the first to take responsibility, but the fans thank you. Thank you every game, the support is brilliant and it’s only (now) about the players, the staff and we need (to give) more, especially me the first, but the last seven finals we will go again."

This tenth home league loss of the campaign has eroded much of the goodwill built up before kick-off, yet fan groups are reportedly planning further displays of support for the next home fixture against Brighton on April 18.

As Tottenham stare down the barrel of a historic relegation, Romero's defiant pledge underscores the immense pressure on the squad to deliver in their remaining crucial encounters.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Not Sunday, and not this season. Tottenham Hotspur are in freefall. They are plummeting to earth without a parachute, and hoping West Ham can cushion their landing. The relegation fears are real.

The 2025-26 campaign was said to be the one Spurs really pushed on. The Europa League triumph was expected to be the springboard for further success. They’d finally won. But at what cost? Out went Ange Postecoglou, and in came Thomas Frank. A steady hand on the tiller, or so it seemed.

To the Dane’s credit, it started off well enough. Spurs went blow-for-blow with Champions League winners PSG in the Super Cup. They were minutes away from a second European trophy in the space of three months. They beat Manchester City and West Ham in the opening weeks with ease. The north London side made a solid start to their Champions League campaign, beating Villarreal 1-0 in front of their fans.

The wheels, though, started to come off at the beginning of November. Spurs’ home form had already been called into question. Their sole league win in their opening four at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium came on the first weekend of the season against Burnley. It took a late Joao Palhinha equaliser against table footers Wolves to ensure they didn’t lose the subsequent three.

In a bid to correct their form, Frank called on the fans to back the team as Chelsea made the short trip across the capital. Spurs needed the supporters to drag them over the line. “We need the fans behind us,” the former Brentford head coach outlined. Reader, Spurs put in one of the worst performances of the season. That was the game the penny dropped for most. ‘I’m beginning to think that Thomas Frank was not the brilliant tactician I thought he was’.

Following that (un)eventful London Derby, the only way has been down for Spurs.

Since the start of November, Tottenham have beaten as many German teams as they have English sides. That would be somewhat forgivable if Spurs plied their trade in the Bundesliga.

Frank, unsurprisingly, was sacked last month. In came the master firefighter, Igor Tudor. To Dare is Tudor. The ultimate interim manager, who’d saved Udinese – twice – and hauled Lazio and Juventus to Europe with a final season flourish. Fans are yet to see the best of Tudor. Truth is, they probably never will.

Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest marked Spurs’ fifth defeat from his seven games in charge. They’ve lost to Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace, and now the Tricky Trees in a relegation six-pointer. The only victory was a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Spurs lost the two-legged tie 7-5. They won the battle but lost the war.

And with seven games to go, Spurs are very much staring into the abyss. Sunday was supposed to be the turning point. Spurs rescued a late point at Liverpool last week. The aforementioned home triumph of Atletico followed suit, a morale-boosting victory if you will.

Yet as Spurs have found out all too often this season, the Premier League and the Champions League are a whole different kettle of fish. The capital side won all five home European games this season. They’ve won twice in front of their fans in England’s top tier this term. Only a Sheffield Wednesday side in administration and on the receiving end of two points deductions have a worse home record than Spurs in the top four tiers of English football.

In truth, Spurs will have welcomed the international break, if only to ease the relentlessness of the season. It’s a chance to actually take stock of the perilous situation they find themselves in. Years of underspending, cutting corners and mismanagement are finally catching up on Spurs. The departure of Daniel Levy was supposed to usher in a new era with “The Lewis Family” in charge. A leopard, though, never changes its spots. ENIC have exhausted their patience with the fanbase.

The appointments of Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange were questionable on paper. In practise, they’ve arguably been the worst the club has ever made. And with Tudor unlikely to be in charge in time for the trip to Sunderland next month, the question on everyone’s lips is: what next for Tottenham?

It’s a question few, if any, can answer. If Tudor goes, who comes in? And how do they correct the club’s current predicament? Defeat to Forest extended Spurs’ winless streak in the league to 13 matches, their longest such run in 91 years, according to Squawka. Are there any positives the club can take?

Well, they have key personnel still to return from injury. Mohammed Kudus is expected back after the international break. Spurs have missed his spark down the flank. Despite not playing since the 1-1 draw with Sunderland in January, the Ghanaian still ranks fourth for successful dribbles (52) in the Premier League this season.

Rodrigo Bentancur will at least provide a semblance of experience in the middle of the park once he recovers from a hamstring issue. Saying that, we’re clutching at straws here.

This is very much a Spurs side in dire straits. “Every time I've seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it's usually been an oncoming train,” Postecoglou said when he spoke of Tottenham’s injury crisis last season.

At least the Australian had hope. For Spurs fans, there is none. The tunnel has been plunged into darkness and is taking the north London powerhouse straight into the Championship.

What now? As the Tottenham hierarchy contemplate whether the emergency removal of Igor Tudor might be necessary to avoid the very real prospect of a humiliating relegation to the Championship, the club’s 58,000 fans who watched their latest – and perhaps most damning – disastrous defeat now find themselves in a quandary.

They have tried walkouts – both of the organised variety and on impulse halfway through a particularly dreadful loss against Crystal Palace little over a fortnight ago. They have repeatedly, vocally, made their anger clear over the course of a dismal campaign. Now their final roll of the dice failed to yield any sort of response from their comatose players.

The rapturous pre-match reception some 10,000 or so home supporters gave the two Spurs buses on arrival at Tottenham High Road was the kind usually reserved for trophy parades. People scaled bus stops, hung off lampposts and filled the streets with blue and white flares in a forlorn bid to inspire.

“All together, always,” was the message of unity Tottenham fans conveyed in the wake of encouraging performances against Liverpool and Atletico Madrid over the previous week. The fight to avoid second-tier football was deemed too important for entirely justified recent fury to in any way hinder that mission.

For a beleaguered group that has witnessed just one Premier League home win since the opening day of the season, it was admirable. They sang, they cheered and they implored a response that never arrived. Instead, they were forced to endure a gutless performance against a relegation rival that must now make the end of Spurs’ top-flight tenure more likely than not given their 13-game winless league run. So what do the fans do now?

It was a question that could not be asked of Tudor, who did not attend post-match media duties after he was reportedly informed of an immediate family bereavement. In his absence, assistant manager Bruno Saltor said: “The fans were outstanding since the first minute when we were coming in, to the last minute.

“They stayed, they showed their support. It was quite emotional for everyone on the bus [before the match]. That’s what we need because, right now, all of us have the same goal: fight until the end of the season and stay in the Premier League as this club deserves.”

Yet, by the end of a win that was as important for Nottingham Forest’s safety mission as it could prove devastating for Tottenham’s, there were more empty seats around the ground than those occupied. The latest mass exodus followed the visitors’ third goal, tucked home by Taiwo Awoniyi with three minutes of normal time remaining after earlier goals from Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White. Then came the familiar refrain of boos at the final whistle.

It was a result that a truly insipid second-half performance deserved, but not those who had paid to watch. For much of the past two seasons, the primary sound around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has veered between deafening silence and irate jeers – neither of which have been unwarranted. During the majority of this match – even after going two goals down – supporters put aside frustrations and ran through their songbook, to no effect.

The finger will be pointed at a manager who supposedly thrives in such difficult situations, but has now earned one point from his five Premier League matches.

Given the absence of Spurs creativity that was pervasive in spite of significant time spent in Forest territory, it was something of a surprise that Xavi Simons remained on the bench until the 67th minute. The Dutchman had been one of the brightest lights in the midweek victory over Atletico Madrid (which did not prevent a Champions League exit), but Tudor opted against his inclusion from the outset. Such was the weakness of the Tottenham collective that it is hard to envisage one player making much of a difference in any case.

All sense of a cohesive plan appeared entirely absent; there was little structure and no obvious method through which to win the game. Forest did not dominate anything like as much as the scoreline might suggest, but they did not need to.

Jesus’ headed opener, scored on the stroke of half-time, came after an opening period in which Spurs benefitted from eight corners. The hosts did in fact twice hit the crossbar in that first half, through a misdirected Jesus defensive header and a long-range Mathys Tel shot.

But if a stirring fightback was expected after the break, the opposite occurred, as Tudor’s side became increasingly disjointed. When a ball was squared into the Tottenham penalty area just after the hour, an alarming absence of marking allowed an entirely untroubled Morgan Gibbs-White to drill home.

“A good week for us,” said Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira, whose side advanced to the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday and are now three points clear of the relegation zone. “It is good for belief because we need to believe in ourselves. It is about what we want to be as a team. We are alive, we are committed and we are ready to fight.”

Whether Tudor will be given the opportunity to locate some sense of spirit among his floundering Tottenham players following the international break must now be in severe doubt. Saltor insisted the coaching staff “feel the support from everyone at the club”. If that does not now include the fans, then who could blame them?