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Spurs or West Ham: Who goes down? Carra and Nev preview Premier League relegation battle

Submitted by daniel on Sun, 24/05/2026 - 14:29

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Tottenham Hotspur: How Spurs' hierarchy are trying to transform club amid Premier League relegation battle

Submitted by daniel on Sun, 24/05/2026 - 14:21

Tottenham Hotspur: How Spurs' hierarchy are trying to transform club regardless of Premier League status - Sky Sports

Despite Tottenham's Premier League survival on the final day, this will go down as probably their worst season in modern history.

Not only on the pitch have they struggled. Off the pitch, it has been a tumultuous year across the entire club, with fundamental changes from top to bottom.

No one at Spurs would deny that this inner turmoil has affected things on the pitch, but what has happened this season is the result of long-term decline beneath the gloss of their state-of-the-art stadium and training ground.

Decisions at football clubs rarely have immediate impact, and so those that have been made - or not made - over several years have resulted in where they are now; fighting relegation, financial difficulty, a severe disconnect with fans, and a poor reputation in the game.

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However, likewise, the opposite is also true; while there have been obvious blunders this season (Igor Tudor being one), any positive shoots from the seeds of change sown by the hierarchy are unlikely to appear straight away.

What will not be obvious yet is that an internal transformation has begun at the behest of club owners the Lewis family and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, and they intend to see it through for the betterment of Tottenham's long-term future.

Changes are happening regardless of which league they are in next season and Sky Sports News has been given some insight into what's been going on. What seems clear is that there will be total focus on successful football.

Ownership and finances

Since 2022, when Joe Lewis put his stake in ENIC into a family trust, it has been two of his children - Vivienne and Charles Lewis - as well as his grandson-in-law Nick Beucher, who have been overseeing Tottenham Hotspur.

As the first team increasingly underperformed in relation to increased revenue in recent seasons, and as fan protests intensified against their ownership and now former chairman Daniel Levy, the Lewises took an ever-keener eye on the management of the club.

Increasingly they did not like what they found, and it was ultimately decided that Levy should leave in September last year, just a few games into the season and days after a troubled transfer window in which they missed out on top targets like Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze.

There was some deep soul-searching going on by this point and chief executive Venkatesham was tasked with conducting a considerable internal review into how the club had ended up at this juncture; rising revenue but rising debt, an uncompetitive team and bad internal morale.

What he found really was a shell of a football club; "strong progress in areas such as the stadium, training facilities, commercial growth and stadium operations", as he would later tell a Supporters Trust meeting, but other areas "falling short of what is required to compete at the highest level".

In terms of the finances, and as the 2024-25 accounts would later reveal, Venkatesham found a swing from profit in 2018 to £450m-worth of losses from 2020 to the end of last season, driven by unsustainable spending, a lack of revenue from player sales, coupled with higher operational costs.

It means Tottenham are heading for a difficult summer to stay in line with Premier League financial rules. A month after Levy's departure, the Lewis family poured £100m of capital into the club and more cash injections are expected to follow this summer - not for transfer spending but to facilitate that debt.

Relegation to the Championship would have added another £200m-plus hit to revenue simply through loss of Premier League and the Champions League earnings from this season. What all of it reveals is even rich clubs can suffer real financial consequences for prolonged poor results.

Executive hierarchy

For many years under Levy, Spurs had a close-knit family of executives who ran things, many of whom were supporters and cared deeply about the club, whether people liked them or not.

However, good people across the club have been lost over time, with standards and morale suffering as a result. So the owners deemed that on-field success was no longer at the centre of decision-making and changes among the executive leadership were necessary.

The last year has seen prominent people such as Scott Munn, Donna-Maria Cullen and Rebecca Caplehorn leave the club, while Venkatesham was brought in as chief executive and tasked with installing a new football structure and leadership group in their place.

Venkatesham is believed to be of the view that Spurs is a sleeping giant capable of great success - but significant changes need to be made to staff, culture and practices in order to get there. That is now his primary focus and he has been recruiting various newcomers in key positions this season.

Sitting alongside him in the new leadership team are two people from the City Football Group; Rafi Moersen, who arrived as director of football operations, with Dan Lewindon as director of performance. Johan Lange remains sporting director having been at the club since 2023, but they are also recruiting another to work alongside him, with ex-Borussia Dortmund official Sebastien Kehl the current frontrunner.

Lewindon has been tasked with tackling the significant fitness and injury issues that have dogged the squad for a number of seasons, which will be discussed in more depth below, Moersen will oversee the structure and culture among staff across the technical side of the club. They are still new to their roles and the club, so it will take time for them to settle and the positive effects of their appointments to be more visible.

First team failings - and a captain problem

Venkatesham's review of first team matters has revealed several critical issues that are now in the process of being transformed. The first is shortcomings in the recruitment of the current squad, which we will come to in a subsequent section.

The other major issue that was identified was a lack of leadership, especially following the departures of Hugo Lloris, Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son - the previous captains - and a lack of attention towards signing players with the utmost personality and professionalism.

Spurs' hierarchy have been looking at the other top clubs in the Premier League and Europe and how distinguishable their leaders are, and how they embody the club; when you think of Liverpool you immediately think of Virgil van Dijk, for example, or when you think about Man City you think of Bernardo Silva, or Rodri.

That is why Spurs have targeted signing Andy Robertson, first in January and now as a free transfer. He has been known for his leadership and influence in the Liverpool dressing room, while they have won Premier League titles and the Champions League. How much he plays in the final years of his career is in line with, if not secondary, to the impact he will have in the dressing room, having agreed terms to sign for Tottenham now survival is confirmed.

It is also why Conor Gallagher was identified in January; partly for his leadership qualities, which have begun to show through as an example on and off the field under Roberto De Zerbi. The club also thinks highly of James Maddison and Archie Gray - these are the kinds of players Spurs want to keep and build around, and they have been thinking about how they are seen and communicate with the supporters too.

In their current captain, Cristian Romero, they have unfortunately found someone who comes up short. While he might be a World Cup winner with Argentina, his capacity to lose focus in games, get sent off, or go missing in difficult times, has not gone unnoticed - nor has the reverberating effect of this behaviour around the rest of the squad. As good as he might be on his day, if Tottenham want to move on from this, then they need to move on from him for good.

Moreover, the Spurs' hierarchy have known that none of this is possible without the right head coach and staff. Aside from his obvious tactical nous and coaching ability, De Zerbi is known throughout the game for suffering no fools, and having no qualms about making his demands very clear. If you buy into him, you love him and he loves you. If you do not, there will no ambiguity about the rest.

Recruitment errors and style shifts

A review of recruitment over recent seasons has highlighted too strong a lean towards players' physical attributes - pace, power, strength - rather than technical quality, and an imbalance in the squad, both in terms of profiles as well as experience versus development talent.

They clearly have too many defensive midfield players, for example, and a lack of creative ones that has resulted in a team that struggles to progress the ball up the field. After Destiny Udogie, who has been prone to injury, they have not had another out-and-out left-back until they signed Souza.

It does not help that Tottenham have chopped and changed coaches frequently, flip-flopping between styles, since sacking Mauricio Pochettino in 2019. Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte wanted to win immediately and recruit accordingly but did not play the same formation. Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank were more willing to take on development talent but then Frank's pragmatic style of football was not a continuation of Postecoglou's all-out basketball attack.

Recruitment will now be focused on the need for players of more technical quality that align with the head coach, which is why De Zerbi will play an integral role in target identification and squad management. This subject is also forming an important part of conversations with Lange and prospective new sporting director Kehl, who is also expected to join now safety is confirmed. But equally as important will be personality.

What will help in their favour has been a recent lifting of a stringent wage structure that was previously in place under Levy. Spurs are now more willing to pay players north of £200,000 per week and make themselves more competitive with top-six rivals.

They lost out on Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United last summer in part because they could not compete on the wages front. They were far more in line when it came to trying to sign Antoine Semenyo in January but he had already made up his mind to move to Man City.

Injury issues and a medical department overhaul

Tottenham's injury crisis across the past three seasons has been unprecedented, and has been a major factor in their slide down the table and inability to compete at the top level.

This season, Tottenham's 1,377 days missed to injury are the most of any Premier League club and 214 more than Newcastle, the second worst. Since January, they have had anywhere between seven and 11 first-team players unavailable. These have included all their key players too; Dominic Solanke, Mohamed Kudus, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Xavi Simons, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and the goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Maddison's story hints at exemplifying the problem. After his recent return he said the initial diagnosis is that he would not need surgery, only for that to be the case further down the line when he did not recover as planned.

"In my head, it goes back to the Europa League semi-final here when I got injured here because I did a partial ACL tear against Bodo/Glimt," he said. "I was told by the specialist it wouldn't need surgery and rehab. Then obviously it wasn't strong, it didn't recover properly, and I needed the full surgery, which is what happened in South Korea."

While more players have been dropping like flies, though, it would be wrong to think the club are not fighting to do something about it once and for all. They conducted two independent reviews of the medical department earlier this season, which resulted in the appointment of Lewindon in October, but he has only been able to get into the work recently after serving out a notice period with the City Group.

As head of performance, Lewindon will oversee the reshaping and future performance of the medical department, which will report directly to him. But as mentioned, any positive effects from these changes will take time to reveal themselves. It will start with the plethora of injured players returning over the next weeks and months, then seeing how strong their comebacks are, and if there are any recurrences.

Academy pathways and young talent

The Spurs academy was considered somewhat successful during the Pochettino era and one of the best in the country, mainly due to the graduations of Harry Kane and Harry Winks, and the academy direction under widely respected coach John McDermott.

However, the ownership have found that, since McDermott left for the FA in 2020, it has been going somewhat downhill with a lack of investment, lack of attention, and lack of direct path into first team football.

Tottenham are currently 16th in the Premier League table for minutes played by academy graduates (just 26) this season, and at least two have been shining elsewhere. Luka Vuskovic tops that list, having captured the Bundesliga by storm. He is nominated for player of the season in the Bundesliga at just 18, after being awarded the accolade by fans midway through the season. Mikey Moore is another promising talent who has won SPFL Young Player of the Year at Rangers, instead of playing for Tottenham.

It has also become somewhat of a running joke in recruitment circles and among agents that it is easy to get youth players out of Tottenham, and several have gone on to success elsewhere - most notably Arsenal's Noni Madueke.

The owners have already turned on considerable investment in the academy to try to restore it to an elite level, and work has already been going on to give it renewed vigour under Simon Davies, who joined in 2023. The U16s won the Premier League Cup this year and there will be further investment and hiring in academy staff and recruitment roles going forward.

Culture and fans

Something is always wrong at a football club when the supporters are protesting outside. Fan discontent on social media is normal but organised mobilisation is not, and there have been anti-ENIC (English National Investment Company - the club's ownership group) and anti-Levy protests going on for several years.

While the team was playing well, they tended to go unnoticed and never seemed to bleed fully into the stadium on a matchday, especially last season during the Europa League run. But there were warning signs; clashes between Ange Postecoglou and supporters above the tunnel area at home, and some notable examples away at Bournemouth and Fulham, that also included players.

The Europa League trophy celebrations outside the Tottenham Hotspur stadium last June seemed like a reconnection with the fans and the start of a new chapter in the relationship. But like the trophy success itself, it was a red herring. It only papered over the cracks.

So it should have come as no surprise really when the atmosphere at the stadium turned outright toxic and hostile this season, especially in the home defeats to West Ham and Newcastle under Thomas Frank.

Among the many issues in need of paramount attention at Tottenham, the owners and new hierarchy know the relationship with the supporters is staring at them, glibly. Trust needs to be rebuilt, and it is not going to happen quickly.

The starting point for that is an intention from the leadership to be more visible and communicative, more of the time. While one or two in-house interviews from ex-sporting director Fabio Paratici and more recently Lange have not gone down well with the fans, the owners and hierarchy know they need to reach out more, and in more places.

They also know there is considerable work to do on the staff culture inside Lilywhite House and Hotspur Way. Put simply Tottenham had become not a very nice place to work. Departments had been allowed to drift apart, and the spirit needed across the board, ultimately in support of on-pitch success, has been hard to find.

The hierarchy know it is their job to put smiles back on employees' faces and make Spurs an enjoyable and modern corporate atmosphere. Moersen, the new director of football operations, will be central to installing the new culture, as well as people like Kate Miller, the new communications chief, who joined from the ECB last year.

While head coach, Thomas Frank described Tottenham as "trying to turn around a super-tanker", and on that point he remains totally accurate. That is exactly what the owners and new leadership are trying to do but it will take considerable time and effort over a long period of time. What Spurs supporters can be assured of is their commitment to it. The club is not for sale, and the Lewis family are going nowhere soon.

Sky Sports

Premier League predictions and best bets: David Moyes to save West Ham again, by relegating Spurs

Submitted by daniel on Sat, 23/05/2026 - 22:30

Our football betting expert Jones Knows offers his insight ahead of the final weekend of the Premier League season.

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The final day of the Premier League season has a history of producing goals.

If you were backing the over 1.5 goals line in the last 110 final day games, you're working at an 86 per cent strike rate with the overall goals per-game average at 3.36.

Meanwhile, in five of those 11 campaigns, 36 goals or more were scored on this final day and that's relevant because Sky Bet do offer that as a market on their specials page. They are dangling 3/1 about the prospect which has a great balance of being a really fun bet to follow and being on the right side of the value fence.

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This game should help that bet go close in what should be a goal heavy game where Brighton need to win and hope that Bournemouth lose to Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa lose at Man City and Liverpool beat Brentford to have a chance of qualifying in sixth for the Champions League.

SCORE PREDICTION: 3-2 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Final day to have 36 or more goals scored (3/1 with Sky Bet)

Burnley vs Wolves, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports

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This one probably won't be troubling the Super Sunday producers when plotting where the drama will be on Sunday but there is a niche group of people, including me, who are holding a Burnley to finish bottom ticket at 3/1 and will be following every moment of this one.

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Wolves have to win. Anything else and they're propping up the entire Premier League table come 6pm on Sunday.

For a player prop, the shots averages rise by about 2.1 per game on the final day based on 10 years of data and Yerson Mosquera has a very healthy shots output for a centre-back. He's hit the two or more line in two of his last three starts. It's 10/11 with Sky Bet to go in again.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6!

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There's real final-day exhibition match vibes here where everyone involved just wants to get through the afternoon with smiles intact and hamstrings preserved.

Palace are preparing for the biggest game in their history on Wednesday night with a first-ever European final looming.

The same can be said for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal transformation is complete

The title has already been secured. The champagne has been sprayed. And with a Champions League final just around the corner, Mikel Arteta's priority will simply be maintaining rhythm without inviting unnecessary risk.

That usually creates the perfect storm for a strangely passive football match.

Almost 200,000 Super 6 players are backing Arsenal to win 2-0

Historically, the final day produces fewer cards than any other round of Premier League fixtures. Across recent seasons, the average total drops to just 2.8 cards per game - around 0.7 lower than the standard rate. And when you layer in these very specific circumstances, the case for a low-card affair becomes extremely strong.

Under 1.5 total match cards at Evens with Sky Bet sounds skinny on paper but context is king. This has all the makings of a referee's easiest afternoon of the season.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-1

Fulham vs Newcastle, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports

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Backing Marco Silva's team at this stage of the season has become a dangerous game.

Fulham's April and May record under Silva raises some serious concerns. They've lost 13 of their last 23 Premier League matches played across those months, developing a frustrating habit of fading badly once the campaign drifts towards its conclusion. The draw at Wolves last weekend was a clear pointer of that.

There's more than a hint of "on the beach" syndrome about them.

Newcastle are the bet at 13/10 with Sky Bet for the away win.

SCORE PREDICTION: 0-2

Liverpool vs Brentford, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6!

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Liverpool's final day at Anfield has the potential to descend into one of those basketball-style shootouts where structure disappears after about 20 minutes and everyone just starts trading punches.

That suits Brentford perfectly.

The equation is simple for the Bees: win or the dream of sneaking into the top eight and grabbing a Conference League place is over.

Final days often produce inflated goal numbers and although Liverpool can be devastating going forward at Anfield there have been vulnerabilities defensively all season. They have conceded 55 goals in the league this season - their most in a 38-game Premier League campaign.

Dango Ouattara catches the eye in the goalscorer markets at 3/1 with Sky Bet.

He's quietly pieced together an excellent campaign with eight league goals and already has form against Liverpool having scored in the reverse fixture. His direct running from wide positions looks a particularly dangerous weapon against a Liverpool side that can leave space down the channels when games become open.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-2

Manchester City vs Aston Villa, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6!

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The Etihad is expected to be in full celebration mode as City potentially wave goodbye to two iconic figures of their modern era in Bernardo Silva and perhaps even Pep Guardiola. If this is Guardiola's farewell, emotion will dominate the narrative far more than tactical edge or intensity.

Villa also arrive in circumstances where competitive sharpness could easily be compromised. A historic Europa League success followed by open-top bus celebrations will be draining. It's notoriously difficult to reset.

So, this points towards a subdued game.

That's why the cards angle jumps off the page.

Final-day matches consistently produce lower card counts than the league average and this fixture ticks every box for a low-aggression game state. Under 1.5 cards should land at 9/5 with Sky Bet.

SCORE PREDICTION: 4-1

Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports

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If results elsewhere fall into place, Bournemouth could complete one of the stories of the season by qualifying for the Champions League. I'm expecting them to fully embrace the occasion rather than freeze under it.

And when thinking about betting on Bournemouth, it's impossible not to focus on Junior Kroupi.

At 11/8 with Sky Bet to score anytime, the price looks generous considering the level he's operating at right now. His strike against Manchester City wasn't just another goal - it underlined what an extraordinary debut Premier League season he's producing. Thirteen league goals as a teenager is remarkable company to keep. In fact, only Lamine Yamal has scored more goals as a teenager across Europe's major leagues this season.

That tells you everything about the scale of Kroupi's emergence. He can score in an away win.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-3

Sunderland vs Chelsea, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports

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Both teams still have European qualification dangling in front of them and, crucially, neither side can really afford to play cautiously. A draw could easily prove useless depending on results elsewhere, which should create the kind of stretched, transitional football that makes final Sundays so entertaining.

Sunderland deserve enormous credit for even being in this position. Their fearlessness at home has carried them through the season and the Stadium of Light should be absolutely bouncing for this one.

That's why the shots markets appeal.

Noah Sadiki stands out at 7/2 with Sky Bet to register two or more shots. The numbers support it. He's recorded at least one shot in each of his last five home appearances, producing seven attempts in total across that run. More importantly, his role naturally suits chaotic game states because he arrives late into attacking areas rather than operating as a fixed midfielder.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-1

Tottenham vs Everton, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6!

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Tottenham are one point from safety. Avoid defeat and they survive. Lose and the door swings wide open for the biggest shock relegation in Premier League history depending on what happens at West Ham.

And standing in their way? David Moyes.

The irony is magnificent really. Moyes, the man who stabilised West Ham and dragged them away from relegation trouble more than once, now has the opportunity to save them all over again - this time by beating Tottenham with Everton and potentially sending Spurs down instead.

Eze's Crystal Palace return and the players who could decide the fight for survival

Moyes has built a career on thriving in emotionally charged matches where organisation and discipline matter more than flair. If Spurs become nervy, Everton are perfectly capable of turning this into a deeply uncomfortable afternoon through set-pieces, direct play and slowing the rhythm whenever possible. Spurs are just too short at odds-on. The play must be Everton to win at 29/10 with Sky Bet.

SCORE PREDICTION: 0-1

West Ham vs Leeds, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6!

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West Ham's survival hopes are slim on the final day but at 5/1 with Sky Bet the market might just be underestimating how realistic that scenario is.

The equation is straightforward enough. West Ham must beat Leeds and then hope Everton do them a favour against Tottenham.

This West Ham side are flawed but they are absolutely built to attack. That's where the quality lies. With Jarrod Bowen, Crysensio Summerville and Taty Castellanos leading the line.

Across their last 12 home games, West Ham have averaged 1.7 goals per game from a strong expected-goals process of 1.85 xG per 90. They create chances consistently at the London Stadium and against a Leeds side with nothing tangible left to play for, opportunities should arrive again.

SCORE PREDICTION: 3-1

Jones Knows' best bet...

What's next?

Already thinking about the 2026/27 Premier League season?

There's a World Cup to fit in first - follow live blogs of every game on the Sky Sports App - but the key dates are locked in for next term, when Sky Sports will once again show at least 215 live Premier League games.

Here's your summer diary:

June 11: World Cup starts - day-by-day fixture list

June 14: Scotland's opener vs Haiti (2am)

June 15: Summer transfer window opens

June 17: England's opener vs Croatia (9pm)

June 19: Premier League fixtures released (10am)

July 19: World Cup final

August 22-23: Premier League opening weekend

August 27: Champions League league phase draw

August 31: Transfer Deadline Day

September 8-10: Champions League matchday 1

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Tottenham vs Everton: Spurs' Premier League status on the line on final day in their biggest game in recent history

Submitted by daniel on Sat, 23/05/2026 - 08:01

Sunday’s Premier League home match against Everton is Tottenham’s biggest game in recent history.

It is not just about 11 players on the pitch. This is a club and business with hundreds of employees who are worried about their jobs and their futures.

Only one scenario can send Spurs into the Championship on Sunday, and that is if Roberto De Zerbi's side lose at home to Everton and West Ham beat Leeds at the London Stadium.

Transforming Tottenham: How owners and hierarchy are reshaping club

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Should Tottenham avoid relegation, the home fans will be celebrating - but it will be relief rather than euphoria.

Whatever the result on Sunday, fans will be angry because this has been a disastrous campaign.

A year ago, Spurs were celebrating Europa League glory with more than 220,000 fans at the trophy parade. But ending the club's 17-year trophy drought was not enough for Ange Postecoglou to keep his job after the club fell to its lowest Premier League finish of 17th.

The message then was that the club needed to compete on all fronts, not just one. Well, it has been only one front this season with the aim on the final day to keep the club in the top flight.

It is clear Tottenham desperately needs a reset - but it needs a reset with the club being in the Premier League.

It is incomprehensible that Spurs should fall into the Championship. This is the ninth richest club in the world, after all.

So, how have we got here this season?

Wrong managers, poor recruitment and a losing culture

Well, this all started in the summer. Postecoglou's successor, Thomas Frank, was not the right fit for the club. Some players liked him, but others did not take to the Dane.

Ultimately, he outstayed his welcome, and he should have been sacked earlier. The West Ham loss in January was the time for him to go.

Then the injury malaise has deepened with this season's crisis proving even more catastrophic than the last campaign.

Losing key players such as Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Mohammed Kudus to injury, combined with the summer loss of club legend and captain Heung-Min Son, was always going to make this season challenging.

Losing regularly has also become an expected outcome with this group of players. Last season, the Europa League was the main focus, with the Premier League taking a back seat as Spurs became the first side in top-flight history to lose 22 games in a 38-game season and not be relegated.

Spurs turning it on in Europe at the expense of their domestic campaign has continued this season. The top-four finish in the Champions League phase table under Frank did not help these players - it created a false confidence because, truthfully, the opponents they were beating were Europa League-level teams.

What the players have had no control over are decisions from the top.

Frank should have been sacked earlier, while the signings have not been good enough.

The lack of substantial business in the January window was alarming. To have only brought in Conor Gallagher as the major winter signing amid a crippling injury list and in a position the club was already well covered in was poor.

Not replacing Brennan Johnson, who was sold for £35m to Crystal Palace, was a big mistake.

So, the January transfer window will be one of major regrets should Tottenham fall into the Championship.

Another will be the misguided appointment of Igor Tudor. The problem with the Croatian was that he came in and told the players they were not good enough. No wonder he only lasted seven games.

De Zerbi has made the desired impact, and I have no doubt that had he taken charge sooner, then Spurs would be 12th or 13th.

Spurs' safety may have already been secured had it not been for some controversial VAR calls lately that have not gone their way. In fact, the north London club are yet to win a penalty in the Premier League this season.

Nonetheless, officiating is only a minor factor in their plight as they head into the final day in 17th, needing a point to guarantee their safety.

Maddison's role on defining day for Spurs

Spurs will be looking for a hero on Sunday and it feels set up for Maddison.

He has made a huge impact off the bench in his only two appearances of the season, and, understandably, fans have been asking the question: Can he start against Everton?

What I am led to believe is that he cannot give much more than what he has already given in the past two games after returning from a serious knee injury.

If Tottenham had nothing to play for, we might not even be seeing Maddison play at all right now.

But the situation Spurs are in, they desperately need his quality. He is not only giving a lot as a player, but he is also a real leader and presence off the pitch.

He spoke well after Tuesday's Chelsea defeat - he just gets it. He was right to be "embarrassed" by Spurs' struggles.

I expect Maddison to start on the bench on Sunday in what will be a very tense day.

It would not surprise me if both Tottenham and West Ham draw, but I expect the Hammers to take the lead at some point.

And if Tottenham are relegated after a defeat, they have only got themselves to blame.

What will make it even more painful is their north London rivals Arsenal lifting the Premier League trophy on Sunday.

Only four years ago, Spurs beat Arsenal 3-0 to secure fourth under Antonio Conte, but now the two sides could be playing in different divisions next season.

Sky Sports

Premier League final day live on Sky: Arsenal's party, Tottenham's battle, Pep Guardiola's Man City goodbye

Submitted by daniel on Sat, 23/05/2026 - 08:01

Can Spurs avoid unthinkable relegation?

Tottenham vs Everton, live on Sky Sports Main Event

Tottenham's ever-present Premier League status is at stake on Sunday.

There are nine different final-day outcomes across the final-day games involving Spurs and West Ham - but only one scenario sends the club to the Championship, and that is if Roberto De Zerbi's side lose at home to Everton and West Ham beat Leeds at home.

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The odds are nearly 90 per cent in Tottenham's favour for survival, but this is Spurs, and their fans will be fearing the worst.

What will heighten those nerves is Tottenham's abysmal home record. Winless in their last 10 home league matches and having won just twice at home in the league this season (D6 L10), the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has become a place of dread and fear. The anxiety on Sunday will be like nothing ever seen before in N17.

With Spurs starting the day two points above 18th-placed West Ham and having a far superior goal difference over the Hammers, Tottenham only need a point to guarantee their safety against Everton.

When these two sides last met in late October, Spurs eased past the Toffees 3-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium to sit third in the Premier League and just five points behind leaders Arsenal.

It is a position that seems scarcely believable now.

In the space of seven months, Spurs have had three different head coaches, lost six games in a row for the first time in the club's history and have been on a 15-match winless league run.

Yet the worst could still come, with a first relegation in 49 years looming.

Make no mistake, this is Tottenham's biggest game in recent history. The future of the club is on the line. Relegation is simply unthinkable.

Declan Olley

Arsenal to get the party started

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal, live on Sky Sports Premier League

The waiting is nearly over. On Sunday, Arsenal will get their hands on the Premier League trophy for the first time in 22 years.

It will be a day of celebration in London, with Mikel Arteta's side playing their first match since they were crowned champions on Tuesday night. Sunday's images will be played around the world - and will last for generations.

The celebrations will start before the match itself, with Crystal Palace expected to give Arsenal a guard of honour before kick-off. That moment will go down nicely for Eberechi Eze - in his first game back at Selhurst Park since leaving Palace for Arsenal last summer.

The game itself has little meaning - with both sides expected to rotate heavily and give their big stars a rest. Both teams have huge European finals next week - Palace have the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday, before Arsenal take on PSG in next weekend's Champions League final.

But it will be a different story at full-time. Oliver Glasner will wave goodbye to Selhurst Park before he departs Palace this summer. Then Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will lift the Premier League trophy.

And just like on Tuesday night, the red half of north London will go into party mode. If neighbours Spurs end up getting relegated that afternoon, there will be even more to celebrate from an Arsenal perspective.

Sam Blitz

Guardiola's emotional goodbye to Man City

Man City vs Aston Villa, live on Sky Sports Action

Man City meet Aston Villa with virtually nothing to play for on the final day. Man City are guaranteed second by quite some distance and Villa nearly assured of fourth, albeit they can still be caught by Liverpool on goal difference. In terms of jeopardy, though, the game ranks low.

Where this occasion holds its significance is over the great Pep Guardiola, confirmed to be leaving Man City after a magical decade in charge.

All the signs were there that the end was nigh.

The nostalgic tinge to his press conferences, the animated celebrations, even his casual attire - like mufti day at school when term is coming to a close. Enzo Maresca, Pep's supposed successor, is reported to already be making plans with sporting director Hugo Viana, looking towards a future with the intention of continuing the cycle of success Guardiola started.

And so this is much less game, more jamboree. A swansong. A last dance. At some point some players will probably turn up and a kick a football about in the sunshine.

But really this will be a chance for one of the Premier League's greatest, most decorated to bask in the adulation he deserves. The Etihad will be in peak party mode despite narrowly missing out on the Premier League title to Arsenal this week. A domestic cup double is not exactly a bad way to bow out.

Pep has already proven himself to be the ultimate winner; all that is left to do is celebrate his success.

Laura Hunter

West Ham praying for a miracle

West Ham vs Leeds, live on Sky Sports Football

West Ham will need the football gods to be looking down on them on Sunday.

For the most part, their own Premier League survival is out of their hands and the aim is simple - they need to win to give themselves any chance of staying up and relegating Tottenham.

This moment has been a long time coming. West Ham have been flirting with relegation, but perhaps a drop into the Championship with a squad clearout, new manager and new direction might be just what the club needs.

Leeds have done well on the road recently too. They are unbeaten in their last seven in the Premier League away from home, drawing six - which would not be enough for the Hammers to stay up.

The memories of their dramatic FA Cup tie at the London Stadium from April will also be fresh. West Ham scored twice in injury time to force extra time, although Leeds ultimately won on penalties.

West Ham will be hoping the game swings in their favour this time round.

Charlotte Marsh

Will Salah and Robertson get their Liverpool farewells?

Liverpool vs Brentford, live on Sky Sports+

All eyes will be on the Liverpool team sheet at 2.45pm on Sunday to see if both Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson take on Brentford in what should be the duo's final appearances for the club.

'Should', as it will be up to head coach Arne Slot to make the final call for a fixture which, although highly unlikely, could yet result in the Reds missing out on Champions League football next season.

That would take a strange set of results, including Liverpool losing to the Bees and Bournemouth winning at Nottingham Forest, as well as a six-goal swing in goal difference

But Salah's recent criticism of the club's style of play under Slot, on the back of his attack of the Dutchman in December, could see him benched for his Liverpool farewell, while Robertson has not started the previous two games having mostly served as Milos Kerkez's backup all season.

Some have called on Slot to make an example of Salah - back to full fitness now after a recent hamstring injury - and play his strongest XI with next season in mind, which would also mean Kerkez getting the nod over Robertson.

But with the Liverpool boss also under mounting pressure himself after an underwhelming title defence, just how would that go down with the Anfield faithful?

Rich Morgan

Brighton-Man Utd script flips as Seagulls aim for Europe

Brighton vs Man Utd, live on Sky Sports Tennis

This very fixture took place on the final day of the season two years ago, and it was Man Utd who needed to win and for results to go their way for their European hopes. This time, it's the Seagulls' turn.

Man Utd can't go any higher or lower than third. This is as meaningless an end-of-season game as you can get for them. However, Brighton's future is all to play for.

The odds are slim, but there is a scenario where sixth place is enough for a place in next season's Champions League. And that could belong to Fabian Hurzeler’s men if they win and Bournemouth lose to Nottingham Forest, owing to the Seagulls’ superior goal difference.

They can’t worry too much about that. They need to focus on getting the job done themselves. And history is on their side. Brighton have come out on top in three of the last four meetings at the Amex between these two sides.

It wouldn’t be the ideal end of Michael Carrick's initial half-season spell in charge, but he is already guaranteed to stay on having signed on until 2028. With nothing to play for, he may choose to rotate his side. And given the question marks surrounding the depth of the Man Utd squad, that could play into Brighton's hands.

Callum Bishop

Can Sunderland finish above Newcastle?

Sunderland vs Chelsea, live on Sky Sports+

While Sunderland are still in the hunt for a European finish, they will also be hoping to get one over on their local rivals by finishing above them in the Premier League table.

The Black Cats are 10th, two points above Eddie Howe's side. Sunderland have not finished above the Magpies since the 2016/17 season, when Sunderland were 20th in the Premier League and Newcastle won the Championship.

Regis Le Bris' team still have the chance to finish in seventh, although would need to win their game and hope Brighton and Brentford both lose. They have not finished in the position since 2000/01, with their best Premier League finish since then coming in 2010/11, when they were 10th.

A home win would also see Chelsea drop out of European contention in what has been the most turbulent of seasons. The will need to arrest a poor run of form away from home too, having not won any of their last four games on the road in all competitions.

They too need three points to ensure they are playing some form of European football next season under Xabi Alonso.

Charlotte Marsh

Cherries fans will have one eye on Anfield & Etihad

Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth, live on Sky Sports+ and Sky One

Bournemouth will have all eyes on both the Etihad and Anfield on Sunday as they look to seal an unlikely spot in next season's Champions League in what is also Andoni Iraola's final game in charge.

And that is because Aston Villa's Europa League win in midweek has opened the door for a sixth qualification spot in Europe's premier club competition next season, but crucially only if Unai Emery's side finish fifth.

For that to happen, Villa must lose at Man City and Liverpool must also beat Brentford at Anfield, while the Cherries themselves will need a point in their clash at Nottingham Forest to be guaranteed to finish in sixth - unless Brighton fail to beat Man Utd at home.

So it will be an afternoon for Bournemouth fans to have the Sky Sports app downloaded as they learn their European fate.

A final Fulham game for Silva?

Fulham vs Newcastle, live on Sky Sports+

Fulham host Newcastle on Sunday, with both sides' hopes of European football having recently come to an end.

There is a feeling of uncertainty among the Craven Cottage faithful, who continue to wonder whether they will be seeing Marco Silva in the dugout come the start of next season.

With reports of a move to Benfica persisting, Silva's deal is up this summer, having established Fulham as a top-flight side since winning promotion from the Championship in 2022.

Victory would see Silva's men equal a club record for most Premier League wins (15) in a season. But with just two league victories in their last nine, and having failed to score in seven of their last 10 matches in all competitions, Fulham seem to be closing out the year with a whimper.

Alongside the Silva saga, there are the impending departures of their two top scorers this year - Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez - so it's easy to see why there's a sense of unease among the fanbase.

A win might just lift the mood ahead of a big summer. But it's far from a guarantee against a Newcastle side looking to avoid a lowest league finish (11th) since their 2021 takeover.

Adam Howarth

One final battle left for Burnley and Wolves

Burnley vs Wolves, live on Sky Sports+

Come Monday morning, Burnley and Wolves will be breathing a sigh of relief.

The managerless Clarets are 11 league games without a victory and Rob Edwards' side have won just three times all season. Relegation was confirmed long ago and the misery will finally be over.

There is one last fight for both, though: to avoid finishing bottom of the pile.

Wolves have been relegated from the Premier League twice and finished 20th on both occasions, while Burnley have dropped four times, but twice in 18th and twice in 19th.

Based on last season, finishing 19th is worth £2.5m more than finishing 20th. A drop in the ocean in Premier League terms, but a sum not to be sniffed at nonetheless.