Which Clubs Will Avoid Relegation: Spurs, Forest, West Ham Or Leeds?

West Ham

Reasons for optimism: West Ham came from down to pinch a constituent against Manchester City connected Saturday and, for 18 glorious hours, they tasted life extracurricular nan relegation zone. This was their first spell extracurricular nan bottommost 3 successful 112 days and, moreover though results connected Sunday dragged them backmost down, those fleeting hours offered a glimpse of hope. West Ham person taken 15 points from their past 9 games – only 4 teams person picked up much successful that play and they each inhabit spots successful nan apical six. We are yet opening to spot Nuno Espírito Santo’s blueprint: West Ham are keeping things tight astatine nan back, scoring goals from accelerated breaks and person only mislaid 1 of their past six convention games.

Reasons for caution: They request each nan momentum they tin get arsenic they person a reliable run-in, pinch Aston Villa, Arsenal, Newcastle and Brentford each to travel earlier what could beryllium a last-day reckoning against Leeds. Every constituent will person to beryllium earned nan difficult way.

Tottenham

Reasons for optimism: Hope has been successful short proviso of late, but nan conflict Spurs showed successful their 1-1 tie pinch Liverpool connected Sunday – and past against Atlético Madrid successful nan Champions League successful midweek – mightiness conscionable beryllium nan first glimpse of ray astatine nan extremity of nan tunnel. Tottenham travelled to Anfield connected nan backmost of 5 consecutive defeats successful nan convention but, for nan first clip successful months, they played pinch immoderate belief and organisation. It was not nan capacity of a squad that is winless successful 2026 and missing 13 first-team players done injury. Spurs had much shots connected target than Liverpool and were yet rewarded for their persistence erstwhile Richarlison equalised successful nan 90th minute. “We came present pinch 12 players and this is really thing large for me, for our club, for nan team,” said head Igor Tudor. With fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Leeds to come, Spurs fans will beryllium hoping this week is their springboard to safety.

Reasons for caution: One constituent against Liverpool only papers complete nan cracks. Spurs person not won immoderate of their past 12 convention games – their worst tally since nan 1934-35 season, erstwhile they vanished past and were relegated. Discipline and activity stay awesome concerns, pinch Cristian Romero’s reddish cards and Micky van de Ven’s costly lapses emblematic of a squad that often loses power successful important moments. They person picked up conscionable 10 points astatine their ain stadium this play – nan worst location grounds successful nan Premier League and nan 2nd worst successful England’s apical 4 tiers aft Sheffield Wednesday. Spurs do not person nan luxury of competing against a dire bottommost three, for illustration they did past year, and draws whitethorn not beryllium capable to prevention them. Lose to Nottingham Forest connected Sunday and they will beryllium successful large trouble.

Cristian Romero is nan only subordinate who has been sent disconnected doubly successful nan Premier League this season. Photograph: James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Nottingham Forest

Reasons for optimism: Nottingham Forest are 17th successful nan table, conscionable supra nan relegation area acknowledgment to their superior extremity quality to West Ham. They tin propulsion further clear if they hit Tottenham connected Sunday. They person won their past 3 matches against Spurs and are starting to show immoderate signs of stableness nether Vítor Pereira. He is nan club’s 4th head this season, which is hardly ideal, but his attraction connected video study and one-to-one activity person improved results. Forest came from down doubly to tie pinch Manchester City astatine nan Etihad earlier this period and they person backed that up pinch different tie against Fulham and a triumph complete Midtjylland successful nan Europa League. They are taking steps successful nan correct guidance astatine a pivotal constituent successful nan season.

Reasons for caution: Pereira has admitted his players are struggling pinch nan demands of competing successful Europe and a relegation battle: “I’m not nan benignant of personification who tries to find excuses, but it’s not easy to play 4 games successful 12 days because they are not machines,” he said earlier this month. But nan large games support coming. They are disconnected to Porto successful nan quarter-finals of nan Europa League aft nan world break. Pereira should besides beryllium worried astir his team’s deficiency of cutting edge; they person grounded to people successful 14 of their 30 matches this play and person nan 2nd worst attacking grounds successful nan convention aft Wolves. Forest are sorely missing Chris Wood, who has been injured since October but remains 1 of their apical scorers this season. With Spurs, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United to travel successful their past 8 games, nan goals will person to get soon.

Leeds

Reasons for optimism: They are 3 points clear of nan relegation area and person a favourable run-in, pinch games to travel against Wolves, Burnley, Tottenham and West Ham – each sides beneath them successful nan convention – and conscionable 1 fixture against a broadside successful nan apical six. They should beryllium cautiously optimistic, particularly aft a bid of progressively gritty displays successful caller weeks, champion encapsulated by their 0-0 tie pinch Crystal Palace past Sunday. A missed punishment and harsh reddish paper mightiness person crushed different relegation candidates, but not Leeds. They regrouped astatine half-time, shifted into a protect 5-3-1 statement and defended for illustration their play depended connected it, denying Crystal Palace a azygous changeable connected target successful nan full match. It wasn’t beautiful but it was nan resolute show of a broadside hellbent connected survival.

Reasons for caution: Leeds tie excessively galore games. They person only mislaid 4 of their past 17 matches … but they person only won 4 of them. They are besides acold excessively reliant connected their location form, pinch conscionable 1 distant triumph each season. The bully news is they still person location matches to play against Wolves and Burnley.

This is an article by WhoScored