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West Ham
Reasons for optimism: West Ham came from behind to pinch a point against Manchester City on Saturday and, for 18 glorious hours, they tasted life outside the relegation zone. This was their first spell outside the bottom three in 112 days and, even though results on Sunday dragged them back down, those fleeting hours offered a glimpse of hope. West Ham have taken 15 points from their last nine games – only four teams have picked up more in that period and they all occupy spots in the top six. We are finally beginning to see Nuno Espírito Santo’s blueprint: West Ham are keeping things tight at the back, scoring goals from fast breaks and have only lost one of their last six league games.
Reasons for caution: They need all the momentum they can get as they have a tough run-in, with Aston Villa, Arsenal, Newcastle and Brentford all to come before what could be a last-day reckoning against Leeds. Every point will have to be earned the hard way.
Tottenham
Reasons for optimism: Hope has been in short supply of late, but the fight Spurs showed in their 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday – and then against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League in midweek – might just be the first glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. Tottenham travelled to Anfield on the back of five straight defeats in the league but, for the first time in months, they played with some belief and organisation. It was not the performance of a team that is winless in 2026 and missing 13 first-team players through injury. Spurs had more shots on target than Liverpool and were finally rewarded for their persistence when Richarlison equalised in the 90th minute. “We came here with 12 players and this is really something big for me, for our club, for the team,” said manager Igor Tudor. With fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Leeds to come, Spurs fans will be hoping this week is their springboard to safety.
Reasons for caution: One point against Liverpool only papers over the cracks. Spurs have not won any of their last 12 league games – their worst run since the 1934-35 season, when they finished last and were relegated. Discipline and leadership remain major concerns, with Cristian Romero’s red cards and Micky van de Ven’s costly lapses emblematic of a team that often loses control in important moments. They have picked up just 10 points at their own stadium this season – the worst home record in the Premier League and the second worst in England’s top four tiers after Sheffield Wednesday. Spurs do not have the luxury of competing against a dire bottom three, like they did last year, and draws may not be enough to save them. Lose to Nottingham Forest on Sunday and they will be in big trouble.
Nottingham Forest
Reasons for optimism: Nottingham Forest are 17th in the table, just above the relegation zone thanks to their superior goal difference to West Ham. They can pull further clear if they beat Tottenham on Sunday. They have won their last three matches against Spurs and are starting to show some signs of stability under Vítor Pereira. He is the club’s fourth manager this season, which is hardly ideal, but his focus on video analysis and one-to-one work have improved results. Forest came from behind twice to draw with Manchester City at the Etihad earlier this month and they have backed that up with another draw against Fulham and a win over Midtjylland in the Europa League. They are taking steps in the right direction at a pivotal point in the season.
Reasons for caution: Pereira has admitted his players are struggling with the demands of competing in Europe and a relegation battle: “I’m not the kind of person who tries to find excuses, but it’s not easy to play four games in 12 days because they are not machines,” he said earlier this month. But the big games keep coming. They are off to Porto in the quarter-finals of the Europa League after the international break. Pereira should also be worried about his team’s lack of cutting edge; they have failed to score in 14 of their 30 matches this season and have the second worst attacking record in the league after Wolves. Forest are sorely missing Chris Wood, who has been injured since October but remains one of their top scorers this season. With Spurs, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United to come in their last eight games, the goals will have to arrive soon.
Leeds
Reasons for optimism: They are three points clear of the relegation zone and have a favourable run-in, with games to come against Wolves, Burnley, Tottenham and West Ham – all sides below them in the league – and just one fixture against a side in the top six. They should be cautiously optimistic, especially after a series of increasingly gritty displays in recent weeks, best encapsulated by their 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace last Sunday. A missed penalty and harsh red card might have crushed other relegation candidates, but not Leeds. They regrouped at half-time, shifted into a defensive 5-3-1 formation and defended like their season depended on it, denying Crystal Palace a single shot on target in the entire match. It wasn’t pretty but it was the resolute display of a side hellbent on survival.
Reasons for caution: Leeds draw too many games. They have only lost four of their last 17 matches … but they have only won four of them. They are also far too reliant on their home form, with just one away win all season. The good news is they still have home matches to play against Wolves and Burnley.
This is an article by WhoScored
