How Tottenham could finish this weekend two places clear of the Premier League relegation zone

Tottenham Hotspur face a defining weekend in their fight for survival, with results elsewhere set to shape just how far a win could take them up the table.

There are no simple games for Tottenham Hotspur at this stage of the season as they fight to retain their Premier League status.

With six games left in the league, every match is simply a cup final, making it crucial for Tottenham to get wins on the board.

But Spurs have failed to do so since the turn of the year, with their dismal run of 14 games without a win now leaving them in the bottom three.

Tottenham fixtures compared with West Ham, Leeds and Forest as table stakes rise

Once again, this weekend provides Tottenham with a golden opportunity to turn their league fortunes around.

Last week, Spurs failed to secure any points, while two of their relegation rivals, West Ham United and Leeds United, won their respective games, with Nottingham Forest earning a draw in theirs.

That run has now seen them pull further away from Tottenham, who sit in 18th after West Ham leapfrogged them into 17th following their 4-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

In matchweek 33, Spurs face Brighton and Hove Albion, and, on paper, they are the side with the tougher game, as no team in the league is in better form than the Seagulls.

But Tottenham cannot afford to lose this encounter, as they risk losing more ground to their relegation rivals – Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and West Ham United.

Should Spurs manage a win at the weekend, they could end the week as high as 16th, but that will mean results elsewhere must go their way.

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	Goals	+/-	Pts
15	Leeds United	33	8	12	13	39:50	-11	36
16	Tottenham Hotspur	33	8	9	16	41:51	-10	33
17	Nottingham Forest	33	8	9	16	32:45	-13	33
18	West Ham United	33	8	8	17	40:58	-18	32

Spurs survival hopes hinge on rivals’ fixtures this weekend

Looking at the games of their relegation rivals, it is difficult to see them dropping many points this matchweek.

West Ham United are up against Crystal Palace in 15th, Nottingham Forest face 19th-placed Burnley, while Leeds United play twice this gameweek, taking on 20th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers and an in-form AFC Bournemouth.

The Hammers could easily secure a draw or a win against Palace, while it would not be a surprise to see Forest beat Burnley.

Leeds, on the other hand, could beat Wolves, and should they manage to do the same against Bournemouth, they could well guarantee their own safety.

Ultimately, this gameweek is absolutely crucial for Tottenham, who take to the pitch before Forest and West Ham United and could pile some pressure on them with a victory.

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	Goals	+/-	Pts
15	Leeds United	33	9	12	12	40:49	-9	39
16	Nottingham Forest	33	9	9	15	33:44	-11	36
17	West Ham United	33	9	8	16	41:57	-16	35
18	Tottenham Hotspur	33	7	9	17	40:52	-12	30

But should Spurs not secure a win this gameweek and their relegation rivals all win their respective games, Tottenham could finish the matchweek five points adrift of safety.

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