Tottenham Hotspur

Ellie Molloson
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Sunday's fixture against Tottenham Hotspur is no longer just another league game; it is a relegation play-off.

The margin for error has evaporated. Nottingham Forest and West Ham have 29 points, with Spurs just one point ahead at 30. Whilst Spurs appear to be more comfortable than West Ham who currently sit 18th, momentum tells a different story.

West Ham have found their stride - including a gritty draw against Manchester City - and Leeds have carved out a three-point cushion. On current form, the Hammers look likely to climb clear, leaving a direct shootout between Forest and Spurs to decide who remains a Premier League team.

That means a draw is not enough. We have no choice but to win.

Both squads are packed with proven talent, yet both have struggled with confidence, stability and, at times, a lack of heart. Both are severely under-performing, and on their day, both can be unbeatable.

Football talent, skill and ability is not why either team is here and, therefore, it does not make sense to attempt to analyse the actual football here. The result will be determined by who wants it more.

The danger is that Spurs have finally begun to rally, with their fans sensing the cliff edge and the players finally showing a tiny bit of grit with their two most recent results. We cannot afford to let them find their feet. We have to treat this with the intensity of a cup final. We need to be the 12th man.

Many outlets are already discussing Forest's relegation as a foregone conclusion. Discussing what we will do if we go down, which players go out and how we can manage Europe and the Premier League. But the season is not done yet!

The media might be busy writing the post-mortem for our season, but as a very wise man once said: "I hope anybody's not stupid enough to write us off."

Find more from Ellie Molloson at Garibaldi Girls, external

Relegation rivals Tottenham and Nottingham Forest meet in north London on Sunday (14:15 GMT).

A corner turned for Spurs?

This week marked the end of the road for Tottenham in Europe but also suggested a corner may have been turned in their awful form.

After four consecutive defeats under Igor Tudor, an injury-hit Spurs side scored a last-minute equaliser against Liverpool last Sunday to earn a first point under their interim boss. That was followed by his first win in charge, a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid.

The victory couldn't save Tottenham's European campaign but, just as with the fightback against Liverpool, it was the spirited manner of the performance that gave hope to a Spurs side that has looked beleaguered in recent times.

And against Atletico, they managed to do it in front of their own fans at home, a place where their continuing struggles have been even more sharply thrown into focus.

With their awful injury crisis also showing signs of easing, there is cause for optimism among fans.

However, Tottenham remain one of only two teams in the top four tiers of English football not to have won a league match in 2026, along with already-relegated Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.

Only three Premier League sides have had longer runs without a win from the start of a calendar year, all of whom were relegated (Sunderland in 2002-03, Derby in 2007-08 and Middlesbrough in 2016-17).

Spurs are winless in 12 Premier League games (D5, L7), their longest such run since 1935. Tudor has shown he can get a reaction out of his players, now he needs them to give them his first league victory.

Forest need another Wood

Nottingham Forest's victory in this fixture last season put them third in the table and very much in the Champions League mix, a dream that was dashed only on the final day of the Premier League campaign.

Less than 12 months later, Forest are in a huge battle at the other end of the table and their lack of attacking options this season has been exposed.

Forest had scored 50 goals after 30 league matches in 2024-25; at the same stage this season, they have managed just 28, the second-lowest total in the top flight.

Chris Wood supplied 20 of Forest's 58 Premier League goals last season, but has not played since mid-October because of a knee injury.

Forest spent £160m on forwards and attacking midfielders last summer – so far they have contributed five league goals between them, while centre-forward Lorenzo Lucca, who has scored just once since arriving on loan from Napoli in January, already seems to be out of favour.

Igor Jesus, one of those summer signings, is Forest's top scorer this season with 12 goals but 10 have come in Europe.

Despite having the eighth-highest number of shots this season (384), Forest have the lowest shot conversion rate in the top flight (7.3). They have also failed to score in 14 of their 30 league games, with the 3-0 win over Spurs in the reverse fixture in mid-December the last time they scored three in a league match.

Ali Speechly
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

If you had told me at the start of the season that our Premier League survival would hinge on a six-pointer against Nottingham Forest, I would have laughed in your face.

Seven months later, it turns out the joke is on me.

While this season has been a comedy of errors for Spurs, consecutive positive performances have shifted the momentum in our favour and we could yet have the last laugh.

If the draw against Liverpool was a turning point, the victory against Atletico Madrid confirmed that we are definitely moving in the right direction.

Three points this Sunday would ensure there is no looking back and it is essential that we secure them, by any means necessary.

With the Premier League table as delicately balanced as it is, it doesn't feel dramatic to say that the result against Forest will determine our season. Win and we avoid relegation. Lose? Well, that doesn't bear thinking about. Even a draw feels like it would be no good here.

I am still not convinced by Igor Tudor – particularly his man-management style – but with this Forest game being one of those "win at all costs" scenarios, it doesn't really matter if I like the interim manager or not.

We have reached crunch point and we will take the wins however we can come by them.

In an ideal world, that would be by playing the Tottenham way – with flair, confidence and goals that still get replayed decades later.

We have struggled to consistently replicate our glorious history in the modern era, particularly this season, but we must make sure that journey of self-rediscovery is one that takes place in the highest league of English football.

I might be biased, but I believe it is where we belong.

Find more from Ali Speechly at Women Of The Lane, external and on Instagram, external

Tottenham boss Igor Tudor has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (14:15 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Tudor said he thinks Dominic Solanke will be fit to face Forest: "Dom didn't train [today] but probably tomorrow he will train with the team and I think he will be available. He had a hip problem but I think he will be OK."

• He added that James Maddison, who has been out since pre-season with an ACL injury, could play this season: "Yeah, Maddison is already doing some interesting things with the ball and sprinting, he is positive."

• Mohammed Kudus is progressing "very well" and could be back with the squad in "10 days", while Rodrigo Bentancur is "edging closer" to a comeback, and Joao Palhinha is back in training following concussion protocols for his clash of heads with Cristian Romero in the first leg against Atletico Madrid.

• On fan mood after a draw at Liverpool and win on the night against Atletico: "Beautiful sense of the togetherness with the fans. I enjoyed the sensation of us doing well on the pitch and sharing it with the fans. We need to continue all together."

• He was pleased with Xavi Simons' performance against Atletico: "He himself was motivated, was good, was with the right mentality. When he's like that, his qualities come out. So his qualities connect a lot with these things I said now. It was a really beautiful surprise for me. He was inside from the first second of the game. It was nice to find in him this resource we will need in these last games we still have to play."

• Tudor was asked about being charged by the FA with misconduct over his claim that referee Thomas Bramall favoured the "home team" in Spurs' 2-1 Premier League loss at Fulham, and said: "I have spoken to the club but I'm focused on the game."

• On fan feeling going into such a huge game: "There's a positivity but also an understanding the game will not be easy. It is an important game but will probably not decide anything. We need just to keep going with what we did last week."

• When asked what he has learned about his players that he didn't know before, Tudor said: "Nothing new."

• On the challenge posed by Forest: "It's a long game to play, a few games in the game. You need to be inside from the first to last second of the game, including five subs. So a big respect to them because they have players who can hurt us, but as well, going on our sides, going on with our things, with confidence, with courage, with humbleness, with all the stuff necessary to take the points."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Spurs? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

England manager Thomas Tuchel has named his 35-man squad for the two friendlies against Uruguay and Japan in March.

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion).

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan).

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).

Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur).

There are 13 players involved who weren't in the last squad back in November, while there's a first senior call-up for Everton midfielder James Garner and Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele.

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Seismic changes are coming at Tottenham Hotspur this summer, whether they stay up or not.

Plenty of players will move on, lots of new faces will come in, and another coach will almost certainly be in the dugout. A few members of the squad may even emerge from this adversity hardened and improved.

Archie Gray is the prime candidate for the latter. In recent weeks, when Tottenham have sunk to calamitous lows, the 20-year-old has raged against the dying of the light in north London.

Gray made his 16th European start for Spurs against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, with only Steve Perryman making more in the club's history before the age of 21, and it was among his best performances since his £30m transfer from Leeds in 2024.

It was an all-round effort Spurs fans have grown used to. The youngster created two chances - including an assist - and won possession back a team-high nine times for Tottenham.

Despite his tender years, Gray has clearly earned Tudor's trust. He is the only player to have started every game for the Croatian, and so far that faith in the youngster is being repaid.

Gray's versatility has been valuable to Spurs over the last couple of seasons, with injury crises and managerial changes - and subsequently different tactics and formations - creating a chaotic environment.

In his first season, Gray played 53% of his minutes as a centre-back and 21% as a right-back in all competitions. This year, he has had a little more stability in his preferred midfield role, albeit he's still been plugged into gaps when required.

Despite his grandad Frank and great-uncle Eddie representing Scotland, Gray has opted for England, although he has yet to make a senior appearance for the Three Lions.

A final decision on his international allegiance will have to be made soon if he continues this form, with a call-up probably on the cards.

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is a target for Inter Milan and the 29-year-old Italy international is believed to be open to a move to the Serie A club. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero has dismissed speculation linking him with a summer transfer, with the Argentine, 27, stating his commitment is to helping the club avoid relegation. (Independent), external

Striker Randal Kolo Muani, who is on loan at Tottenham from Paris St-Germain, is being lined up for a permanent move to Juventus where the 27-year-old spent time last season. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Bardi
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

There wasn't much hope, a fool's hope as some would call it, but for long stretches of the game it genuinely felt possible.

For the first time in what feels like a lifetime, Tottenham played with real purpose. The ball moved quickly, passes had intent, and chances came from good football rather than set-pieces. We were getting into decent positions and hitting the target.

In the end, it was just too much to overturn. Those slippy opening 17 minutes in Madrid left us with a mountain that was always going to be difficult to climb. Still, this is one of those mornings where you look for the positives, and there were plenty to take from last night.

What stands out most is how quickly the mood around the club has shifted. It feels different now. There is a togetherness on the pitch and in the stands that has been missing for a long time. Relegation, which not long ago felt almost inevitable, now feels like something we can fight together rather than simply accept.

There is nothing complicated behind this improvement. Igor Tudor has not come in with a magic solution. We are just working harder, running more, and winning our duels across the pitch. When chances come, there is a bit more composure instead of panic.

Against Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, we created real opportunities. We didn't take all of them, but it is a relief to see Spurs producing chances through open play rather than relying on set-pieces or long throws.

In midfield, Archie Gray and Pape Matar Sarr are beginning to look like a proper partnership, full of energy and intent. Mathys Tel brings unpredictability and a threat in behind, while Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke mean we have a number nine for all occasions.

For the first time in months, there is real hope.

Now the focus turns to Sunday against Nottingham Forest. That is the real test. A point away at Anfield and a battling win against a team with a three-goal cushion will only mean something if our relegation rivals are swatted aside.

The European run is over and how soon we return will be decided over the next eight games. Today, though, it feels like hope. Not just a fool's hope.

Find more from Bardi at The Extra Inch - a Spurs podcast, external

We asked for your views on Tottenham's victory over Atletico Madrid - which was not enough for them to progress in the Champions League

Here are some of your comments:

Mark: A really encouraging performance on the back of our draw at Anfield, we moved the ball quickly and kept fighting to the end. Couldn't have asked for more in view of the first 20 minutes in Madrid.

Dave: If we play like that, if the fans support like that, and if we get a little help from the football gods, we will stay up. We were so much better…solid in defence, much more fluid and creative going forward and best of all, we gave it our all and never backed off.

Andy: Disappointed not to go through, but a very good performance to hopefully give the team more confidence. Archie Gray magnificent again, Xavi Simons and Vicario all superb. Arguably the best performance since September, which should help revive our season.

Dorothy: A really great and gutsy performance from the whole team. It was great to see a few players back from injury. The team looked confident and determined.

Oliver: It would seem that we are on the way back. Three points on Sunday will prove the point and we'll be back to the team we should be.

James: Much better performance. Could have taken a few more of the opportunities to make the comeback a real possibility. Good to see some much needed fight and spirit. Bring on Forest!

Image source, Getty Images

We are getting to the stage of the season where every Premier League team is managing injuries in their squad as the sheer volume and intensity of games begins to take its toll.

But who has been most affected by injuries across the campaign so far?

Ben Dinnery, from Premier Injuries Limited, has provided the data below, showing the number of domestic injuries each top-flight team has suffered, defined by a player missing at least one Premier League game.

The data has been taken from the opening weekend up to and including 18 March.

Despite this table listing domestic injuries, it is unsurprising that the top three of Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa have all competed in European competition, with the Gunners still fighting on four fronts and the Blues also coming off the back of a much-shortened pre-season following their Club World Cup victory.

Perhaps more surprisingly, however, is the fact Arsenal's 31 domestic injuries so far comfortably leads the way, illustrating the strength and depth available to Mikel Arteta to still have his side nine points clear at the top of the table.

The graphic below shows Tottenham lead the way for days missed by injured players, illustrating the issues faced by Thomas Frank, who had to cope with long-term absentees including Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.

Both West Ham and Brentford are in the bottom three for domestic injuries and days missed through those injuries, while Arsenal and Villa are in the top three for both.

Chelsea drop down the table when looking at days missed, showing they have predominately suffered from short absences spread throughout the squad.

It is worth pointing out that Newcastle's two longest absences this season - Emil Krafth (120 days) and Yoane Wissa (88 days), who had not yet even trained with his new side, resulted from injuries picked up on international duty and are not factored into the figures.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Tottenham midfielder Andy Reid says he was disappointed that Igor Tudor didn't acknowledge the fans after beating Atletico Madrid in their Champions League second leg tie, although the victory wasn't enough on aggregate to take Spurs through.

"I thought it was a bit strange and unnecessary," Reid said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Champions League Debrief. "He hasn't had a lot of positivity since he came in as the performances haven't been great, but they picked up a win so you'd think he'd want to be out there getting the fans on-board with a clap.

"That would make sure when the Spurs fans arrive on Sunday they are really behind the team.

"Yes, they have lost the tie and they have gone out of the Champions League, but he still needs to take any shoots of positivity that they can get and there were some in this game.

"They are really struggling for form in the Premier League but what I did like about this performance was the formation. It will be interesting to see what Tudor does at the weekend [against Nottingham Forest].

Listen to the Champions League Debrief on BBC Sounds

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur's traumatic season can be summed up to perfection by the fact that even when they actually win, it still ends in defeat.

Spurs built on their deserved draw at Liverpool on Sunday to deliver another excellent display in beating Atletico Madrid 3-2 in their last-16 second leg, but it was not enough to turn around the calamitous 5-2 loss in the Spanish capital.

This was a big upturn in performance and it will be needed again because Spurs now confront a huge game on Sunday, when fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest visit Tottenham Hotspur Stadium only one point behind in the table and the same tally as third-bottom West Ham.

Spurs have not won in 12 Premier League games - six defeats and six draws - since the victory at Crystal Palace on 28 December.

This is a run that must end now.

In a stadium that has been a toxic environment for so much of this season, it would have been music to the ears of the players to hear the applause and warmth sweeping down from the stands.

The attendance of 49,568 meant there were 12,000 empty seats inside the vast arena - but it was actually one of the best atmospheres this season as Spurs fans responded to their side's efforts.

It was well-merited as Igor Tudor's men deserved their second-leg success, even offering up moments when a miracle might have crossed the minds of their long-suffering fans as they led twice before being pegged back both times until Xavi Simons' 90th-minute penalty.

Tottenham and Chelsea are chasing Hoffenheim's 23-year-old Kosovo striker Fisnik Asllani. (Bild - in German), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Pundits Nedum Onouha, Stephen Warnock and Guillem Balague join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from the Champions League lat-16 second legs.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Man City 1-2 (1-5) Real Madrid

• Arsenal 2-0 (3-1) Bayer Leverkusen

• Newcastle 7-2 (8-3) Barcelona

• Liverpool 4-0 (4-1) Galatasary

Tottenham manager Igor Tudor, speaking after the game: "The sensations are mixed. You don't like to not get through, but it was a very good performance. It was a beautiful sensation on the pitch with the fans who were really there together with the squad and the team from the first moment.

"Congratulations to the players. It is positive, commitment, a lot of running, lots of good things.

"The energy was really nice from the first moment and the fans recognised the team did everything from the first minute to the last, and they were with us - beautiful, thanks.

"The players believed and you could see the performance at this moment is very important. In the last two games we have improved. It is an important game on Sunday [against Nottingham Forest] but it will not decide anything yet, it will be decided over the last three games."

Asked when Tottenham would be back in Europe: "Next year, no, it should be the year after that. Why not? Winning a trophy last season gave the confidence to the players, and it is totally different if you have experience in European competition."

On his club's injury problems: "Today we had 11 players and on the bench, just one player - [Kevin] Danso. [Lucas] Bergvall, [Destiny] Udogie and Conor [Gallagher]. The doctors said they could only play 20 minutes, so you have 11 players and Danso. That makes the value of this performance even better. It was nice to take the victory and important for morale."

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, speaking to TNT Sports: "It's a good build-up into the next games and gives us a lot of confidence. We are very proud of what we did tonight but, of course, we are disappointed we didn't go through, but the important thing is we have got energy and freshness.

"The team is in a better physical place, and we kept running until the last second, and we had the energy of the fans - we had unbelievable support.

"The next games are crucial, and we have to give everything we have but this is a positive start. It's good to see the young players when they have to stand up. They do it in this way, so I'm very proud of them, and we will need them in the last games of the season.

"We have eight games until the end of the season and everyone will be crucial. We need everyone behind us and this kind of support in good times and bad times."

Did you know?

• Tottenham Hotspur conceded seven goals on aggregate in a European tie for the very first time – in fact, it was the first time they'd conceded that many goals in any two-legged tie in any competition.

• Tottenham Hotspur have scored in their last 7 games in the UEFA Champions League, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 20 games from 22nd November 2016 to 17th April 2019.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Image source, Getty Images

Spurs were always fighting against the odds after that desperate first leg in Madrid put Atletico in complete control of this tie.

But, despite their recent struggles, Igor Tudor's side actually offered up moments of hope as they were willed on by home fans who appreciated the effort and refusal to give up despite a mammoth task.

And this display, coming on top of a deserved league draw at Liverpool on Sunday, drew warm applause at the final whistle despite the disappointment of an exit from the competition.

Spurs deserved their success on the night, showing enough to offer real encouragement as they now tackle the main business of their season - namely staying in the top flight.

And they'll be positive going into Sunday's all-important home meeting with Nottingham Forest, who are only one point behind them in the table along with third-bottom West Ham.

The big opportunity for a miraculous comeback perhaps came when Mathys Tel missed a huge chance to make it 2-0 late in the first half, but he was also one of his side's standout players, a threat throughout.

And what will also give Spurs and Tudor added belief was the manner in which they responded to the setbacks of Atletico's two goals, pushing until the final whistle.

They never gave up, despite the almost certainty of defeat to earn a morale-boosting victory.

It was a far cry from the last time they were here, feeling the full wrath of their own fans after a dismal Premier League defeat by Crystal Palace.

There was genuine appreciation for Spurs' efforts - and that alone will help fuel their battle for survival if they can continue to build on the improvement in their last two games.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

What did you make of Tottenham's performance?