West Ham’s owners have voiced their big fears about Tottenham Hotspur as the battle for Premier League survival intensifies heading into the final four games.
It is a case of ‘as you were’ in the Premier League relegation tussle after wins for West Ham, Spurs and Nottingham Forest over the weekend.
Many felt Forest’s big 5-0 win at Sunderland made them safe – but the Hammers and Tottenham kept the pressure on with victories over Everton and Wolves respectively.
West Ham still have survival in their own hands after a 92nd minute winner over the Toffees at the London Stadium.
West Ham owners have Spurs worry ahead of Villa clash
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side know they just need to match Tottenham’s results in the last four matches to stay up.
In fact West Ham can even afford one less result than Spurs, who are two points below them but have a superior goal difference.
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West Ham are in a precarious position with 4 games to go! 😬
Being the hunted rather than the hunters brings a different pressure.
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Especially as West Ham have spent so long as the latter, closing a 13-point gap on Tottenham to overhaul them recently.
The world and its wife have been having their say on who has the tougher run-in, the likely final points totals and who will ultimately secure Premier League survival.
But West Ham owners have voiced their big Spurs fear while setting the target they believe will be needed to beat their rivals to survival.
The Hammers go to Brentford next Saturday with a massive opportunity to pile pressure on Tottenham Hotspur.
Hammers board believe 43 points could be needed to survive
If Nuno’s side beat the Bees, who have won just one of their last seven games, then West Ham will find themselves five points ahead of Spurs, who then face a tough-looking trip to Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Hammers hierarchy are concerned Villa may be somewhat distracted when they play Tottenham, though.
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Speaking exclusively to Hammers News, the senior spokesman for West Ham’s owners said the fact Villa’s game against Spurs is sandwiched by the two legs of their Europa League semi-final clash with Forest is a worry.
The board also made it clear how many more points will be needed for West Ham to survive – and it means they believe Leeds and Forest are still in the mix too.
“It was a must-win (against Everton) and to do it in the last minute was brilliant but nerve-wracking, especially with Spurs scoring late at Wolves,” the top senior spokesman for West Ham’s owners exclusively told Hammers News.
“But we hope Aston Villa are not distracted by Europe (when they play Tottenham).
“One club might need a record number of points to stay up.”
That means West Ham’s owners believe it could take as many as 43 points to stay in the Premier League this season.
And Hammers fans will be well aware their club holds the record for the team relegated from the Premier League with the most points – 42.
There is plenty of positivity for the Hammers, though.
Villa are also in a fight to secure Champions League qualification via the league so Unai Emery will be taking their Prem games seriously.
West Ham’s survival hopes have been boosted by a double Spurs injury blow as their rivals’ win at Wolverhampton Wanderers came at a heavy cost.
Relegation run-in final four fixtures: