The Premier League relegation battle is heating up, with Wolves already down and Burnley on the brink. As Leeds and Nottingham Forest have distanced themselves from the drop zone, the focus shifts to a tense two-way struggle between West Ham and Spurs for survival.
Separated by just two points, both London rivals face an increasingly precarious situation with only five games left to play. West Ham's recent goalless draw with Crystal Palace may be seen as a missed opportunity, as a win would have significantly widened the gap between them and Spurs.
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo and his Spurs counterpart Roberto De Zerbi are adopting positive outlooks, with De Zerbi believing his team can win all their remaining games after the draw with Brighton. However, Spurs' winless run in the Premier League now stands at 15 games, the longest such streak in the division. While West Ham have shown significant improvement under Nuno, having lost only one of their last five Premier League games, Spurs are still seeking to build momentum under De Zerbi.
The turning point for West Ham came with their 2-1 win over Spurs in January, marking the beginning of a strong run that has seen them achieve the sixth-best record in the division since then. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, are on a five-game unbeaten run, their longest of the season, following a 4-1 win over Burnley. The run-in for these teams will be crucial, with Spurs facing daunting trips to Aston Villa and Chelsea, while West Ham have the advantage of playing three of their last five games at home but face tough opponents in Arsenal and Newcastle. Given the predicted threshold for survival at 38 points, Nottingham Forest might only need one more win to secure safety after moving to 36 points with their victory over Burnley.
The return of James Maddison to the Spurs squad after a knee injury offers a boost, but injuries remain a significant concern, particularly with Cristian Romero and Dejan Kulusevski out. In contrast, West Ham have a nearly full squad to choose from, giving Nuno more options than De Zerbi. Opta's predicted table suggests Spurs are strong favorites to be relegated, with a 58.3% probability, significantly higher than West Ham's 36.9%.
Nottingham Forest are considered almost safe, with a relegation probability of just 4.4%.