BBC

Two down, one to go.

Burnley's loss to Manchester City meant they joined Wolves in having their relegation from the Premier League confirmed.

For the past couple of weeks, it has looked like being four teams - Leeds, Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Tottenham - scrapping it out to avoid the remaining spot in the drop zone.

But, following Sean Longstaff's dramatic late equaliser at Bournemouth, Leeds have taken seven points from three games to reach the magical 40-point mark, and many will be starting to exclude them from any relegation conversations.

"I am experienced long enough in this world, we will celebrate when it's mathematically done. It's too early," Leeds boss Daniel Farke told BBC Match of the Day.

"We are on 40 points, seven games unbeaten in all competitions, so I am confident. Why should we lose the last four games?"

Victory over Championship-bound Burnley at Elland Road might be enough to make Leeds mathematically safe.

Until then, there is still work to do before Farke will let himself celebrate and - certainly for the other three sides in the mix - it could go down to the wire...

Big celebrations after a 97th-minute equaliser are usually to be expected but, for the Leeds players at the Vitality Stadium, it was about more than just the point.

That draw takes them nine points clear of Tottenham in 18th and, with so few games remaining, that gap will almost certainly be enough to keep them in the top flight.

According the Opta Supercomputer, the chances of Farke's side being relegated from this position are a mere 0.21%.

Still mathematically possible, as the Leeds manager said, but barring the most remarkable turn of events the Whites have done enough.

It is good news, too, for Forest. Following their win over Burnley at the weekend, Opta gives them just a 4.27% chance of being relegated.

As far as the supercomputer is concerned then, it is between West Ham and Tottenham for that unwanted 18th place.

The Hammers are given a 38.58% of ending the season in the bottom three, while it is seen as more likely than not that Spurs will go down for the first time since 1977.

Roberto de Zerbi's side are the 56.93% favourites to be relegated from here.

Tottenham boss De Zerbi was bullish about his side's chances of staying up after Saturday's draw with Brighton, claiming they are "able to win five games in a row" to end the season.

But for all De Zerbi's faith in his players' capabilities, the evidence of this season does not suggest a team capable of such a feat.

Spurs have not won any of their past 15 league games, meaning they are without a top-flight victory in 2026 and have managed only two since 26 October.

They must beat bottom side Wolves on Saturday to avoid equalling the club's worst winless league run - set some 91 years ago, between 1934 and 1935.

Nottingham Forest have two wins in their past three games and are unbeaten in five, and West Ham have won two of their past five.

Zoom out a little further and the Hammers have taken 19 points from their past 12 games, Forest have 18 from their past 13 and for Leeds it is 19 from 15.

Since beating Crystal Palace on 28 December, Spurs have taken six points from 15 matches.

Every year when the fixtures are announced you hear the familiar refrain that "it doesn't matter, you play everyone twice".

But there is no doubt that when you face a certain team can make a big difference across a 10-month campaign.

With five games remaining Spurs will definitely think their run-in, at least on paper, gives them every chance of staying up.

Next up is a trip to Wolves, whose relegation to the Championship was confirmed on Monday.

A home match against Leeds on 11 May is another Tottenham will view as an opportunity, especially if Farke's side have ensured their safety by then.

Even a tricky-looking match at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa on 3 May comes at a good time for Spurs, as it falls between the two legs of the Europa League semi-final for Unai Emery's men.

A visit to rivals Chelsea before hosting Everton on the final day is not a straightforward way to finish, given both teams seem likely to be fighting for European places.

But, given how tight things are, that is something all the relegation candidates will have to deal with.

West Ham host Everton on Saturday before an away game at Brentford - and it only gets tougher with title-chasing Arsenal the visitors to London Stadium on 10 May.

Even with Newcastle enduring a disappointing season, an away game at St James' Park on the penultimate weekend is far from simple and there could be plenty riding on the home match against Leeds on the last day.

Forest arguably face the toughest last five with away games at Chelsea and Manchester United in May - the former coming just three days before the second leg of the Reds' Europa League semi-final against Villa.

Home games against Newcastle and Bournemouth, on the last day, could be crucial but getting a result at Sunderland on Friday would help alleviate a lot of stress for Vitor Pereira's side before the remainder of the run-in.

It is 49 years since Spurs found themselves in the relegation zone after 33 league games and, in that 1976-77 season, they were unable to save themselves.

Given only Sheffield Wednesday, already relegated from the Championship, have a worse home record than Spurs' two wins in England's top four tiers this term, significant improvements will be required.

The numbers don't get any more encouraging for De Zerbi's side with only Derby (18) in 2007-08 and Sunderland (17) in 2002-03 having longer winless runs to start a calendar year than Spurs' current streak of 15 - and both were relegated in those years.

Forest can take some comfort from the fact 36 points has been enough to survive in every Premier League season since 2015-16.

Even more encouragingly for the Whites, only six teams have been relegated with 39 points or more in a 38-game season and not in the past 14 seasons - since Birmingham and Blackpool both went down on 39 points.

This year might be one in which the traditional claim of 40 points being required for safety proves true, but West Ham know that sometimes even that is not enough.

The Hammers hold the unwanted record of the most points achieved by a relegated side - the 42 they mustered in 2002-03 was not enough to spare them from the drop.

No wonder Farke and Leeds are taken nothing for granted just yet.

Tottenham are looking to appoint a lead psychologist for their men's first team after boss Roberto de Zerbi said they need to "change the mentality".

Spurs have slipped into the Premier League's bottom three, having gone 15 league games without a win.

De Zerbi was appointed as Tottenham's third head coach of the season at the end of March but has picked up just one point from two games.

The Italian said his job is to give the players the "right mentality" and it appears the club is taking steps to help him achieve that goal.

In an advert posted by Spurs on social media platform LinkedIn, external, the club said they are seeking an "outstanding performance psychologist" to deliver "evidence-based psychological support to elite players".

"The role encompasses individual player support, systemic work across the coaching and performance staff, and the ongoing development of a psychologically informed performance culture throughout the team," the advert added.

"This role demands a practitioner who is credible, discreet, and highly effective in a Premier League environment, capable of building trust with players and coaches while operating with the professional rigor expected at the highest level of the game."

Former Manchester United goalkeeping coach Ian Willcock has joined Tottenham.

He reunites with Tottenham manager Martin Ho and assistant Lawrence Shamieh, who both came from United.

Willcock joins from Canada Women’s national team and replaces Chris Williams, who departed Tottenham in April.

It is understood Williams is set to join Chelsea.

Willcock worked closely with England goalkeeper Mary Earps while at United and was heavily praised by the former Lioness star in her autobiography.

Time is a resource that has intrigued humans for millennia. We fight against it every second of the day. Some try to buy more of it, while others chase it through sweat and self-discipline. Right now, Tottenham fans would do almost anything for a sliver more.

As 2025 turned into 2026, the boardroom at Spurs refused to panic. There were five months of the season to go, plenty of time. "No need to panic," they told us. Relegation was not even a line on the emergency procedure leaflet handed out to new starters.

So they sat and they watched as Thomas Frank burned through game after game. Eventually they acted, but Igor Tudor opened the window and let more drift away. Finally, the double act of Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange, perhaps the biggest wasters of time in our recent history, acted. But it seems, sadly, the damage had already been done.

Our decision-makers may finally have found a manager capable of saving us, but it is too late. Roberto de Zerbi appears to have given us lift, but the runway is too short. We are not going to make it.

In a modern Premier League where every club has money and reach, we took our place for granted. Just because something always has been does not mean it always will be.

History is littered with the fall of dynasties. Even ones as modestly successful as ours needed care and direction over time to maintain it. Nothing, no matter how strong, is immune to decline.

While those around us evolved and adapted, our club clung to the past, mistaking familiarity for stability. I do not stand alone in this sadness. Our fanbase is filled with melancholy and disbelief. All year our managers and board have referenced boats and tankers. Well, congratulations, it has finally sunk.

The performance, the fight, even the point against Brighton were hard-earned. But letting two points slip only reinforces the feeling that it is too little, too late.

There are five games left, but our biggest opponent is time, and there is no way we can beat that.

Wolves are unbeaten in their last six Premier League games against Spurs (W4 D2), with their four wins in that time just one fewer than they had in their first 17 against them in the competition (W5 D3 L9).

Tottenham have lost their last three away league games against Wolves, as many as they had in their previous 16 visits to Molineux (W10 D3).

Wolves have lost 22 Premier League matches this season. They’ve only lost more in four previous top-flight seasons – 23 in 1905-06, 25 in 1964-65, 25 in 1983-84, and 23 in 2011-12.

Tottenham Hotspur remain winless in all 15 of their Premier League games in 2026 (D6 L10), now just one short of their all-time longest winless run in league competition of 16 matches from December 1934 to April 1935.

Wolves have lost their last two Premier League games 4-0 to Wolves and 3-0 to Leeds. They haven’t lost three league games in a row by 3+ goals since November 2014 in the Championship, while in the top-flight it last happened in the same season in November 1983.

Spurs won seven of their first eight Premier League games when scoring first this season, conceding only three goals in those eight games. They’ve since won none of their last five when going 1-0 up (D3 L2), shipping 11 goals.

In the last two seasons, the two ever-present teams with the fewest Premier League points are Wolves (59) and Spurs (69), while the two sides with the most defeats are Wolves (42) and Spurs (38).

Wolverhampton Wanderers have failed to score in 17 Premier League matches this season, last failing to score in more games in a league season in 2000-01 (19). The only top-flight seasons they’ve had more games without scoring are 1981-82 (20) and 1983-84 (22).

Wolves manager Rob Edwards lost both of his Premier League meetings with Tottenham in 2023-24 while he was Luton manager, but his biggest win in the competition was in January 2024 against a Brighton team managed by Roberto De Zerbi – the Hatters won 4-0.

Xavi Simons has been involved in four goals in his last two starts in all competitions for Tottenham (3 goals, 1 assist). All five of his goals for the club have come at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, however – he’s had 20 shots away from home without success.

West Ham's draw against Crystal Palace on Monday night, means it is essentially 'as you were' in the battle against relegation, with Tottenham still two points from safety as they fight to avoid a first top-flight demotion since 1977.

Leeds and Nottingham Forest were the two big winners from the latest round of fixtures as both claimed big home wins to move eight and five points from the drop zone, respectively.

For Daniel Farke's Leeds side, that might prove to be enough and they will hope they soon find themselves excluded from the relegation conversation.

But, with Wolves now gone and Burnley set to follow, there is still work for all four sides to do in the coming weeks.

But for all De Zerbi's faith in his players' capabilities, the evidence of this season does not suggest a team capable of winning five on the bounce.

Spurs have not won any of their past 15 league games, meaning they are without a top-flight victory in 2026 and have managed only two since 26 October.

They must beat bottom side Wolves on Saturday to avoid equalling the club's worst-ever winless league run - set some 91 years ago, between 1934 and 1935.

Leeds have won back-to-back games to move to the brink of safety, Forest have two wins in their past three games and are unbeaten in five and West Ham have won two of their past five.

Zoom out a little further and the Hammers have taken 19 points from their past 12 games, Forest have 18 from their past 13 and for Leeds it's 18 from 14.

Since beating Palace on 28 December, Spurs have taken six points from 15 matches.

With five games remaining, Spurs will definitely think their run-in, at least on paper, gives them every chance of staying up.

Next up is a trip to Wolves, whose relegation to the Championship was confirmed on Monday night.

A home match against Leeds on 11 May is another Tottenham will view as an opportunity, especially if Daniel Farke's side have beaten Burnley at Elland Road in their previous game and essentially ensured their safety.

Even a tricky looking match at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa on 3 May comes at a good time for Spurs, as it falls between the two legs of the Europa League semi-final for Unai Emery's men.

A visit to rivals Chelsea before hosting Everton on the final day is not a straightforward way to finish given both teams seem likely to be fighting for European places.

But given how tight things are, that is something all the relegation candidates will have to deal with.

West Ham host Everton on Saturday before an away game at Brentford - and it only gets tougher with title-chasing Arsenal the visitors to London Stadium on 10 May.

Even with Newcastle enduring a disappointing season, an away game at St James' Park on the penultimate weekend is far from simple and there could be plenty riding on the home match against Leeds on the last day.

Forest arguably face the toughest last five with away games at Chelsea and Manchester United in May - the former coming just three days before the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Villa.

Home games against Newcastle and Bournemouth, on the last day, could be crucial but getting a result at Sunderland on Friday would help alleviate a lot of stress for Vitor Pereira's side before the remainder of the run-in.

Read Sam's whole relegation debrief here

From anguish on Saturday evening to some sort of relief on Monday.

It has been a trying season for Tottenham fans but after seeing their side concede a late equaliser at home to Brighton, they can at least taken some comfort from West Ham's failure to take full advantage at Crystal Palace.

The Hammers' draw at Selhurst Park means it is essentially 'as you were' with Spurs still two points from safety as they fight to avoid a first top-flight relegation since 1977.

"It will go all the way, for sure. Not only at the bottom of the table but at the top," West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo told BBC Match of the Day.

"This season has been very tight. We don't make points, we play games. We have a mission ahead and keep going."

Leeds and Nottingham Forest were the two big winners from the latest round of fixtures as both claimed big home wins to move eight and five points from the drop zone, respectively.

For Daniel Farke's side, that might prove to be enough and they will hope they soon find themselves excluded from the relegation conversation.

But, with Wolves now gone and Burnley set to follow, there is still work for all four sides to do in the coming weeks.

Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi was bullish about his side's chances of staying up after their draw with Brighton on Saturday, claiming his side is "able to win five games in a row" to end the season.

But for all De Zerbi's faith in his players' capabilities, the evidence of this season does not suggest a team capable of winning five on the bounce.

Spurs have not won any of their past 15 league game, meaning they are without a top-flight victory in 2026 and have managed only two since 26 October.

They must beat bottom side Wolves on Saturday to avoid equalling the club's worst-ever winless league run - set some 91 years ago, between 1934 and 1935.

Leeds have won back-to-back games to move to the brink of safety, Nottingham Forest have two wins in their past three games and are unbeaten in five and West Ham have won two of their past five.

Zoom out a little further and the Hammers have taken 19 points from their past 12 games, Forest have 18 from their past 13 and for Leeds it's 18 from 14.

Since beating Crystal Palace on 28 December, Spurs have taken six points from 15 matches.

Every year when the fixtures are announced you hear the familiar refrain that "it doesn't matter, you play everyone twice".

But there is no doubt that when you face a certain team can make a big difference across a 10-month campaign.

With five games remaining, Spurs will definitely think their run-in, at least on paper, gives them every chance of staying up.

Next up is a trip to Wolves, who have long since been looking ahead to Championship football next week.

A home match against Leeds on 11 May is another they would view as an opportunity, especially if Daniel Farke's side have beaten Burnley at Elland Road in their previous game and essentially ensured their safety.

Even a tricky looking away match at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa on 3 May comes at a good time for Spurs, as it falls between the two legs of the Europa League semi-final for Unai Emery's men.

A visit to rivals Chelsea before hosting Everton on the final day is not straightforward way to finish given both teams seem likely to be fighting for the European places.

But given how tight things are, that is something all the relegation candidates with have to deal with.

West Ham host Everton on Saturday before an away game at Brentford - and it only gets tougher with title-chasing Arsenal the visitors to the London Stadium on 10 May.

Even with Newcastle enduring a disappointing season, an away game at St James' Park on the penultimate weekend is far from simple and there could be plenty riding on the home match against Leeds on the last day.

Forest arguably face the toughest last five with away games at Chelsea and Manchester United in May - the former coming just three days before the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Villa.

Home games against Newcastle and Bournemouth, on the last day, could be crucial but getting a result at Sunderland on Friday would help alleviate a lot of stress for Vitor Pereira's side before the remainder of the run-in.

It is 49 years since Spurs found themselves in the relegation zone after 33 league games and in that 1976-77 season they were unable to save themselves.

Given that only Sheffield Wednesday, already relegated from the Championship, have a worse home record than Spurs's two wins in the English football league this term, significant improvements will be required.

The numbers don't get anymore encouraging for De Zerbi's side with only Derby (18) in 2007-08 and Sunderland (17) in 2002-03 having longer winless runs to start a calendar year than Spurs' current streak of 15 - and both were relegated that year.

Leeds and Forest can take some comfort from the fact that 36 points has been enough to survive in every Premier League season since 2015-16.

Even more encouragingly for the Whites, only six teams have ever been relegated with 39 points or more in a 38-game season and not in the past 14 seasons since Birmingham and Blackpool both went down on 39 points.

This year might be one in which the traditional claim of 40 points being required for safety proves true but West Ham know that sometimes even that is not enough.

The Hammers hold the unwanted record of the most points achieved by a relegated side - the 42 they mustered in 2002-03 was not enough to spare them from the drop.

Harry, Manchester: To me Leeds are no longer in the conversation. Forest are hitting form at the right time too. It's got to be between Spurs and West Ham. And honestly, I'm not seeing this 'fight' we'd usually see from relegation candidates in Spurs. West Ham look motivated, so I'm saying Spurs.

Martin, North Yorkshire: Tottenham most likely to get relegated, but West Ham's poor goal difference could still prove to be a factor.

Dougal, Liverpool: West Ham has the trickier run-in, but the benefit of momentum. De Zerbi is having an impact, but is it too late? I think so.

Ron, Stoke: Morgan Gibbs-White and Jarrod Bowen are key to Forest and Hammers staying up but there no one obvious is stepping up at Spurs so for me they join Burnley and Wolves.

Tyler, London: Tottenham are at the disadvantage with practically no momentum! As a West Ham fan, I'd like to say we're going to stay up. Forest are still in it but with those four points ahead it's looking good for them.

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Tottenham and Brighton.

Here are some of your comments:

Tottenham fans

Paul: Lifelong Spurs fan and I haven't seen us be this bad in almost 50 years of watching us. And I've seen some awful Spurs performances in that time. We're definitely getting relegated and we completely deserve it. I wouldn't be surprised if we get relegated from the Championship next season either. We won't even be able to celebrate Arsenal bottling the league again this year.

Jello: It was better, but still such a Tottenham performance to concede at the death. The two points dropped could end up costing a few hundred million. Lastly, Xavi Simons, save the tears for the dressing room. It's pathetic to see our players bawling on the pitch, you're a highly paid professional and a part of why we're in this calamity. Roberto De Zerbi was right to say he doesn't want to see our players crying. We need steely determination and granite resolve for the next five matches.

Scott: Pedro Porro is a liability. Celebrating, like he's good at his job. He's a defender and missed an almost open goal. If he could just stay in position, Spurs would be a mid-table team. If he could tackle, we'd push towards Europe.

Bob: We deserve to go down after watching another lacklustre performance. Players already look like they have given up. We look like a Championship team already.

Brighton fans

Brian: A solid, if not spectacular, performance with good contributions from the bench. Given all the noise and expectation around Roberto De Zerbi I think it's a satisfactory result. Now for Tuesday and three points against Chelsea!

Michael: Fantastic, but we should have won. So many chances, but wow, what a team. The first goal was probably one of the best all season, but because they are not a "big club" it gets overlooked.

Maggie: Spurs think they should have won. Really? I don't think so. Spurs were outplayed and out-thought for most of the game. The only reason we don't have all three points is Bart Verbruggen and his poor playmaking. He twice passed Jan Paul van Hecke into trouble for the first goal before he mistimed his punch. Then, he did it again for the second. Shocking. Oh and he nearly gifted Conor Gallagher a goal dallying with the ball. For his 100th game he had a nightmare. Clear. Your. Lines. First rule of defending.

Former Tottenham midfielder Andy Reid says Saturday's draw with Brighton will be a "tough blow" for the players after conceding an equaliser in the 95th-minute, but there are "shoots of positivity" to take from the overall performance.

"The crowd brought a good degree of atmosphere to the stadium that I haven't seen for a bit and the players fed off that," said Reid on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"It seemed like they were less bothered about possession - which is what Roberto de Zerbi has always been known for - but the performance had a good tempo and intensity.

"They pressed Brighton really high up the pitch and Dominic Solanke was the catalyst for that. They were in the game and the crowd was with them.

"When Xavi Simons scored Spurs' second goal the place erupted and the atmosphere was as good as I've seen it at the new stadium. At this point, you're thinking that this could be the start of something good, but then the Georginio Rutter goal goes in and the life is sucked out of the place again.

"It wasn't toxic in that there was any booing, but it went flat.

"It is a tough blow for them to take but there were shoots of positivity."

It could be one of the biggest 'what if' transfers.

Instead of scoring the goals to lift Nottingham Forest closer to safety, Morgan Gibbs-White could have been Tottenham's saviour.

Spurs thought they had their man last July but the transfer saga - during which Forest threatened legal action - could still have ramifications 10 months later.

The England international's first hat-trick in Sunday's 4-1 win over Burnley lifted Forest five points above the Premier League relegation zone with five games left and pushed Tottenham closer to the drop.

Gibbs-White also scored Forest's winner in Thursday's 1-0 Europa League quarter-final second-leg victory over Porto, which sent them through 2-1 on aggregate and set up a semi-final with Aston Villa.

It has left him on 15 goals in all competitions for Forest this season as the 26-year-old proves the difference as Vitor Pereira's side look for survival ahead of Spurs.

When Forest strolled out of north London with a 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 28 days ago it felt seismic.

They were only three points above the relegation zone, but the magnitude of the win could not be understated.

It was Pereira's first win as Forest manager and the nature of the victory felt huge, with Gibbs-White scoring a game-clinching second.

Fast forward a month and Gibbs-White's hat-trick piles more misery on Spurs and gives them another reminder of what could have been.

A move to Tottenham appeared done in July when it appeared his £60m release clause had been triggered.

Yet Forest looked to take legal action and were furious with Tottenham's conduct and were adamant they had not been given permission to speak to their player.

Gibbs-White went on to sign a new three-year contract a few weeks later and the saga was perhaps a prelude to the two club's chaotic seasons, with Forest going through four managers and Spurs close to their first relegation since 1977.

"A massive three points. We knew how important this game was coming into it. The first half was a bit nervous, tense," Gibbs-White told BBC Match of the Day.

"The words from the gaffer was to give it everything out there - whatever will be will be. They boys came out fighting, took our chances when we needed to and controlled the game.

"The first, I was a bit erratic. I knew for the second one to take a touch and be a bit more composed. When the third went in, it was a delight.

"We got the win and we have that gap."

Instead of potentially spearheading Spurs' survival bid, Gibbs-White has delivered another hammer blow.

Spurs, in 18th, will be four points from safety if West Ham beat Crystal Palace on Monday.

Ex-Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy told Match of the Day: "It is strange how football works.

"One of the things Spurs fans have been vocal about is the club not being able to get good players signed and over the line.

"Whether that could be through the inability to negotiate properly, whether it's financial, who knows?

"But, ultimately, a player like Gibbs-White would have been brilliant for Tottenham this season and would have hit the ground running - unlike Xavi Simons, who is a good player but has taken time to adapt.

"Today is a double kick in the stomach for Spurs as he could have been the man to save them from trouble. Instead, he's given Forest a huge boost to beat the drop."

Forest had problems at home in the league, having won only two of their previous 11 top-flight outings at the City Ground.

In that time they had scored nine goals, but six of them came in wins against Leeds and Tottenham.

They were without a win at home in the league since 14 December, when they beat Spurs 3-0, and needed someone to step up. Cue Gibbs-White.

"When I was watching the first half we were talking together. Morgan was not in his best condition," said Pereira.

"In the first half the team didn't find him in the right timings, spaces and didn't find him in the way we wanted.

"I asked them [at half-time], 'let's go to prove our quality and spirit'.

"He went in his pocket. He has a lot of talent in his pocket, a lot of team spirit and character, and he leads the team. I have leaders inside the team. They proved together we never give up."

Gibbs-White's treble - the first time he has scored more than once in a game since 2022 - made him the joint highest English scorer in the Premier League this season, on 12 with Brighton's Danny Welbeck.

It was also a reminder to England manager Thomas Tuchel before the World Cup after Gibbs-White was left out of the 35-man squad last month for games with Japan and Uruguay.

Pereira said: "He deserves it because he has the quality of a leader.

"When things are not happening in the way we want, when the team is struggling, I know a lot of players in this moment they prefer to hide themselves.

"This is not for Morgan. He wants the ball, wants the responsibility and wants to score goals and assist.

"He is a fantastic player for us, not only technically and tactically but about character."