‘I Think’ – Boss Still Expects Tottenham Relegation, West Ham Survival

Salford City manager Karl Robinson has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur got fortunate this past weekend due to Aston Villa’s chosen lineup, and he predicts Spurs will be relegated instead of their rivals West Ham United.

With Nottingham Forest continuing their strong run of form, the fight to avoid 18th place now appears to be a two-horse race between Tottenham and West Ham.

Spurs currently have a slight advantage, having secured consecutive wins for the first time since August under new head coach Roberto De Zerbi. Their recent displays have given fans renewed optimism, with one former Premier League star claiming he now sees a clear identity in Tottenham’s play.

However, Robinson is not overly confident about Tottenham’s chances of surviving relegation with just three matches remaining. Instead, he believes Spurs will run out of energy and drop into the Championship next season—a development that would throw their summer transfer plans into disarray.

The 45-year-old also pointed to West Ham’s past experience in dealing with relegation pressure, backed by full supporter support. “I think Spurs will go down,” Robinson said on No Tippy Tappy Football (36:24). “Yes, I do think West Ham can get a result against Arsenal. There’s a reason so many people watch football—we always watch in hope, and sometimes hope delivers.

“I think West Ham have been in this situation before; they’ve had difficult years in the past. Their fans, in some ways, will be there to support them. I just feel Spurs were lucky at the weekend with the team Villa put out. If I were West Ham manager, I’d be disappointed with that.”

Tottenham’s next opponents are Daniel Farke’s Leeds United, who have been steadily climbing the table with impressive performances. Robinson was part of Leeds’ backroom staff when they were relegated under Sam Allardyce in 2023. He spoke highly of Allardyce’s major influence in the dressing room, though it ultimately wasn’t enough to keep the club up.

Meanwhile, De Zerbi has acknowledged the difficult challenge Leeds will pose, stating that they deserve their current position in the standings.