Tottenham Hotspur moved out of the relegation zone on Sunday after securing a determined 2–1 win against Aston Villa. First-half goals from Conor Gallagher and Richarlison delivered back-to-back league victories for Spurs for the first time since August.
It marked one of their most convincing performances of the campaign, lifting them to 17th place and one point ahead of West Ham. Going into the weekend, Spurs were aware that a win at Villa Park would be enough to climb out of the bottom three following West Ham’s 3–0 loss to Brentford.
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest’s 3–1 triumph over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge — which took them beyond the 40-point safety threshold — has effectively secured their Premier League status. This leaves the fight to avoid the final relegation spot likely to come down to Tottenham and West Ham.
Lineker reassesses survival race
After Spurs’ vital victory, Gary Lineker has revised his earlier prediction. The former England striker, who had previously backed Tottenham to be relegated, now believes they are favourites to stay up after examining the remaining fixtures.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker highlighted the difficulty of West Ham’s run-in, which includes matches against Arsenal, Newcastle, and Leeds. While acknowledging Tottenham’s own challenging schedule — Leeds at home, Chelsea away, and Everton on the final day — he feels their slight points advantage could be crucial.
As it stands, Lineker now considers Spurs more likely to avoid the drop.
Momentum key ahead of Leeds clash
Tottenham earned their victory at Villa Park with a performance full of energy, resilience, and quality. Although Unai Emery rotated his squad due to European commitments, it should not detract from the display produced by Roberto De Zerbi’s side.
With confidence building after successive wins, including the recent triumph over Wolves, Spurs must now carry that momentum into their upcoming fixture against Leeds United.
Leeds are not yet completely safe and arrive in strong form, making them a tough opponent. For Tottenham, maintaining focus and consistency will be essential as they aim to secure their Premier League survival.
