This weekend always felt like it might define the Premier League’s relegation battle.
Leeds United hosted Brentford. West Ham United visited an out-of-form Aston Villa. Tottenham Hotspur were at home against fellow relegation battlers Nottingham Forest. Wins for any of the four would mix up the picture.
Leeds only drew, West Ham lost and, remarkably, Forest downed Tottenham 3-0 to push them closer to the relegation zone. As a result, West Ham remain in the bottom three, Forest climb above Spurs and Leeds stay 15th.
The Athletic wanted to know whether there should be a real fear of relegation at each club, which of the other strugglers might drop to the Championship instead of them, and which fixture is now most important over the rest of the season.
Our writers for each club have given their answers below.
Leeds United
Are you worried about relegation?
Yes. Any promoted side four points above the relegation zone would be. At the start of the season, Leeds fans would have taken being 15th after 31 games, but form has been very poor in recent weeks. Opportunities to pull away from the relegation battle have been missed. It is also hard to see where their next win comes from.
Which club do you think could go down instead of Leeds?
If Tottenham Hotspur weren’t Tottenham Hotspur, you’d have to pick them. It’s hard to imagine a team who were competing in the Champions League’s knockout phase until this week could go down, but anyone with a Leeds connection can tell you about that. They can also tell you how when the vibes are off, the vibes are off. After Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Forest, the vibes at Spurs are off. The scary part of viewing them as the obvious candidates, though, is that if they sack Igor Tudor, replace him well and get their talented players playing, they could easily burn past Leeds.
What is their most important game remaining?
Can I pick two? There are two home games in particular — against last-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers and second-bottom Burnley — that could define the season. Win both of those, and Leeds surely stay up. Play like they did against Brentford on Saturday in those as well, and you fear for them.
How will Leeds fans feel after all of the games this weekend?
Troubled, but better than they might have felt. Leeds have not scored from open play in six games, and even that was from a defensive mix-up at Chelsea. After this awful 0-0 with Brentford, it felt particularly bad. The true crisis scenario was West Ham and one of Forest or Spurs winning. Thankfully for Leeds fans, at least West Ham lost.
Amitai Winehouse
Leeds could only manage a disappointing draw with Brentford (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)
Nottingham Forest
Are you worried about relegation?
It’s been a worry from the moment Ange Postecoglou’s disastrous eight-game tenure came to an end in October, when it had already become apparent a repeat of last season’s seventh-placed finish was unlikely. Chaos breeds chaos, and that has been current coach Vitor Pereira’s biggest challenge: to find calm amid it all. Their win against Tottenham will have eased those worries — even if the job is a long way from being done.
Which club do you think could go down instead of Forest?
It is easy to pick Spurs, given the manner in which Forest won there today, but you wonder if a change in the dugout might inspire a change in fortunes for them, just as it gradually has done for Forest and Pereira. I don’t think that West Ham or Leeds are out of trouble yet, either.
What is the most important game remaining?
It felt like the win against Tottenham, and the momentum could be a precious commodity for Forest. The next two games, both at home against Aston Villa and Burnley, feel massive, not least because Forest’s final four matches do not look particularly easy. The sooner they can add to their points tally, the better.
How will Forest fans feel after all of the games this weekend?
Jubilant. Delighted. Relieved. What a week it has been for Forest. First, securing a Europa League quarter-final against Porto, thanks to a win against Midtjylland in Denmark, then following that up with the biggest result of Pereira’s brief tenure.
Sunday’s victory has not secured Forest’s safety, but it has given them an advantage.
Paul Taylor
Tottenham Hotspur
Are you worried about relegation?
Yes. Sunday’s damaging defeat has destroyed the momentum Spurs gained from two positive performances against Liverpool and Atletico Madrid over the previous week. The fans greeted the team bus in style before kick-off and created the best atmosphere of the season, but the players let them down. To make matters worse, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is having hernia surgery during the international break. Spurs are falling apart.
Igor Jesus celebrates his opener for Forest against Tottenham Hotspur (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Which club do you think could go down instead of Spurs?
Possibly Leeds, who are struggling to score. West Ham have improved a lot under Nuno Espirito Santo and seem to be coping with the psychological challenge of a relegation battle far better than Tottenham. The brutal reality is that Spurs have been sinking for a long time and have not won a league game since December. It is hard to make a strong case for them.
What is the most important game remaining?
They play Wolves at Molineux on April 25, which feels huge, then host Leeds a couple of weeks later. If Spurs fail to earn six points from those matches, they will probably be doomed.
How will Spurs fans feel after all of the games this weekend?
Gutted. Angry. Disappointed. They did everything within their power to help the team. They booed every single touch from a Forest player in the opening 20 minutes. They applauded their own players after Igor Jesus opened the scoring. What did they get in return? A shocking second-half performance that has taken them a step closer to relegation.
Jay Harris
West Ham United
Are you worried about relegation?
The adage ‘Hope for the best, prepare for the worst’ sums up West Ham fans’ emotions. Potential relegation could lead to the departures of key players, including Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes. Top-flight survival would enable head coach Nuno to build a team around them, but demotion to the second tier could also see doubts about his long-term future.
Which club do you think could go down instead of West Ham?
The fans chorused, “Tottenham Hotspur, we’re coming for you” after the 1-0 away win against Fulham this month. Spurs’ form makes them more likely to go down, rather than Forest or Leeds. Tottenham have not won a league game since beating Crystal Palace on December 28.
Recent history also tells us that Spurs struggle in the latter stages of a season. In both 2022-23 and 2023-24, they lost five of their last 10 league games; a year ago, incredibly, they were beaten in eight of their final 10. West Ham will hope history repeats itself.
What is the most important game remaining?
Let’s go one step further and say their April fixtures will determine whether West Ham avoid relegation: Nuno’s side have league games against Wolves (home), Palace (away) and Everton (home). They suffered a chastening 3-0 loss against Wolves in January, secured a point against Everton in September — Nuno’s first game after succeeding Graham Potter — and, a week earlier, suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Palace.
Given the recent upturn in performances, six points from those possible nine is the minimum target. That would provide the platform for West Ham to retain their top-flight status.
How will West Ham fans feel after all of the games this weekend?
Concerned, given the circumstances surrounding today’s loss at Aston Villa. Defender Jean-Clair Todibo was injured in the warm-up and had to be replaced in the team by midfielder Freddie Potts. Regardless of how long he is absent, losing Todibo adds to the concern among the fanbase. Summerville also missed the defeat at Villa Park with the calf injury he sustained in Monday’s FA Cup fifth-round win against Brentford, but is expected to return after the international break.
Roshane Thomas
Remaining Premier League fixtures
Leeds
- April 13 vs Manchester United (a)
- April 18 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)
- April 25 vs Bournemouth (a)
- May 2 vs Burnley (h)
- May 9 vs Tottenham Hotspur (a)
- May 17 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (h)
- May 24 vs West Ham United (a)
Nottingham Forest
- April 12 vs Aston Villa (h)
- April 19 vs Burnley (h)
- April 24 vs Sunderland (a)
- May 2 vs Chelsea (a)
- May 9 vs Newcastle United (h)
- May 17 vs Manchester United (a)
- May 24 vs Bournemouth (h)
Tottenham Hotspur
- April 12 vs Sunderland (a)
- April 18 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (h)
- April 25 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)
- May 2 vs Aston Villa (a)
- May 9 vs Leeds United (h)
- May 17 vs Chelsea (a)
- May 24 vs Everton (h)
West Ham United
- April 10 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)
- April 20 vs Crystal Palace (a)
- April 25 vs Everton (h)
- May 2 vs Brentford (a)
- May 9 vs Arsenal (h)
- May 17 vs Newcastle United (a)
- May 24 vs Leeds United (h)