West Ham and Spurs are vying for survivalplaceholder image
West Ham and Spurs are vying for survival | Getty Images
Nottingham Forest may be at a disadvantage due to a new fixture arrangement.
West Ham are currently in the final drop spot, while Nottingham Forest are goal difference above them, Tottenham are one point better off and Leeds United are three points ahead.
This weekend, Tottenham face Forest in the first real relegation six-pointer, and there are a couple more to come. That clash could go a long way to shaping the relegation battle, but there are seven games remaining for each club after this weekend, so there will be plenty of twists and turns to come.
One interesting factor is the difference in workload at a tricky part of the season when players are already struggling to keep up. West Ham have the slight disadvantage of still being in the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage, but Forest are at the biggest disadvantage.
That’s because they have progressed to the quarter-final stage of the Europa League, and after this clash with Tottenham, and indeed after the international break, they must travel to Portugal to take on FC Porto on April 9.
They then face Aston Villa and welcome Porto for the second leg before a softer but just as important clash with Burnley. That’s a busy schedule with a significant trip to Portugal mixed in, and there is going to be plenty of demand against a very solid Porto side.
West Ham and Tottenham will be looking to take advantage of that added workload, but as mentioned, the Hammers do have an extra game in the form of the FA Cup, taking on Leeds United on April 5, but it isn’t much of a disadvantage given the fixture borders the international break, and many played will get a week or so off in any case.
Continue Reading