The battle against relegation: How are Tottenham players feeling at the moment?

Martin Macdonald

• 9 Apr 2026 12:01 CDT
• 6 min read

News

The last time Tottenham were relegated, Star Wars was released, Elvis passed away and Jimmy Carter became the president of the United States.

That was in 1977 and, in 2026, they face the prospect of being relegated for the first time in nearly half a century.

At the moment, Spurs are 17th in the Premier League, with 30 points from 30 matches so far. Nottingham Forest are one spot and two points above, while West Ham, Wolves and Burnley are in the bottom three.

Burnley and Wolves are on 20 and 19 points, respectively, while West Ham are on 29.

It looks like a battle between Tottenham, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds (33 points) for that dreaded final relegation spot.

Spurs are in this spot after a dreadful season which has seem them go through four head coaches in the space of a year.

Ange Postecoglou was sacked last summer despite winning the Europa League, his replacement Thomas Frank could not improve on the dire domestic form from the previous campaign and was also dismissed.

In a bizarre decision, Igor Tudor was appointed interim boss and things only got worse, which eventually led them to Roberto De Zerbi, who will take charge of the team for the first time this weekend versus Sunderland.

Unless performances drastically improve, the Spurs players face relegation and the future of their own careers will be uncertain.

So, what will be going through their minds?

Nedum Onuoha, relegated twice with Queens Park Rangers, explains.

"When you are fighting a battle against relegation, you know the end is close once you hit the 30-game mark and, if you're not in good form, the pressure becomes greater and greater, " he told ESPN.

"I know what it feels like: I was relegated twice from the Premier League as a player with Queens Park Rangers in 2013 and 2015 and was also part of the team that escaped relegation in 2012, so I have experienced at first hand just what it's like to fight for survival in the final months of a season.

"Players will carry the hope, but as time passes and results aren't there, that hope fades, and the harsh realities of the sport appear. Soon, you get to a place where you don't know whether you've already had your last win of the season. Maybe one of the teams in the relegation scrap won't win another game this season. You just have to hope that team isn't you."

Onuoha believes this weekend could be crucial as West Ham face Wolves in a crunch clash at the London Stadium. If the Hammers win, it will put Tottenham into the relegation zone until they play on Sunday.

"This weekend is a prime example of how it can all get into the minds of players at the bottom end of the table. West Ham, who are third-bottom right now, play Wolves at home knowing that a win will take them above Spurs before Roberto De Zerbi's reign as manager begins away to Sunderland on Sunday," he explained.

"The implications of Friday's game are huge because of the ripple effect that comes with whatever the outcome might be. If West Ham win, then Spurs are suddenly in a relegation position, and they haven't won a league game since December. They will have to go to Sunderland, who have a strong home record, knowing that they simply have to win if they are to climb out of the relegation zone.

"But if West Ham don't beat bottom-place Wolves, all of a sudden, there is less pressure on Spurs. That sense of relief is only fleeting, though, because the Spurs players will then realise the significance of a win at Sunderland and that brings a different kind of pressure -- the type of pressure that comes with opportunity, not necessity."

Onouha explains how the Tottenham players will go about dealing with the results of their relegation rivals as the games play out in real time.

"It's a tough place to be," the former Man City and QPR defender reveals.

"Sometimes you get cut adrift, and if a win only means that you continue treading water, the pressure for some can become too much. I reckon that none of the Spurs players will watch West Ham's game on Friday, but if they start to get messages from friends to say that West Ham are losing or the scores are still level at 80 minutes, then you can bet they will turn the TV on to watch because you want to feel a boost to your morale and belief that you can survive.

"That situation is a lot like you would imagine: There will be a sense of nervousness and some players saying they can't turn it on. Someone else will try to command a sense of control and say the game on TV doesn't matter, that it's "in our own hands anyway." But of course it matters. Any player who says, "I don't look at the league table. I just try and focus on what we're doing," I think in some ways that's disappointing because I want someone to feel the emotion of being where you are at this moment in time.

"All of the clubs in the relegation battle are looking for some kind of spark that will turn into positive momentum that takes them away from trouble. Yet, none of the four teams fighting to avoid relegation are enjoying any kind of momentum right now.

"Spurs still haven't won a league game in 2026 -- an incredible stat -- and Leeds are without a win in six league games. Forest's win at Spurs in their last game was their first win in eight, while West Ham, for all the talk of their revival under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, have won just once in six league games and are still in the bottom three."

Premier League fixtures - Matchday 32

West Ham v Wolves

Arsenal vs Bournemouth

Brentford vs Everton

Burnley vs Brighton

Liverpool vs Fulham

Crystal Palace vs Newcastle

Sunderland vs Tottenham

Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa

Chelsea vs Man City

Man Utd vs Leeds

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