FourFourTwo

The battle to avoid the Premier League drop looks set to go to the wire this season.

With Wolves and Burnley already having their relegation to the Championship confirmed, there is one more spot to fill, with four teams nervously looking over their shoulders.

Leeds United and Nottingham Forest will be hoping they have just about done enough to keep their collective heads above water, with the pair sitting on 40 and 39 points respectively with just four games to play.

If the two sides finish level on points, who gets relegated from the Premier League?

That leaves London rivals West Ham and Tottenham seemingly in a scrap to avoid dropping down, with the Hammers on 36 points, two clear of Spurs, who currently occupy the final relegation spot. Roberto De Zerbi’s side have the edge in goal difference, but it’s close, with Spurs on -10 and West Ham on -16.

With a nerve-shredding finish on the cards, this is a relegation battle that could be settled by the thinnest of margins, so should Spurs and West Ham be level on points and goal difference, how will relegation be decided?

As with the rest of the division, points scored is the first criterion to decide these matters, followed by goal difference.

It’s then onto goals scored, with Spurs having netted 43 times and West Ham 42, making this another wafer-thin differential between the two relegation-haunted London teams.

Should the two sides find themselves locked on points, goal difference and also goal scored, their place in the table - and likely relegation, unless Leeds or Forest are dragged back into it - would be settled by the two teams’ head-to-head record.

Specifically, Premier League rules dictate that the team who collected the most points in the two sides’ head-to-head matches settles the tie breaker, followed by the team who scored the most away goals in these head-to-head matches.

So, it’s back to this season’s two matches between Spurs and the Irons.

Way back in September, Tottenham claimed a 3-0 win at the London Stadium against the ten-man Hammers, before the Hammers got their revenge with a 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With the two teams claiming three points apiece in their head-to-head, it would then go down to the away goals scored rule.

Despite ending their 118-day wait for a Premier League victory when they edged past relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, Tottenham Hotspur’s woes continue to add up.

Joao Palhinha struck with eight minutes remaining at Molineux to hand Roberto De Zerbi his first win as Spurs boss and snap a winless run which had stretched back to December.

However, a late Callum Wilson winner for West Ham against Everton means that Spurs remain in the bottom three, two points off safety with just four games of the Premier League season remaining.

Spurs suffer major injury blow

Tottenham head to Aston Villa on Sunday, before matches against Leeds, Chelsea and Everton as they look to battle to retain their top-flight status, but suffered a double injury blow at Wolves - one of which could have a hugely damaging impact on the club next season.

Striker Dominic Solanke limped off with a hamstring injury before the break and is now a doubt to face Villa, but there was far worse news concerning summer signing Xavi Simons.

The Dutch winger - who is valued at €50 million by Transfermarkt - jarred his knee on the pitch and needed lengthy treatment before attempting and failing to walk and then being taken off on a stretcher.

It has now been confirmed that the £51 million signing has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the next eight months. Not only does that rule him out of Spurs’ run-in, plus this summer’s World Cup, but it will see him sidelined for the start of the 2026/27 season.

“They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way,” the 23-year-old posted on his Instagram. “My season has come to an abrupt end and I’m just trying to process it. Honestly, I’m heartbroken.

“None of it makes sense. All I’ve wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me, along with the World Cup.”

Should Spurs come up short in their battle against the drop over the next four weeks, Simons’ injury will also hand the club a major headache in their attempts to stabilise.

As per Capology, Simons earns a weekly wage of around £195,000 on the five-year contract he signed in the summer, which made him one of the club’s highest-paid players.

Relegation and the subsequent drop in revenue would mean Spurs would have serious work to do in reducing their wage bill, even after taking into account any relegation wage reduction clauses that are built into their key players’ contracts.

Mauricio Pochettino may well have inadvertently put his finger on where things have gone wrong at Tottenham - by discussing what the club got right during his time there.

The Argentine oversaw Tottenham's best spell in a generation or two during his five and a half years in charge from 2014 to 2019.

Spurs finished in the top five in each of Pochettino's seasons in charge, including coming second once and third twice - as well as reaching the 2019 Champions League final.

Mauricio Pochettino: 'Tottenham had talented players, but no real balance'

Pochettino had taken the step up from Southampton soon after the end of the 2013/14 season, largely thanks to the greater opportunity for success he and his staff saw at Spurs.

He told FourFourTwo: "[Spurs] was a club that offered a chance to compete for bigger objectives. It meant stepping up another level. When [Daniel] Levy’s call came, we didn’t have many doubts."

Although his spell at Spurs ended without a trophy, Pochettino had the side competing at a level they would now be desperate to reach again.

The now-United States manager believes chairman Daniel Levy was a key part of that, saying: "Levy is a genius when it comes to man management, business and negotiation – someone we learned a great deal from.

"Over 25 years, you only have to look at where he found Spurs and where he took them. It became a model club, with an incredible stadium and facilities.

"He didn’t get the reward in terms of trophies, but Levy’s legacy is admired all over the world for his management ability and long-term vision. You can have good ideas, but he made them happen.

"The main thing was having the backing of the club and Daniel Levy, who believed in a sporting rebuild that also included the manager.

"When we arrived, there was an excess of players – many of them talented, but there was no real balance. It was hard to build a competitive team. Reconstructing with a medium-term vision was fundamental.

"Pep Guardiola was given that opportunity, Jurgen Klopp had it, and so did we. There are many very good coaches, but you have to be at the right club, with the right people supporting you to develop what you want to achieve.

"It’s a complex puzzle, because in football there’s always the temptation for people to interfere in areas that aren’t their responsibility. At Tottenham, we were allowed to work."

Watch Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Tottenham Hotspur today as Roberto De Zerbi looks for his first win, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on free live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Wolves were relegated to the EFL Championship on Monday thanks to West Ham's draw with Crystal Palace, but Rob Edwards will be determined to drag Tottenham down with them.

For Spurs, three points are essential — they’re still searching for their first Premier League win of 2026 and trail the Hammers by two points heading into matchday 34.

Can De Zerbi captivate his team and pick up a crucial win?

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

Watch Wolves vs Tottenham for free

You can watch Wolves vs Tottenham for free in the US thanks to YouTube TV's 5-day free trial which gives access to USA Network.

Outside the States? Access your free trial with NordVPN — find out more below.

Watch Wolves vs Tottenham from anywhere

What if you're away from home when Wolves vs Tottenham 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.

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

Can I watch Wolves vs Tottenham in the UK?

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Tottenham Hotspur 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 Wolves vs Tottenham in the US

In the United States, Wolves vs Tottenham will be shown on USA Network.

How to watch Wolves vs Tottenham in Australia

Fans in Australia can watch Wolves vs Tottenham through Stan Sport.

Wolves vs Tottenham: Premier League preview

Tottenham's 2025–26 season has been a shambles. More than that, it’s been the culmination of a multifaceted implosion that now threatens their place in the top division.

Spurs, whose manager this week is Roberto De Zerbi, are in freefall. They haven’t won a game since the end of 2025 and remain in the drop zone, thanks to Georginio Rutter’s stoppage-time equaliser for Brighton, De Zerbi’s former club, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last Saturday.

Their run-in sees them take on Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton, with two at home and two away, and one relegation place still yawning menacingly above the doomed bottom two.

If Spurs are going to find a win, the obvious place on paper is at Molineux, where the first of their five remaining games takes place this afternoon. Wolves’ relegation was confirmed in midweek, and Burnley soon followed.

See also ► Premier League TV guide

Their brief burst of life might be over and done with, but Rob Edwards has been able to get Wolves fired up for a handful of home matches in spite of the inevitability of their situation.

Spurs will not be relishing the prospect of Molineux, and with good reason. Wolves are winless in four again, but the reality is they are no more relegated now than they were when they beat Villa, Liverpool and West Ham United.

All three of those teams are better than Spurs and were all defeated in the Black Country.

If Spurs think Wolves’ purple patch at home is over, they would be well advised to think again. Take away the away games, the international break and the FA Cup loss against the Reds, and the nub of the Edwards revival reappears: Wolves took seven points from Arsenal, Villa and Liverpool in their last three home league games.

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

Tickets

FourFourTwo's prediction

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Backing either of these teams to win would appear to be a foolish choice.

From 2003/04 to 2008/09, we lived firmly in the Big Four era. Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool had a near-monopoly on the four Champions League places, with just one exception: Everton beat Liverpool into fourth place in 2004/05.

Manchester City and Tottenham joined the party to make it a Big Six from 2009/10 onwards. In the 13 seasons between then and 2021/22, those six teams made up the top six on six occasions.

Five of them were in the top six a further five times. Liverpool finished outside the top six three times from 2010 to 2013. Manchester United finished seventh under David Moyes in 2013/14. Liverpool (eighth) and Chelsea (tenth) both had bad years in 2015/16 to help open the door for Leicester’s title triumph. Arsenal finished eighth in 2019/20 and 2020/21, with Spurs one place ahead of them in the latter season.

Then came Saudi-owned Newcastle United and Aston Villa, who seemingly pushed us into the Big Eight era, as we here at FourFourTwo claimed in summer 2023. That was seemingly confirmed the following season: the top eight places were all filled by those eight teams.

Only it’s not quite worked out that way.

The Big Four era and - to only a slightly lesser extent - the Big Six era were both extremely entrenched.

Even those aberrations in the 2010s were down to the elite clubs having a transitional period – especially Liverpool’s wilderness years in the latter days of the Hicks and Gillett regime, when they were certainly not behaving or spending like an enormous club.

Let’s not get this wrong: Big Eight clubs have eaten up every top five place for what now looks like being five seasons in a row, with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool joined on a rotating basis by Aston Villa, Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle and Tottenham.

But at the same time, those clubs have lost the aura of invincibility that was enjoyed by the financially-backed elite over the past two decades. Simply put, you still need bags of money to succeed, but it is no longer a guarantee against failure to anything like the degree it once was.

No Big Four or Big Six club ever finished far from their ‘place’ in their respective eras. To repeat: Liverpool were the only Big Four club to ever finish as low as fifth. Chelsea were the only Big Six club to ever finish outside the top eight, coming tenth in 2015/16.

But if the table stays as it is now, at least one Big Eight club will have finished in the bottom half of the table in three of the past four seasons. Chelsea came 12th in 2022/23. Manchester United and Tottenham came 15th and 17th respectively last season. Newcastle are now 14th – and most remarkably, Spurs are on course for relegation.

That has come in spite of the tighter PSR regulations that coincided with what is meant to be the Big Eight era. Those rules, which limit the losses clubs are able to make, should in theory have entrenched the richer clubs even further. Leicester’s dramatic decline after years of recklessly overspending on wages shows the perils of trying to keep up with the Joneses.

So what is happening? Why is it that money talked so loudly in the Big Four and Big Six eras that those clubs were virtually completely insulated against serious failure – but now it is possible for some of the richest clubs in the country to find themselves battling it out in the lower reaches of the Premier League table?

The answer, we think, is twofold. One is that the TV rights for the Premier League took a massive, massive hike in from 2016/17 onwards. That meant that the rich got richer – and have continued to do so by having Champions League money on top – but so did the rest of the division.

That’s important, because when it comes to player recruitment in a global market, Premier League clubs are not only competing with each other: they’re up against big teams from other countries, too.

Suddenly, even a fairly middling Premier League side could afford to pay more than almost any club in Italy, Germany or Spain bar the absolute powerhouses like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Wolves are the best early example of the effect that had. They finished seventh in 2018/19 and 2019/20, largely thanks to their ties to Jorge Mendes allowing them to sign some of Portugal’s hottest young stars even when they were still a Championship club gambling on getting promoted to the top tier.

Even still, there was an upper limit. But what we have seen over the past few years is less about pure financial might: it’s been about the Premier League’s middle-class clubs spending the last decade getting much smarter about how they spend their money.

While some of the big eight have wasted their wealth on incoherent recruitment and inappropriate managerial appointments, there is a clutch of clubs who have excelled at getting the absolute most out of their squads.

Mauricio Pochettino is still held in high regard by supporters of Tottenham Hotspur; of that there is no doubt.

The Argentine enjoyed a successful spell with the club between 2014 and 2019 before his acrimonious departure months on from the team's appearance in the UEFA Champions League Final.

Pochettino has taken charge of Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and the United States since then, the latter being his current post, but still feels strongly towards Spurs.

Pochettino: 'Tottenham still feels like home'

Naturally, Pochettino and Tottenham fans the world over have fond memories of club's run to the 2019 Champions League Final, which feels a far-cry from their current situation.

But, there were several other moments, including the majority of the 2016/17 campaign, under Pochettino that Spurs supporters continue to hark back to.

Before Pochettino, Tottenham had only qualified for the Champions League once in the Premier League era, in 2010. Under his management, the team qualified four seasons in a row, culminating in that 2019 final defeat, but in doing so, Pochettino had helped establish the club as a mainstay among Europe’s elite.

The pinnacle of the 'Poch era' came in 2016/17 when the club challenged for the title and secured their highest Premier League finish, ending the campaign in second place with a record 86 points.

It was the year in which Spurs bid farewell to White Hart Lane, too, going unbeaten there in the league, recording 17 wins and two draws. In the process, Tottenham conceded only 26 goals across the entire Premier League campaign, fewer than every other side.

And it was at that time Pochettino helped bring through the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Son Heung-min, facilitating their ascent to becoming modern-day Spurs icons.

"Yes, why not [go back]?" Pochettino told FourFourTwo in an exclusive interview. "If the right conditions are there, of course. Tottenham feels like home to us. We identify with the club’s idiosyncrasies, values and supporters.

"Right now it’s about enjoying the World Cup," he added. "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."

Which division Tottenham are playing in next season remains to be decided, with the club teetering on the brink of relegation from the top flight for the first time since the 1970s.

Recently, the club have signed head coach Roberto De Zerbi to a long-term contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, meaning there is every chance there will not be a Spurs vacancy for some time.

Arne Slot’s men could see a struggling Tottenham Hotspur forward join their ranks next season, with the Reds preparing to ‘accelerate’ their interest.

Liverpool are reportedly lining up a shock move for the Spurs man, who is looking to extend his Premier League stay in the event of a Tottenham Hotspur relegation.

The Reds are currently well-placed for Champions League qualification, clear by five points in fifth position of closest competitors Brighton, with a game in hand also yet to play.

Liverpool ‘willing’ to help Spurs flop extend his Premier League stay

Randal Kolo Muani, currently on loan at Tottenham Hotspur from PSG, is looking to extend his Premier League stay ahead of both his return to France and a potential Spurs relegation.

The Frenchman, whose hopes of playing World Cup football were recently boosted significantly by Hugo Ekitike’s injury, has struggled for the North London club this season.

Kolo Muani has registered just two Premier League goal involvements, one goal and one assist, in 17 starts and 25 games during the 2025-26 campaign.

The forward’s first Premier League assist came against Liverpool during March’s 1-1 Anfield draw — the singular domestic point gained by Igor Tudor during his short tenure.

According to a report from Calcio Mercato, Liverpool have joined the race for Kolo Muani’s signature, which is also highly sought after by Juventus who the Frenchman spent the second half of the 2024-25 season on loan with.

In the event of Liverpool making an offer for the Spurs forward, it is expected that PSG would have no objections in selling and Juventus would likely be pipped by the Reds’ pull.

Kolo Muani’s contract with PSG expires in 2028 and his valuation has plummeted in the years since his arrival in France for over £80 million from Frankfurt in 2023.

According to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport, the Frenchman's entourage are no longer interested in loan moves, meaning any Liverpool advances would likely have to be for the permanent signing of Kolo Muani.

The Spurs attacker now has more motivation than ever to end the season strongly - to appear alluring to potential suitor clubs, to secure World Cup football with France, and to prevent a historic Tottenham Hotspur relegation.

Tottenham Hotspur currently find themselves in the midst of a morale-sapping Premier League relegation battle.

The North London club are without a league win since December and are the last remaining Premier League side to taste victory in 2026.

Despite the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as the team's new head coach, Spurs have lost to Sunderland and drawn against Brighton & Hove Albion, now two points adrift of safety with five matches to go.

Micky van de Ven prepares to leave Spurs

Previous head coach Igor Tudor lasted only a matter of games, presiding over one of the shortest managerial tenures in English top flight history, in what proved a microcosm of Spurs' season.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been something of a managerial revolving door over the past 12 months. Spurs parted company with Ange Postecoglou following the team's 17th place finish, and Europa League victory, last term, appointing Thomas Frank as his replacement.

However, the Dane lasted only six months in the role, replaced by Tudor, whose stint was even shorter.

Regardless of how Tottenham's season ends, whether it be in survival or relegation, it is expected more of the same will occur with the playing squad.

Club captain and Argentine international Cristian Romero has been linked with a move to Spain's top flight, meanwhile fellow central defender Micky van de Ven is also purported to be on his way.

FourFourTwo understands the Dutch centre-back has begun tidying up his off-field affairs in London, signalling that his future lies elsewhere.

Van de Ven has described rumours suggesting the Spurs dressing room 'don't care' as nonsense, reaffirming his belief that the squad is committed to helping Tottenham remain in the Premier League.

"The other day when we read that one guy told the rest of the team that he doesn't care because he's leaving anyway - it’s just made up. And the fans will believe it. It’s just frustrating for us guys," Van de Ven said in a recent interview.

However, developments in the player's personal life indicate there is an expectation he will no longer be plying his trade at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium beyond July.

Van de Ven is represented by one of the most powerful agencies in world football, Team Raiola, founded by the late super-agent Mino Raiola, and is one of the organisation's premium clients. He has been linked with moves to Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool among others, but remains contracted to Spurs until 2029.

Given he has three years left to run on his current deal, Spurs are likely to command a significant fee if Van de Ven is sold in the summer and the club remain a Premier League entity.

In the event of relegation, though, Van de Ven's price tag may plummet, and is heavily dependent on Spurs' negotiating power.

Xavi Simons’ was very much back in Tottenham Hotspur fans’ good books after his superb goal against Brighton & Hove Albion.

It seemed Tottenham's Dutchman, who has flattered to deceive since his £52m move from RB Leipzig, had won the game with his glorious curling strike, only his second Premier League goal of the season.

But Brighton hit back with an injury-time equaliser from Georginio Rutter and Spurs were again left contemplating the very real danger of relegation to the Championship.

Simons to be available to leave Tottenham Hotspur for cut price

If Roberto De Zerbi cannot prevent his side’s slide towards the second tier, several big-name players are likely to seek an exit this summer.

Simons could be amongst them, and Spurs could be set to make a significant loss just a year after signing the playmaker.

According to Fichajes, Simons could be available for around £26m should Spurs be relegated.

The Spanish outlet claim “several teams” are on alert over the possibility of signing the Netherlands international at a cut price.

Simons would reportedly welcome a “change of scenery”, although things will “change completely” should Spurs stay up.

The financial repercussions of dropping out of the Premier League would leave the club with no choice but to sell some of their most valuable assets, Simons included.

Fichajes do not name any of the interested clubs, but presumably teams from European’s top five divisions are keeping an eye on the situation.

For now, though, Spurs will hope Simons can add more goals and help guide his current team to safety.

De Zerbi’s side are 18th with five games left to play, and have not won a Premier League game in 2026.

Tottenham’s nightmare season has seen them suffer another blow with news that one of their defenders has suffered a ‘severe’ injury blow.

Spurs’ winless run continues on Saturday, when Brighton’s Georginio Rutter scored a 95th-minute equaliser at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Roberto De Zerbi’s side twice threw away a lead in their latest quest to secure a first Premier League win of 2026.

That draw, coupled with Nottingham Forest’s 4-1 victory over Burnley on Sunday, means that Spurs could find themselves four points off safety with five games to play, should West Ham United win at Crystal Palace on Monday.

Spurs defender suffers ‘severe’ injury

Injuries have played their part in Spurs’ recent woes, with skipper Cristian Romero last week being ruled out for the rest of the campaign, while goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is recovering from hernia surgery.

Dejan Kulusevski, Ben Davies and Mohammed Kudus remain sidelined long-term, and although Rodrigo Bentancur returned to action on Saturday and James Maddison was back in the matchday squad, a Spurs loanee is the latest to suffer a fresh injury blow.

Tottenham loaned 19-year-old centre-back Luka Vuskovic out to Hamburg in the summer, shortly after the Croatia international joined the club in a £12million deal.

He would quickly make an impact in Germany, making 27 appearances for the Bundesliga side in all competitions as he established himself as a key part of the Hamburg defence.

Vuskovic was again called up by the Croatia national side during the last international break, winning his third and fourth international caps when he started the friendlies against Colombia and Brazil, but has made just one appearance since his return.

Hamburg boss Merlin Polzin last week confirmed that Vuskovic had undergone intensive treatment for a knee injury and again missed out at the weekend, when Hamburg lost 3-1 to Werder Bremen. Now, German outlet Bild reports that the injury is ‘much worse’ than originally feared, claiming that the teenager’s knee joint is more ‘severely damaged than previously thought’.

They add that the Spurs man has not trained with his team-mates since April 7, with Hamburg clearly missing him in his absence, as they have shipped in seven goals in their last two matches. The report does not indicate when Vuskovic is expected to return.

While news of the injury will be a blow to Hamburg and Vuskovic ahead of this season’s run-in, it will also be of concern to Tottenham ahead of what will be a crucial summer for the team, whatever happens over the next few weeks.

Vuskovic - who is valued at €60million by Transfermarkt - has enjoyed an impressive season in Germany, which has seen the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich monitor his progress.

The Tottenham defence is likely to undergo significant changes this summer, whatever division the club finds itself in, and if the young Croatian is not part of the Spurs back-line next term, he could be a valuable asset in the transfer market.