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Tottenham Hotspur’s fight for survival is reaching a critical stage, and while focus remains on the present, Tim Sherwood is now asking questions about what the future could hold if the worst happens.

Tottenham Hotspur know that they must get wins on the board if they are to avoid relegation to the Championship this season.

Spurs currently find themselves in the bottom three, two points off West Ham United in 17th with four games left to play.

However, this weekend presents Tottenham with a pivotal opportunity to leapfrog the Hammers, who fell short in their game against Brentford, losing 3-0.

Tottenham relegation fears addressed as Tim Sherwood makes Leicester comparison

Tottenham make a trip to Aston Villa on Sunday, and that game is crucial for the Lilywhites in their battle for survival, especially after West Ham’s latest defeat.

Roberto De Zerbi has since sent a rallying cry to his team, urging them not to allow outside noise to distract them from the task at hand as they look to turn their season around.

Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood has now shared his verdict on how Spurs could fare should they drop to the Championship, explaining his view in an interview with Boyle Sports.

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He feared that the club could well end up like Leicester City should they drop to the second division.

He said, “It is a worry, it depends on who is in charge of recruitment and running of the club. For me to give an educated answer on if they will go back up, for the people who are running the club at the moment, there will be no guarantees.

“If a football person went in and ran the club, then yes, they should have the resources and deserve to be in charge to bounce straight back. But if you do not bounce straight back straight away, it becomes very difficult, as you said.

“There are giant clubs who have been down there and stayed down there for many, many years. Tottenham will be back. They are not down yet. If they go down, they will be back.

“And it needs to be on the first attempt, in my opinion. And I think it is the club capable of doing that. But you need to change the decision-makers to be able to do that.

“Leicester just shows you what can happen if your club is poorly run. And that is Leicester. Even though the club is poorly run, I look around their squad at the moment, they should never be in a relegation battle in the Championship. It is a real crying shame.

“A team that had so much success down the years, not only the Premier League win but the FA Cup win as well. Incredible what they achieved, and it is just mind-boggling to imagine that team in League One. Only 10 years ago, they were lifting that big trophy. Poor management, not on the pitch, but off the pitch.”

Spurs must focus on survival despite long-term concerns

Of course, there is no denying that having the right ownership could greatly improve performances on the pitch.

Many Spurs fans will rightly state that decisions off the field are what actually got Tottenham into a relegation scrap.

It is certainly not far-fetched to think that a Leicester City situation could happen to Spurs should they be relegated, but Tottenham must focus on the task at hand right now, and that is ensuring their Premier League status.

With only four games left for Spurs to save themselves from relegation, Jamie Redknapp claims Tottenham’s squad lacks a fundamental quality which West Ham have threefold.

It’s only a matter of two points between Tottenham Hotspur and their nearest relegation rivals West Ham in 17th.

Spurs have received a minor but noticeable boost with West Ham losing by three goals to none at Brentford earlier this weekend but the Lilywhites still have it all to do with a difficult fixture awaiting at Villa Park.

A victory would elevate Spurs out of the drop-zone and give a massive boost to their Premier League survival hopes, especially with West Ham’s next two fixtures being the significantly more difficult ones, a visit from league leaders Arsenal and to St. James’ Park.

Tottenham’s availability issues might decide the relegation scrap

Still, Spurs’ squad, already ravaged by injuries, suffered two more recent blows in Xavi Simons’ and Dominic Solanke’s season ending injuries, leaving them severely understaffed in attack.

Speaking on SkySports about the relegation battle, Jamie Redknapp gave his own verdict on what he thinks is the biggest issue with the current Tottenham squad.

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“I think one thing that they are completely devoid of, and even more so without Xavi Simons, is any creativity. (…) when I look at Tottenham everything is chaotic there’s no real calmness about how they play.”

“You know, they’ve signed a lot of runners in their team. They’ve signed people that can run after the ball and go and chase it. But sometimes you need somebody who’s just going to get hold of the ball and do something different. Have a bit of magic.”

Redknapp identified three West Ham players who he thinks could give the Hammers the advantage they want, mainly Crysencio Summerville, Jarrod Bowen and Mateus Fernandes. All three players are making a massive impact on West Ham’s games and have the creativity Spurs so badly need right now.

Could James Maddison help Spurs find their late form?

Redknapp did however give Spurs players something positive to hold on to, saying that any involvement from James Maddison right now could give Tottenham the edge over West Ham.

“If they get Maddison in amongst it, he is what they need right now,” referring to the structure and creativity the English midfielder could introduce to the lineup.

Maddison has been absent since August of last year with an ACL tear but has been named in the last two game day squads, leaving fans speculating about his possible return to action.

One of Spurs’ biggest issues this season was their lack of creativity and ball progression through midfield, exactly what James Maddison could offer.

Tottenham Hotspur are pulling out all the stops ahead of a crucial run-in, with plans now in place to lift the atmosphere as the club prepares for their final defining home fixtures.

The battle for Premier League survival is sure to go down to the wire this season, with four games left before the campaign ends.

What was once a four-horse race has now been reduced following Leeds United’s impressive form in the closing stages, with Daniel Farke’s men now up to 14th, nine points clear of Spurs with three games to go.

That now leaves Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United as the sides currently embroiled in a full-on relegation scrap.

Tottenham plan Leeds United atmosphere boost with fan flags initiative

Spurs could well leapfrog West Ham United with a victory over Aston Villa on Sunday evening, following the Hammers’ defeat to Brentford earlier in the gameweek.

Should they manage that, momentum will be with the Lilywhites when they head into their next league fixture against Leeds United.

Tottenham will play in front of their home support for the first time since their Brighton clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the club is now planning to create a raucous atmosphere.

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In an email to fans, Spurs outlined their plans for a flag initiative aimed at boosting the matchday environment.

The email read: “Ahead of the Leeds game (11 May), we are inviting fans to send in their Spurs flags. We will be hanging them in every stand and every corner throughout the stadium, working with THFC Flags to create a fortress of flags and a sea of Lilywhite throughout the stands.

“If you have got a flag you would like us to display, complete this form and send it to us. We will store your flags safely between matches and put them on display before each game – including a flag designed by our Junior Supporters’ Group.

We kindly ask that all flags adhere to our Flags and Banners policy, and that you complete the form above no later than 12pm on 8 May.

“We will then contact you to let you know once your flag has been pre-approved for display. If we receive more flags than we have room to accommodate, we will display flags in rotation across our future home games.”

Spurs aim to energise fans with matchday offers and messages

The club is also looking to enhance the matchday experience with additional initiatives for supporters. In the same communication, Spurs confirmed the return of their early bird drinks offer.

Their message added: “Early Bird Offer – Buy One, Have One On Us. As with our most recent home fixtures, we will be running our popular Early Bird drinks offer for both the Leeds and Everton games.

“The offer sees us provide a free drink with every drink bought within an hour of the stadium opening. Beer, cider and soft drinks are all included, with fans able to purchase up to two paid drinks (four in total) per transaction.”

The club also plans to showcase messages from Official Supporters’ Clubs, highlighting the global backing behind the team as they enter the final stretch of the season.

Even though Luka Vuskovic is yet to play a single game for Tottenham, he is already becoming one of the most valuble players in the club’s squad.

Hamburg’s form has suffered a great deal when Vuskovic has not featured, with the central defender having arguably been the club’s most consistent performer this season.

That was demonstrated by the fact that HSV lost all of their last three matches when the Croat was out injured, before finally returning to winning ways at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, as the 19-year-old came off the bench to help his side see out the win.

The Spurs teenager has posted some incredible numbers this season, demonstrating why many rate him as one of the best young defensive talents in European football.

Luka Vuskovic’s value has skyrocketed ahead of Tottenham return

Using data from the CIES Football Observatory, The Daily Mirror have now revealed that the centre-back has seen his value shoot up considerably over the course of the season.

They now estimate that Vuskovic’s value sits somewhere between £36.3m and £42.3m, which is a huge number for a player who is still waiting for his Spurs debut.

They point out that Croat’s value had already soared to £32.7m last August after he made a strong start to the season at HSV, and his value jumped a further £9.6m in the subsequent eight months.

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Spurs may struggle to keep Vuskovic if they do not stay up

The Mirror say that while the young defender will return to Spurs this summer, his future at N17 ‘remains uncertain’ due to the club’s precarious league position.

Some of the biggest clubs in Europe are circling over Vuskovic ahead of the summer window, having been impressed with what they have seen of the youngster at Volksparkstadion this term.

Antonin Kinsky has given us a window into the mood at the Tottenham Hotspur camp and has made a confident claim about Roberto De Zerbi’s methods.

Although Tottenham remain two points adrift of the relegation zone, the mood among the fan base is a lot more positive after the club’s win over Wolves last week and West Ham’s 3-0 loss to Brentford on Saturday.

The Lilywhites now have a chance to potentially go above their London rivals into 17th place with a win at Villa Park this evening.

Roberto De Zerbi is convinced that Spurs have the quality to survive in the Premier League, and one of his players has made a clear statement ahead of the club’s big clash at Villa Park.

Antonin Kinsky claims Tottenham have clear focus amid difficult situation

The Tottenham boss has repeatedly stressed that his side can win all their remaining matches, railing against the negativity he has seen in the media.

Kinsky has now confessed that everyone at the club is aware of just what is on the line and revealed that the players are laser-focused on doing their job on the pitch.

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When asked about the reaction after the full-time whistle against Wolves and the connection one saw between the players and the fans, Kinsky told Tottenham’s official website: “Yeah, I think everyone is aware how important this moment is. Not just for us, it’s for the club, it’s for everyone. Of course, we got ourselves into this position.

“We definitely don’t want to be in this (position). Now we are here and we need to get ourselves out of it. I think you understand what I mean by this. Don’t look at it, just put in the effort and take the three points.”

Kinsky claims Roberto De Zerbi’s style ‘suits’ Spurs players

While there has been a marked improvement in Tottenham’s performances since De Zerbi walked through the door, the Lilywhites still have a lot of work to do to secure their place in the top flight.

Kinsky has suggested that the Italian’s approach suits the Spurs squad, but admitted that he and his teammates want to do their talking on the pitch.

When asked how he has found working with De Zerbi and what the feeling in the group is, the goalkeeper said: “Yeah, I think very well. That’s probably all I will say because I think there is no big point to say how much we work, how good we feel, how much we do and how much we care. It’s about then, eventually stepping on the pitch and those 90 minutes, doing the best we can and to show everyone. I think if we show them, then people are going to see and they’re going to appreciate.

“After, if they ask, we’re going to say, yeah, this is because of that work. That’s the same like me. If you wouldn’t ask me, I wouldn’t tell you how much I work or how important it is or something. No, still it’s some reason just to then when you get on the pitch to have the quality to show. This is what matters for everyone, not just how much you train or something. Y

“Yeah, for me it’s important, but no one cares. It’s about showing the quality on the pitch. The same is in this situation. We do good stuff. I really believe it because I think we have the team that suits this style a lot and we just need to show.”

Roberto De Zerbi has backed a Tottenham youngster to step up and fill the void left by the injuries to Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke.

Tottenham continue to be without several key players, with Solanke and Xavi being the latest players to be added to the treatment table.

Their absences have severely dented the Lilywhites in their quest for survival, with some pundits not convinced that Spurs will score enough goals to stay up.

Some have wondered if De Zerbi could turn to a couple of academy youngsters to fill the void, but the Italian believes that the club already have one man in their senior set-up who can bail them out.

Roberto De Zerbi is hopeful that ‘big talent’ Mathys Tel will step up for Tottenham

Mathys Tel has not started any of the three games under De Zerbi, although he has made an impact as a substitute in all three matches.

The Tottenham Hotspur boss has now conceded that he has not used the Frenchman in his favoured position yet, but he fully believes the 21-year-old has all the qualities to become a top player. De Zerbi even called Tel “one of the best young players in Europe”.

De Zerbi said about Tel (via The Standard): “He is a potential big player, a potential big talent at the moment and we have to help him become a top player because he has the right qualities to do that.

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“I’m sorry because I use him in not his favourite position, because he played two games as a right winger, against Wolves and Brighton. His favourite position is left winger, but for example, at Wolves, he was important to win the corner for the goal.”

De Zerbi backs Tel to fill Xavi Simons void

Xavi produced what was arguably his best performance in a Tottenham shirt against Brighton, which was why the Dutchman’s injury came as a bitter blow to the North Londoners.

De Zerbi believes the Netherlands international’s injury presents an opportunity for Tel to step up and showcase his quality.

The Italian added: “Now maybe without Xavi and Maddison and Odobert and all the other players, he (Tel) can feel more comfortable because he can prepare his game for one week without the thoughts of whether he plays or not. The responsibilities can be better for us and for him.

“I don’t know (if he can fulfil his potential) but it can be the right moment for him. The players become great when they understand the right moment to become better. Xavi in my time spent the time and was becoming great, and I could feel something different from him in personality and confidence, in performances as well.

“I don’t know if the credit is mine but maybe he understood the right position, had the right confidence and the ideas of the coach so he made the most of the opportunity.”

Paul Merson has now sent in his score prediction for the clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa ahead of the two sides’ meeting.

The stakes for the clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have now risen following West Ham United’s loss to Brentford.

The Hammers’ latest slip in the relegation battle means Spurs can leapfrog them and move out of the bottom three with a victory over Unai Emery’s side on Sunday.

A defeat for Spurs, however, will leave them where they started the gameweek – two points behind West Ham, but this time with three games to play.

Tottenham vs Aston Villa prediction as Paul Merson backs Spurs defeat

The score prediction odds are not in favour of Tottenham in their clash against Villa, but Spurs must beat those odds if they are to walk away with three points.

Paul Merson, writing in his Sportskeeda column, has now offered his prediction on the game, highlighting Tottenham’s injury concerns and the wider context around the fixture.

His prediction, though, will do little to make Spurs fans happy, with the former Arsenal man predicting a disappointing defeat for Tottenham.

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He said: “Tottenham will be kicking themselves that Aston Villa did not beat Fulham last weekend. If Villa won that game, they would just take the gas off the pedal in this game with their Europa League semi-final coming up.

“But now, if Brighton win this weekend, their gap with Villa will be down to five points, which makes this a must-win game for Unai Emery’s side.

“If you told me I should take two players off the Tottenham team for this game, Xavi Simons and Dom Solanke would be my last choices. Both of them are out of this game! How are Spurs even going to win against Villa without them?

“If West Ham lose to Brentford this weekend, this game is a free swing for Tottenham. But if they win, the pressure will be on Spurs. Tottenham will hope West Ham do not win. Next weekend, the Hammers face Arsenal while Spurs have Leeds at home. So in a week’s time, it could all turn around in favour of Tottenham.

“The team that will stay up in the Premier League this season will be the one that produces a ‘wow’ result from now until the end of the season. We saw that with West Ham last weekend, when Callum Wilson scored the late winner against Everton. They need one more win like that and I expect them to have a stronger chance of winning this weekend than Tottenham.”

Score prediction – Aston Villa 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs must capitalise on Aston Villa rotation opportunity

Villa’s Champions League hopes have now been further boosted following Brighton’s defeat to Newcastle on Saturday.

Emery’s men can now afford a slip-up in the league, as their Champions League spot is more or less secured, as they hold an eight-point lead over sixth place.

With a Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest later in the week, where they need to overturn a 1-0 deficit, the Villa boss could now afford to rest key players ahead of that tie.

Should that be the case, Spurs must be on hand to capitalise and make the Hammers’ slip count.

Chris Sutton has now sent in his Tottenham Hotspur versus Aston Villa score prediction ahead of Sunday’s match.

Tottenham Hotspur know that they need favours from clubs around them if they are to avoid relegation to the Championship next season.

Brentford have now offered Tottenham a helping hand in their battle against the drop after beating West Ham United in the two sides’ meeting on Saturday afternoon.

That result now leaves Spurs with an opportunity to leapfrog West Ham into 17th with a victory on Sunday against Aston Villa.

Tottenham face Aston Villa test as Chris Sutton predicts defeat

Villa have already fallen short in their last two outings, losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-final, while in the league they were beaten 1-0 by Fulham.

Spurs, on the other hand, come into the clash off the back of a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers and will be looking to build on it.

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Ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Villa Park, Chris Sutton has offered his prediction on the game, suggesting Spurs may fall short despite their recent win.

Speaking about the fixture, he told BBC Sport: “Tottenham probably need to win three of their last four games to stay up but, although they finally won in 2026 when they beat Wolves last week, I am not sure it has given them any momentum.

“It was a huge result for Roberto De Zerbi‘s side, but you have to remember Wolves are woeful and Spurs also made hard work of their victory.

“What helps Spurs here is that Villa have their Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest to contend with over the next few days.

“Even so, I still feel like Villa will be too good.

“This defeat will send Spurs one step closer to the drop, and a trip to play my old club Lincoln in the Championship next season.”

Sutton’s prediction: 2-0.

Spurs must seize Villa Park opportunity in relegation fight

Spurs simply cannot afford to let this opportunity slip by in their fight to beat the drop. Collecting all three points now has to be the focus, as Tottenham look to take their destiny into their own hands in the final stretch of the season.

Opta’s supercomputer has now crunched the numbers, revealing the latest relegation odds and final Premier League table projections following West Ham United’s defeat to Brentford.

Tottenham Hotspur fans will certainly have had an eye on the game between West Ham United and Brentford on Saturday afternoon, as the two sides are currently embroiled in a relegation scrap.

However, it was Spurs who were celebrating after the full-time whistle, as the Hammers fell to a 3-0 defeat to the Bees following a Mavropanos own goal, and strikes from Igor Thiago and Damsgaard.

That loss now allows Tottenham to take charge of their own destiny, as victory over Aston Villa on Sunday will see the Lilywhites move out of the bottom three after 35 games this season.

The results from this gameweek will surely have a big impact on which sides will stay up and which will be relegated, even though there are still plenty of points to play for.

Opta’s AI has now given its prediction for how the Premier League table will look after matchday 38 and the side most likely to be on the wrong side of the dotted lines.

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According to the latest data from their supercomputer, Tottenham now have a 50% chance of getting relegated this term; however, it is not a massive gap to West Ham, who has a 48% chance, two per cent short of Spurs.

That is a massive bump up for the Hammers, who were given a 38.26 per cent chance before they faced Brentford, while Tottenham’s odds were on a rather high 38.26 per cent.

This highlights how close this battle is, and at the moment, it is a toss-up between the two sides heading into the business end of the season.

Spurs and West Ham face similar run-ins as Opta predicts Premier League table after 38 games

Following the game against Aston Villa, both sides still have several big fixtures to come before the season ends.

Next up for Spurs is a clash against Leeds United, while West Ham face Arsenal that same week.

After that, it is a trip to Stamford Bridge for Tottenham, and then an away clash at Newcastle United for West Ham. The final game of the season sees Spurs at home to Everton and West Ham up against Leeds.

On paper, the fixtures look very similar, making it a difficult one to call. Opta’s AI, however, has also given its prediction for the final league table.

According to their data, Tottenham are expected to finish on 38 points and West Ham on 39, meaning the Lilywhites are set to secure four points from their remaining games, while the Hammers collect three.

Tottenham Hotspur risk missing out on Hayden Hackney to a Premier League rival this summer, as relegation looms.

Tottenham were allegedly considering a move for the Middlesbrough man in January, but in the end, they ended up securing Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid instead.

It has been widely reported over the last couple of months that Spurs are expected to reignite their interest in Hackney, who is thought to be valued at around £30m.

Some sources have suggested that Man United could potentially challenge the Lilywhites for the midfielder, but another club may now steal the march.

Brighton set to step up interest in Tottenham target Hayden Hackney

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has now revealed that the Seagulls have set their sights on the 23-year-old as they look to bolster their midfield.

He also credited Nottingham Forest with an interest in the Boro star but suggested that Fabian Hurzeler’s men could steal a march on the England U21 star’s other suitors.

When asked about the race for Hackney, O’Rourke told Football Insider: “He’s a standout player, Hayden Hackney, arguably the best player outside the Premier League right now. Brighton are very clever in what they do in the transfer window with their signings and Hayden Hackney will be a player that could be a real smart pick up.

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“It doesn’t surprise me that they are one of the clubs interested, but you’re looking at half the Premier League, the likes of Forest for example, who would be interested in Hackney. Brighton could offer someone like Hackney a great platform if he was to leave Middlesbrough.

“A lot will depend on whether they secure Premier League promotion or not. Brighton are right there in the mix to try and sign him, and they feel they could steal a march on their rivals in the summer window.”

Hackney’s future could depend on Middlesbrough’s promotion push

It has been reported that Hackney could remain at Middlesbrough next season if they get promoted to the Premier League.

Several sources suggest that the Tottenham target is certain to leave this summer if his club do not get promoted, with the 23-year-old appearing set to play in the top-flight one way or the other next season.