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‘Tottenham feels like home. Of course I’d go back if the conditions were right’ Mauricio Pochettino’s honest Spurs admission

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‘Tottenham feels like home. Of course I’d go back if the conditions were right’ Mauricio Pochettino’s honest Spurs admission - FourFourTwo
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At the end of a season where Tottenham have cycled through three managers, Mauricio Pochettino remains the club’s longest-serving boss since the legendary Bill Nicholson.

The Argentine oversaw 293 matches as Spurs boss between 2014 and 2019, leading the club to four consecutive top-four finishes and reaching the 20189 Champions League final.

That made him one of the most popular managers of the club’s modern era and it is clear that his fondness for the north London club remains.

Pochettino on his everlasting Spurs connection

As the 54-year-old prepares to lead co-hosts the United States at this summer’s World Cup, he has admitted that he would be open to a future return to Spurs, should the stars align.

“Yes, why not?”, the Argentine tells FourFourTwo about the possibilities of one day returning to the Premier League.

Any return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, however, would have depend on timing and circumstances.

“If the right conditions are there, of course. Tottenham feels like home to us,” he continues.

“We identify with the club’s idiosyncrasies, values and supporters.”

Pochettino’s post-Spurs career saw him take in stints at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea before his current role with the United States, but despite managing some of Europe’s biggest clubs, he is clearly still ambitious.

“Right now it’s about enjoying the World Cup,” he continues.

“After that, I’ve always said I came so close to winning the Premier League and Champions League, and want to try again.

“I’d like to be part of a project with the ambition of winning both.”

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Tottenham Hotspur braced for 'significant' fan protest as relegation battle goes to final day

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Spurs fans have been asked to join a protest against the club board after the final whistle of their final Premier League game of the season.

It is all on the line for Roberto de Zerbi's side as they host Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with safety from relegation still not assured.

To remain in the Premier League, Spurs need to take at least a point or hope for a slip-up from West Ham United, who are at home to Leeds.

Tottenham Hotspur fans prepared to protest as relegation looms

Fan group Change For Tottenham have put out a statement saying that although they want the whole stadium to cheer the team to safety throughout the 90 minutes, all bets are off once the final whistle blows - regardless of the outcome.

At the end of 90 minutes, supporters are asked to join in on making their feelings clear about the club board.

They wrote in a statement: "This Sunday, for 90 minutes, we need to get behind the team.

"Nothing else matters. We need the points and the players need every one of us behind them for one last time this season.

"When the final whistle blows, regardless of the result, we need to stand up to the board for putting us in this perilous position.

"This isn't just a one off season, this is two disastrous league finishes back to back which has led to our Premier League status being decided on the last day of this campaign."

Banners are planned to go up in all three home sides of the stadium upon the final whistle, with Change For Spurs requesting that their fellow supporters join them to 'chant against the board'.

The sign off with a strong statement: "ENIC out. Vinai out. Lange out."

That refers to club majority owners ENIC Group, chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, and director of football Johan Lange.

Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League last season but still qualified for the Champions League thanks to winning the Europa League.

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'No Dutchmen, no Danes' Tottenham Hotspur’s bizarre coach selection process revealed

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'No Dutchmen, no Danes' Tottenham Hotspur’s bizarre coach selection process revealed - FourFourTwo
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Daniel Levy once blocked the arrival of a manager at Tottenham Hotspur, with his nationality playing a significant role in the rejection.

Tottenham Hotspur, currently 17th in the Premier League, are battling relegation this season after underwhelming managerial stints from Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.

It has now been revealed that back in the early 2000s, club chairman Daniel Levy enforced a coach selection criteria that could have prevented Tottenham Hotspur’s relegation-fighting woes this season.

No Dutchmen, no Danes at Tottenham Hotspur

Frank Arnesen, once director of football at Spurs, revealed in his book ‘Total Football’ that Daniel Levy blocked the arrival of a Danish manager in 2004 due to nationality concerns.

As reported by Ekstra Bladet, Morten Olsen was considered by Arnesen, his fellow Dane, to manage Spurs after guiding Denmark to the World Cup 2002 and Euro 2004.

Despite Arnesen’s insistence that Olsen was the right fit for the club, Daniel Levy had other ideas and enforced a coach selection criteria that ruled out two nationalities.

“Tottenham needed a new head coach the summer I joined the club. I wanted Morten Olsen, but I was not allowed to take a coach from Denmark or the Netherlands,” said Arnesen.

“It was a requirement. If things didn’t go well in the first three or four months, I would come under extra pressure because I had chosen a coach from a country I was attached to, Daniel Levy thought. There was no reason to take any risks,” he continued.

Olsen corroborated Arnesen’s recollection of events, stating that Spurs pursued him as both a player and as a manager during his footballing career.

“They wanted to take me at some point while I was still playing,” claimed Olsen. “I ended up going to Cologne instead.

“I would not have accepted the offer if the offer had come. The offer would have came in the middle of a contract. And I did not want to leave in the middle of a contract period,” he continued.

Olsen, who managed the Denmark national team from 2000 to 2015 and was named Danish Player of the Year in 1986, couldn’t recall the exact details of Spurs’ approach, however, he confirmed that if an offer had arrived, he would have rejected it due to his commitment to Denmark.

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How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United for FREE: Live streams as Spurs eye crucial win in Premier League relegation fight

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Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United for FREE: Live stream from anywhere - FourFourTwo
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Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United today as Spurs eye a third successive Premier League win to boost their fight against relegation, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Roberto De Zerbi's survival mission is in full flow after Spurs backed up their 1-0 victory at Wolves with a 2-1 triumph at Aston Villa.

At home game against a Leeds side who are all-but safe looks inviting, particularly after West Ham's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal has secured safety in 2025/26.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United for free?

YouTube TV's 21-day free trial in the US gives you access to USA Network, which is broadcasting Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United.

Abroad for the game? Use NordVPN to unlock your stream from anywhere in the world.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United from anywhere

What if you're away from home when Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United is on, and find access to your usual streaming service geo-blocked? The solution is a VPN, a piece of software that sets your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

Assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, you can use a VPN to unblock the streaming services you're subscribed to, with a host of privacy and protection benefits on top – that sounds like a result.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues TechRadar are experts in this field, and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider on the market.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United in the UK

Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United will be shown live on Sky Sports today. It's an 8pm kick-off and will be broadcast on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United in the US

As mentioned above, Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United will be available live in the United States on USA Network.

How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United in Australia

Premier League fans in Australia can watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United through Stan Sport.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Leeds United: Premier League preview

When Tottenham conceded a last-gasp equaliser to draw 2-2 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on April 18, the situation looked bleak. A team devoid of confidence had failed to hold on to what would have been a first Premier League victory of 2026, and while they were only a point behind 17th place, they were only going one way.

Fast forward just 180 minutes of football and suddenly things are looking up. A nervy 1-0 win at Wolves was followed by a deserved 2-1 triumph at Aston Villa, which lifted Spurs out of the bottom three.

Tottenham's improvement under Roberto De Zerbi is clear to see, even in the four matches between the manager's first game, a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, and that victory at Villa Park. If they had just held on a little longer against Brighton, Spurs would have already picked up nine points under the Italian.

However, that will all mean nothing if they fail to finish the job. Tonight's visit of Leeds is a great chance to keep that winning run going and move closer to Premier League safety.

That opportunity has been furthered by Sunday’s results, with Arsenal’s late winner against West Ham — a goal that was cheered across all of North London. Win tonight, and they will be four points clear of the Hammers with two games to play.

See also ► Premier League TV guide

When De Zerbi took charge of his first game less than a month ago, Leeds were one of the teams in Tottenham's sights. That is no longer the case.

The Elland Road outfit arrive in north London having taken 10 points from four matches since the March international break and they are now assured of Premier League safety following West Ham's 1-0 loss.

Still, you feel there is something to play for with Daniel Farke and his side surely wanting to keep Spurs under threat of relegation going into the final weeks of the season.

Having appeared at risk of the sack earlier in the campaign, the German deserves great credit for turning his and Leeds' fortunes around.

See also ► These are the cheapest ways to watch the Premier League this season

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FourFourTwo's prediction

Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Leeds United

This one could go either way, but we're backing Spurs to continue their recent good form under De Zerbi and secure a vital win.

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‘I had the opportunity to join Real Madrid after Zinedine Zidane left, but I’d promised I would stay at Spurs until the stadium was built’ Mauricio Pochettino on turning down the Bernabeu

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‘I had the opportunity to join Real Madrid after Zinedine Zidane left, but I’d promised I would stay at Spurs until the stadium was built’ Mauricio Pochettino on turning down the Bernabeu - FourFourTwo
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Mauricio Pochettino’s coaching journey has seen him manage some of Europe’s biggest and most high-profile clubs.

But like any career, it contains some tantalising ‘what ifs’.

One such crossroads came during the peak of his Tottenham tenure when the biggest club in the world came knocking.

Pochettino on turning down Real Madrid

At the end of the 2017/18 season, Pochettino had led Tottenham to third place in the Premier League, his third top-three finish on the bounce. Spurs also reached the semi-final of the FA Cup and the last-16 in the Champions League.

This had got him on the radar of Real Madrid, who were looking for a new manager after Zinedine Zidane stepped down, just days after winning his third consecutive Champions League title with the club.

In 2018, I had the opportunity to join Real Madrid after Zinedine Zidane left,” Pochettino reveals to FourFourTwo.

The Argentine had Spurs punching above their weight at the time, with the club continuing to progress on both the domestic and European fronts in the middle of a potentially disruptive new stadium project.

And it was amid this backdrop that Pochettino made his decision.

“However, Daniel Levy had always asked me to stay until the inauguration of the new stadium,” he continues.

“When Real Madrid called, I told them that I’d given my word to the chairman that I’d remain until the works were done.

“The only way I could have left was if Levy had authorised the negotiations, but I already knew that he wouldn’t accept it – and I wasn’t going to break my contract either.”

Pochettino’s final call, therefore, came down to him valuing his word over ambition.

“My ethics, my way of acting, told me I couldn’t leave under those circumstances.”

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Tottenham Hotspur ready to complete straightforward first summer signing: report

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Tottenham Hotspur ready to complete straightforward first summer signing: report - FourFourTwo
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Roberto de Zerbi is already making summer transfer plans for Tottenham Hotspur - operating on the assumption they will still be in the Premier League, of course.

Spurs moved out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday, but remain just one point ahead of West Ham United with three games left to play.

If Tottenham do get the results they need from their remaining fixtures against Leeds, Chelsea and Everton, they will be hoping to put two awful league campaigns behind them - and de Zerbi knows who he wants signing first to build a new era around.

Roberto de Zerbi wants Joao Palhinha on a permanent deal at Tottenham Hotspur

Joao Palhinha's recent performances in the Tottenham midfield have stood out after a series of disjointed and incoherent performances from the team side over the course of the campaign.

The Portuguese international joined on loan from Bayern Munich last summer having struggled to make an impact at the club following his move from Fulham.

Tottenham are reported to have an option to make Palhinha's move permanent this season for a £27m fee.

De Zerbi was unequivocal when asked if he wants to club to trigger that clause, saying: "One hundred per cent. We have to start from this type of people.

"More than players, we need reliable people, reliable players

"Palhinha is one of the best, as a player for sure, but as a guy. I want to see players with the same passion, the same attitude, the same spirit and the same personality. We are lucky to have him with us."

Palhinha had found himself out of favour for a spell under Thomas Frank, and appeared from the bench in De Zerbi's first three games in charge.

However, his late winning goal after coming on away to Wolves on April 28 earned Spurs their first Premier League win in exactly four months, and he went on to play the full 90 minutes of their win at Villa Park.

Realistically, Tottenham now just need to match or better West Ham's results for the rest of the campaign to stay up after a serious relegation scare.

The Hammers round off the season by hosting Arsenal, visiting Newcastle, and finally welcoming Leeds to London Stadium.

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How to watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur for FREE: Live streams as Roberto de Zerbi's side look for a crucial win

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How to watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur for FREE: Live streams as Roberto de Zerbi's side look for a crucial win - FourFourTwo
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Watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur today as the West Midlands side look for a third win of the season against Spurs, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

The threat of relegation hangs over the shiny Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and this match having to be rearranged for Sunday evening, and consequently Tottenham Hotspur knowing where they'll end the week depending on this game, might not be helpful.

The travails of opponents Aston Villa, who have won twice in that ground this season, might offer some hope. As Villa prepare to welcome Spurs to their home, Unai Emery's Champions League hopefuls are wobbling again.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur for free

YouTube TV's 21-day free trial in the US gives you access to USA Network, which is broadcasting Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur.

Away from the US today? Use NordVPN to unlock your free trial and watch the game.

Watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur from anywhere

A good VPN is your ticket to the game, even when you’re abroad.

Most streaming platforms have geo-restrictions that prevent you from watching your usual subscription services from another country. A Virtual Private Network helps you get around this problem by changing your IP address, making your laptop, tablet or smartphone appear to be in a different country. That means you can watch your usual streams, even when you’re a long way from home.

The tech experts at Tom's Guide review a lot of VPNs and right now they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN you can buy. And the good news is that NordVPN are currently offering an amazing deal on the service...

Watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur in the UK

Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur will be shown live on TNT Sports today. It's a 7:00pm kick-off and will be shown on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max.

Watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur in the US

Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur will be available live in the United States on USA Network.

How to watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur in Australia

Stan Sport will broadcast Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur in Australia.

Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League preview

Ultimately, Villa are two wins away from a return to the top table of European club football and a second season in the Champions League. The pressure is on, with a clutch of teams now chasing a top-five spot, and two wins will start to sound like a lot if they have to come from three games rather than four.

It shouldn't be an issue at this late stage. Villa are in the process of fumbling a position that was starting to look strong. Losing at Fulham last weekend was a good example of what they face now: Villa have matches they can lose but need to win if they're to hit their targets.

Strikers Ollie Watkins and Tammy Abraham each had a golden opportunity to hit their target at Craven Cottage and get something from the game, but both fired over the top when their chances – always at a premium for Villa – finally arrived.

They're unlikely to create a wealth of opportunities against Spurs tonight, but the ones they do get must win them the game. Those are the stakes now.

See also ► Premier League TV guide

Spurs' position is more precarious and for much more severe reasons. They start the night in the Premier League relegation zone, and the prospect of another ever-present finally dropping out of the league is looming large.

Finally finding a way to win against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out could be crucial to Spurs beyond the points it harvested. It was their first league win of 2026 and their first under Roberto De Zerbi. Emery, in particular, will be aware that Spurs could respond any which way to that victory.

If Spurs lose this match, they'll still be on the dismal run that has put them in such trouble in the first place, and Villa have been a troublesome opponent this season, albeit under a different Spurs manager.

On both occasions, Villa went to north London and won 2-1. Spurs scored first in the Premier League fixture and last in the FA Cup, but the outcome was the same each time, and it stung. It cannot happen again.

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See also ► These are the cheapest ways to watch the Premier League this season

FourFourTwo's prediction

Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Villa aren't at the level they want to be at the moment and Spurs could easily capitalise.

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‘Not winning a trophy at Spurs hurt because of the momentum that built around us, but those years should still be spoken about as a huge success’ Mauricio Pochettino on reflects on his Tottenham succe

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‘Not winning a trophy at Spurs hurt because of the momentum that built around us, but those years should still be spoken about as a huge success’ Mauricio Pochettino on reflects on his Tottenham successes - FourFourTwo
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Given the challenges that Tottenham have faced since Mauricio Pochettino’s 2019 departure, the better the Argentine’s five-year tenure in charge of the club looks.

Appointed by chairman Daniel Levy as Spurs’ tenth manager in a 12-year span in May 2014, Pochettino departed in November 2019, having led the club to top-five finishes in each of his seasons in charge and came close to leading the club to their first Champions League final, when his side were beaten by Liverpool in the 2019 final.

This combination of progress, promise and near-misses made his spell one of the most debated managerial stints in recent history, one which Pochettino himself still reflects on.

Pochettino on his Tottenham highs and lows

“It was almost six years of work in which I wasn’t just a coach,” he tells FourFourTwo when asked how it felt to be sacked just five months after the Champions League final.

“I’d arrive with my staff at 7am and leave at 10pm, often alongside Daniel Levy. We’d walk out asking ourselves how we could improve this or that. Our life was Tottenham, but that level of intensity also contributed to how it ended.

“I felt disappointed, of course, but I understand that for him it was also a difficult decision to make.”

As well as making the final of Europe’s biggest competition, Pochettino’s Spurs also lost the 2015 League Cup final and were Premier League runners-up in 2016/17, adding to the club’s near-misses under the former Southampton boss.

“It hurts because of the expectations and the momentum that built around us,” Pochettino adds when asked if failing to winning a trophy hurt.

“However, when we first spoke with Levy about the project, the plan was to equip the club with the best facilities in the world. At the same time, we wanted to build a team capable of challenging the biggest clubs in England within five years. Because we were so far ahead in the sporting process compared to the infrastructure side, huge expectations were created – and perhaps not enough value was given to what we actually achieved.

“For a period of time, having a new stadium was more important than winning a title – the club’s financial focus was on that. Even so, we delivered strong results. In my view, those years should be spoken about as a huge success.”

That elusive trophy came in Pochettino’s next managerial stint, when he won the French Super Cup shortly after his appointment at Paris Saint-Germain in January 2021.

“It wasn’t a relief – it came with the responsibility of having to win it with the players I had at PSG,” he continues. “The external perception of a coach changes once he wins a trophy, but that doesn’t always reflect his journey.

“It’s a bit unfair to draw that parallel – that the one who wins does everything right and the one who loses does everything wrong.”

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How to watch Brentford vs West Ham: Free streams and TV details as the Hammers look to heap the pressure on Spurs

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How to watch Brentford vs West Ham: Free streams and TV details as the Hammers look to heap the pressure on Spurs - FourFourTwo
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Watch Brentford vs West Ham United today as the Bees put their European hopes up against West Ham's relegation scrap, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

One of the most important Premier League matches of the weekend is this afternoon's all-London affair between Brentford and West Ham at the Gtech Community Stadium, where the top and bottom halves of the table will both be affected.

Brentford are pushing for the European spots while the Hammers are embattled in what increasingly looks like a two-team shoot-out to not get relegated. West Ham and Tottenham Hotspurs are fighting it out to avoid joining Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley in the Championship next season.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Brentford vs West Ham United online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Brentford vs West Ham United for free?

Yes. YouTube TV's 21-day free trial will provide access to USA Network, who will shown Brentford vs West Ham in the US.

Abroad today? Use NordVPN to unlock your stream.

Watch Brentford vs West Ham United from anywhere

Away from home for the game? That doesn't mean you have to miss out on watching Brentford vs West Ham United. All you need is a VPN, a handy a piece of software that makes your devices appear to be in a different location.

Assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, you can use a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions and unblock your usual streaming services when abroad. It's also brilliant for your general internet security.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues TechRadar have tested hundreds of VPNs, and they say NordVPN is the best VPN you can get.

Is Brentford vs West Ham United on TV in the UK?

Brentford vs West Ham United is not being televised in the UK. The game is being played on Saturday at 3pm, a time when football matches cannot legally be broadcast in the UK. This is known as the '3pm 'blackout''.

The irony is you can watch the game in pretty much every country other than the one in which it's being played. If you're visiting the UK you can use NordVPN to access your usual coverage.

Watch Brentford vs West Ham United in the US

Brentford vs West Ham United will be available live in the United States on USA Network.

How to watch Brentford vs West Ham United in Australia

Football lovers in Australia can watch Brentford vs West Ham United through Stan Sport.

Brentford vs West Ham United: Premier League preview

It took some time for Nuno Espírito Santo's work to bear fruit at West Ham, but they've been the eighth-best team in the Premier League since the start of 2026 in terms of points collected.

The Hammers start the day outside the relegation zone, two points above a Spurs team they'd love to bury under a mountain of pressure by beating Brentford and making Spurs stew on it for more than 24 hours until they face Aston Villa on Sunday evening.

Villa are the only team to have beaten West Ham in their last six league matches, a run that totalled just four goals conceded and included wins over Fulham, Wolves and Everton. Only Villa scored twice against the Hammers as they took those crucial steps towards safety.

These teams have already met twice this season. Brentford came away from the London Stadium as 2–0 winners in October, Nuno's first home game in charge, but were knocked out of the FA Cup on penalties after a rollercoaster 2–2 draw in the fifth round.

See also ► Premier League TV guide

Before last week’s loss at high-flying Manchester United, Brentford had drawn five Premier League matches in a row and were unbeaten in six.

Indeed, drawing has become a habit at home too. Brentford’s last home loss was against Brighton & Hove Albion in February, and their last home win was over Sunderland just one week into 2026.

Their remaining home fixtures take West Ham and then Crystal Palace across the capital to face the Bees, who have only good things left to scrap for in what’s left of the campaign. They probably need to win today to keep up in the chase for Europe, but Keith Andrews has done an incredible job as a first-time manager.

There are 12 points between these teams, and both Andrews and Brentford as a club can reflect on that this afternoon with a good deal of pride, given the players they cashed in on last summer.

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See also ► These are the cheapest ways to watch the Premier League this season

FourFourTwo's prediction

Brentford 2-2 West Ham United

We can't call this one so we're getting behind goals instead of picking a horse.

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