Irish Mirror

The Manchester United legend has warned that Spurs are in for a shock if they don't get their act together soon.

Roy Keane believes the notion that Tottenham Hotspur are too big of a club to get relegated is nonsense.

Spurs remain winless in 2026 after losing the North London Derby in humiliating fashion to Arsenal last time out in the Igor Tudor's first game in charge.

That loss left Tottenham in 16th spot in the Premier League table, just four points clear of a West Ham side that have ground out a number of draws in recent weeks and look up for the fight of staying in the league.

While Spurs finished 17th last season, the quality of the bottom three meant they were never in any real relegation trouble, but with just 29 points from 27 games, the Europa League champions are in serious danger of playing second tier football next season.

In Keane's opinion, no team is too good to be relegated, and while he reckons Spurs have enough to stay up, he doesn't go along with the idea that they aren't in dire straits.

“It was a tough first start for him. I still think they’ll be ok, but I’m not falling for them being too good to go down,” Keane said on the Stick to Football podcast.

“I do think they’ll find a bit more than Forest and West Ham. It’s as simple as that.”

Should Tottenham go down this season, they will become the biggest club of the Premier League era to be relegated to the Championship.

Spurs have been mainstays in the top flight gaining promotion after a one season stint in the second division in 1978.

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Troy Parrott will be looking to help his fire his new club to victory against his old employers in the Europa League.

The Republic of Ireland striker spent seven years at Tottenham Hotspur, making just four appearances for the club in that time.

He has been on fire in for AZ Alkmaar, with 17 goals in all competitions since joining them last summer.

Spurs travel to the Netherlands to face AZ for a second time this season after the clubs met in the league phase of the Europa League in October when the London club ran out 1-0 winners.

Here's what you need to know:

Where and when is it?

The match takes place at the AFAS Stadion on Thursday, March 6.

What time is kick-off?

The action gets under way at 5.45pm Irish time.

What TV channel is it on?

TNT Sports 3 will show the game live, with their coverage starting at 5pm.

Quotes corner

AZ Alkmaar striker Troy Parrott: "I’m really enjoying myself here, I love life over here. Now I’m just focusing on where I am right now and trying to progress and keep getting better here.

“I look back with a smile. It’s a place where I grew up. I moved away from home quite young so when I went there I was in a phase of going from a kid to a teenager and then past that.

“It helped me become the person and player I am now, so I can only look back on that with good memories.

“I think it was just the right time for both of us to move on. When I look back, I just think about the good times I had growing up there.

“I want to score in every game and tomorrow is just another game to try to do that. It would be nice for me, it’d be nice for the team also, so let’s see.”

Betting odds

AZ Alkmaar win: 5/2

Tottenham win: EVS

Draw: 13/5

Damien Duff has wished Mason Melia well with his record-breaking switch to Tottenham - but fears the teenager will be playing catch-up.

Spurs smashed the League of Ireland transfer record by splashing out an initial €1.8 million fee for the 17-year-old wonderkid. That could rise to almost €4 million in time, while St Pat’s also retain a lucrative 20 per cent sell-on clause should Melia move again.

And in the meantime, Saints get to keep the striker in their squad for the 2025 Premier Division season with Melia moving to the London giants next January.

Shelbourne boss and Ireland legend Duff hailed the transfer business as “brilliant for him, and brilliant financially for St Pat’s.” Due to Brexit rules, players cannot move to British clubs until they turn 18 and that’s where Duff feels Melia will have to make up for lost time.

“All I can speak of is my experience. I went to England at 16 - granted it's an awful long time ago - and I wouldn't change it. I went and lived at the training ground, literally, for two years until I was 18 and probably touched the football more than any kid in the world.

“I was training two or three times a day and, at night time, I was down at the astro playing. I lived it. There was nothing in my way. Life is different now. Looking back at it, would I have been happy going at 18? No, I was happy the way I did it and that's it. Life is life.”

Melia will get another year’s experience of playing senior men’s football in the League of Ireland and that should stand to him before moving over. But Duff reckons this this particular pathway for Irish youngsters is not foot perfect.

“That's the standout with Mason, he's physically a beast and has been like that for quite a few years,” said last season’s title-winning manager. “It's the Catch 22 of this (Brexit) rule going away to England - he has stayed here and got first-team exposure and we have kept the best players here.

“But at the same time, he has missed two or three years at an elite (club), one of the biggest clubs in the world, so there are pros and cons for everything. He will be going to Spurs at 18 and I will be supporting him as a League of Ireland fan, as an Irish fan, but if you call a spade a spade, he is playing catch up.

“I'd imagine he's not going into 18s or 20s, he's going into the first team so let's see what you've got. I was training with Blackburn Rovers first team when I was 16 and he will be training when he's 18. I have two years on him, so that's the downside.”

Last season, Duff hit out at how some of the League of Ireland's best players had left Irish football for tiny transfer fees. And he insisted he would never agree to a minimum release clause being inserted into a contract if a player was signing for Shelbourne. So Duff admits the record-breaking deal struck by Tottenham is a positive sign for the League of Ireland.

Duff continued: “I guess that's the benefit of having him stay until he's 18. If he went at 15 or 16 he's probably going for five or six figures, not seven figures. It's brilliant for him, brilliant for St Pat's financially and I guess brilliant exposure for the league. I'll be intrigued to see how he gets on. If they are good enough to go, I will always wish them well.”

Tottenham and West Ham meet in another early morning London derby match-up, with just two points separating the teams in the league table.

The last time West Ham played at 12.30pm, they were beaten 3-0 by Chelsea at the London Stadium as Nicholas Jackson (2) and Cole Palmer got on the scoresheet.

The Hammers defeated Ipswich 4-1 last time out and will be hoping to continue their form in front of goal today.

Spurs will be hoping to bounce back after they dropped a two-goal lead away to Brighton to lose 3-2 before the international break.

Where is the game being played?

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What time is kick-off?

The game starts at 12.30pm.

What TV channel is the game on?

The game will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 and can be streamed on the Discovery+ app.

Betting odds

Spurs 2/5

Draw 17/5

West Ham 5/1

Brighton take on Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon in the latest round of fixtures in the Premier League.

After winning their opening two games of the season, Brighton have now gone four games without a win, with last week’s loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge their first defeat of the season.

While Spurs made a ropey start to the campaign, an upturn in form led to a dominant win over Manchester United at Old Trafford last week and things are once again looking up for Ange Postecoglou’s charges.

Here’s what you need to know about the game:

Where is the game being played?

The Amex Stadium.

What time is kick-off?

The game will kick-off at 4.30pm.

Can I watch the game on TV?

Sky Sports Premier League will be showing the game live.

Can I stream the game online?

Streaming is available on Now TV and Sky Go with a subscription.

Betting odds

Brighton - 7/4

Draw - 31/10

Spurs - 6/5

Spurs come into the game on the back of a 2-1 victory over Luton Town, while West Ham suffered a 4-3 defeat to Newcastle

Spurs come into the game on the back of a 2-1 victory over Luton Town, while West Ham suffered a 4-3 defeat to Newcastle