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Leeds United's relegation clash with Tottenham Hotspur moved as key game gets massive build-up

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Leeds United's relegation clash with Tottenham Hotspur moved as key game gets massive build-up - leeds-live.co.uk
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The pair meet in matchday 36 of the Premier League season

Leeds United supporters hoping to back the team in their massive relegation clash with Tottenham Hotspur face a difficult Monday night journey to and from London after the game was switched for television.

Previously scheduled to be played in an all too rare Saturday 3pm slot on Mat 9, the match will now take place on Monday May 11 with an 8pm kick-off.

It means Leeds will have a longer than expected break between games after the previous week's match with Burnley was moved back to a Friday night for television. Leeds will now host the Clarets on Friday May 1 and then have a 10-day gap before taking in Spurs in what is a massive two games in the relegation fight.

Leeds are currently three points ahead of Spurs, who have now appointed Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager to lead them in the scrap at the bottom of the table. The Whites are also 13 points ahead of Burnley, who could be relegated that Friday night when they visit Elland Road, if they haven't already gone down by then.

With so much at stake, Leeds boss Daniel Farke will probably welcome the opportunity to have a longer build-up and time to prepare his side. although new manager De Zerbi will be thinking the same.

Unspoken fact in relegation talk as Leeds United advantage over West Ham and Tottenham evident

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Unspoken fact in relegation talk as Leeds United advantage over West Ham and Tottenham evident - leeds-live.co.uk
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The league table doesn't lie if you look at it in depth

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has been pretty clear since the very start of the season what his team's target would be. Farke has reasoned over and over that 38 points is the target and that number will be enough to keep Leeds in the Premier League.

The closer Leeds have got to that golden number, the more people have questioned whether 38 points will be enough this season to keep Leeds in the division.

It's been enough most seasons in the last 20 years and there's no reason why that won't be the case again. The issue is, as football fans it's often in our DNA to think of the worst and dismiss the evidence that is in front of us. But let's look at that evidence.

The race to stay up is effectively now a four-way battle top avoid finishing 18th. Despite their impressive turn around in fortunes of late, Wolverhampton Wanderers have surely left it too late to survive and still need a miracle to stay up. They're gone and Burnley will follow suit, lying 10 points off Tottenham Hotspur in 17th and 13 points adrift of Leeds.

And so we're left with Leeds on 33 points, Nottingham Forest on 32 points, Spurs on 30 points and West Ham on 29 points, as the four teams left in this relegation fight. With seven games to play there's plenty of points up for grabs, but here's the thing...

In the last six games played by those four teams, there have been just two victories and one of those only came because Forest and Spurs were playing each other, increasing the chances of a win. The only other victory in the 23 matches played came when West Ham beat Fulham.

And so, with West Ham picking up just six points from their last six game and averaging less than a point per game across a whole season, why do we expect them to all of a sudden start playing like a top four team and pick up a host of victories? It's just the football fan's nature.

The Hammers need nine points to equal Farke's 38 point target, which with seven games remaining will require a win and an undefeated seven-match run, or at least two victories - which would equal the number of wins achieved by the four mentioned teams across the last two months in the league.

It's easy to see why Farke retains the confidence he has.

Tottenham talks with next manager as Igor Tudor expected to leave amid Leeds relegation fight

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Tottenham talks with next manager as Igor Tudor expected to leave amid Leeds relegation fight - leeds-live.co.uk
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Tottenham have reportedly held talks with former Monaco manager Adi Hutter about becoming their next manager as Igor Tudor's position appears increasingly uncertain with Spurs sitting 17th in the Premier League

Tottenham have reportedly already engaged in discussions with Adi Hutter about becoming their next manager, according to reports from France. Igor Tudor's position at the club seems uncertain, having secured just one victory since his appointment.

The Lilywhites' 3-0 thrashing by Nottingham Forest has once again cast a spotlight on Tudor's future following a promising win over Atletico Madrid. Spurs currently sit 17th in the Premier League and are merely one point ahead of rivals West Ham in the relegation zone.

Following the loss to Forest, Tudor was informed that his father, Mario, had passed away. Bruno Saltor, the Croatian's assistant, assumed his media responsibilities.

Tottenham will be mindful of his situation, but football.london understands there is a growing sentiment that a mutual agreement over an exit is now the most likely outcome. The 47 year old would then be able to concentrate on family matters, while Spurs shift their focus to the immense pressures of a relegation battle, reports Football London.

L'Equipe reports that Hutter has been approached and negotiations with the former Monaco boss have commenced. The Austrian was at the helm of the Ligue 1 club from 2023 until he was dismissed late last year.

No agreement has been finalised for the 56-year-old, who also lacks Premier League experience. However, Hutter is not the only one being linked to the job.

Roberto De Zerbi has been linked with a move to north London, while it is possible that Marco Rose or Edin Terzic are considered once again after being looked at before Tudor was appointed.

Former boss Mauricio Pochettino has also been mentioned, but the ex-Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager is unlikely to be available immediately. The Argentine is in charge of the United States until after the World Cup.

Pochettino has recently spoken about his affection for the Premier League, however. "I miss the football scene in England. I love the country, its culture, the football culture," Pochettino told L'Equipe.

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

Tottenham do not play again until April 12 when they make the trip to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland. They have not secured victory in the Premier League this year and last defeated Crystal Palace in December.