Many neutrals have been rooting for West Ham over Spurs in the battle for Premier League survival and Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi thinks he knows why.
West Ham lost their third game in a row at Newcastle to put bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur on the brink of Premier League safety at the weekend.
The Hammers could have piled the pressure on Roberto De Zerbi’s side if they had won, or even got a point, at St James’ Park.
But a dismal 3-1 defeat means Spurs will now secure survival if they pick up a point from games against Chelsea and Everton.
De Zerbi thinks he knows why fans want West Ham to stay up over Spurs
Tottenham go to Stamford Bridge, where they have a woeful record, on Tuesday night.
While most West Ham fans have come to terms with the fact relegation is now inevitable, many neutrals believe there is every chance Tottenham could lose both games and the Hammers beat Leeds on the final day to survive.
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If they lose at Chelsea, then it does indeed take the scrap for safety to the final day where, as many have been keen to point out, anything can happen.
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Fans of other clubs have been rooting for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, hoping it will be Tottenham who drop.
And De Zerbi thinks he knows why.
But in trying to explain why he thinks people want Tottenham to be relegated over the Hammers, De Zerbi has given more ammunition to those who feel the north Londoners are deluded.
Because De Zerbi believes fans want to see Spurs suffer because they are among the biggest clubs around, suggesting they are a much larger fish than West Ham in the football food chain.
“I am Italian and in Italy, it’s the same,” De Zerbi told Football London.
De Zerbi: Fans want Spurs down because they’re bigger than West Ham
“For the biggest teams, it’s the same. We have to accept the pressure. We have to enjoy this pressure. We have to find new motivation from this pressure.
“I think it’s a good thing for us. If everyone wants Tottenham relegated, it’s a big motivation for me, and I hope for my players as well.
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“We have to accept that football is nice because of the rivalry. It’s good to imagine ourselves celebrating the win in their (Chelsea’s) stadium. It’s the reason football is like this, no? It’s a motivation, it’s a challenge.
“If a challenge is tougher, it’s better for us to find new motivation and to be focused on staying together from the beginning to the end of the game.”
De Zerbi is clearly trying to foster a siege mentality at Tottenham to get his side over the line and relegate West Ham.
But in doing so he has figuratively patted ‘little old West Ham’ on the head and perhaps proved people who feel Spurs get above their station right.
Tottenham are a big club and have big revenues due to their stadium but they are no bigger than the Hammers in terms of fanbase.
And bar a few good years under Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham have never done anything of note in the Premier League era.
They have been scrapping in the lower reaches of the top flight along with West Ham for the last two years.
So, bar income, what makes Tottenham ‘one of the biggest’ clubs around, as De Zerbi claims them to be?
His comments will only fuel the desire at West Ham for a final day miracle.
But that will only be made possible by a Chelsea win on Tuesday night.