The Premier League relegation battle this season is coming to the most breathtaking ending when almost only two names are facing the risk of relegation. That is West Ham and Tottenham.
There are only three rounds left until the end of the season, and their next 2 matches may all be decisive for a ticket to stay in the Premier League.
The appearance of coach Roberto De Zerbi has helped Tottenham revive at the right time. Two consecutive victories recently not only pulled Spurs out of the relegation zone but also helped them grasp a fragile advantage in the survival battle.
However, Tottenham is still not reassured. Before Spurs welcomed Leeds, they could completely be surpassed by West Ham if coach Nuno Espirito Santo's team creates a surprise against Arsenal.
West Ham is currently only one point behind Tottenham and is facing a huge challenge when facing an Arsenal that still has the motivation to compete for the championship. Another defeat, especially according to the scenario similar to the 0-3 defeat to Brentford last weekend, could push The Hammers closer to the Championship.
In theory, everything is still undecided. But if Spurs defeat Leeds to create a 4-point gap, West Ham will fall into an extremely dangerous situation and have to wait for their opponent to stumble in the last two rounds.
Currently, Tottenham is 17th with 37 points after 35 rounds, while West Ham is right below with 36 points. Burnley and Wolves have definitely been relegated.
According to Opta's supercomputer, West Ham currently has more than 80% of the risk of relegation, while Tottenham's ability is only 19.3%.
It is noteworthy that just a few weeks ago, everything was completely the opposite. Before the victory over Aston Villa, Spurs were once rated as having a 59% risk of relegation. But the change under De Zerbi helped the North London team turn the situation around spectacularly.
However, the recent form of the two teams shows that this race is still very unpredictable. Since January 17 - the time West Ham defeated Tottenham 1-0 right on the away field - Nuno's team is actually one of the clubs with the best form in the Premier League. Despite just losing to Brentford, they are still in the top 6 teams with the most points in the league in this period.
Meanwhile, Tottenham has only really improved since De Zerbi appeared. In the last 4 matches under the Italian strategist, Spurs won 7 points - equal to West Ham's record in the same period.
This shows that the gap between the two teams is not as large as shown in the rankings. Tottenham is also not easy to breathe when facing Leeds - a team in extremely high form. Coach Daniel Farke's team is unbeaten in the last 6 matches, including a shocking victory against Manchester United right at Old Trafford.
In the opposite direction, Arsenal, although still leading the championship race, no longer maintains absolute stability. West Ham has repeatedly caused difficulties for the "Gunners" in recent title races, including a 2-2 draw in 2023 and a 1-0 victory at the Emirates in February 2025.
This Premier League season may witness one of the most tense relegation races in many years. And with what is happening, just a moment of mistake can decide the fate of West Ham or Tottenham.
