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Premier League relegation battle: Do Tottenham, West Ham, Nottingham Forest or Leeds have the best run-in?

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The Premier League relegation battle looks set to go right down to the wire with four clubs seemingly battling to avoid the one remaining spot in the drop zone.

Perhaps Wolves or Burnley could still pull off the greatest of escapes but, in all likelihood, they will crash into the Championship and then be joined by one of Tottenham, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds.

Relegation for a Spurs side that won the Europa League last season, reached the Champions League knockout stage this term and has spent just one season outside the top flight since 1950 would go down as one of the biggest shocks in Premier League history but their chastening 3-0 defeat to Forest in their final game before the March international break and Igor Tudor’s catastrophic spell in charge has made that a real possibility.

The north Londoners are currently 17th in the table, just a point above bitter rivals West Ham in 18th, while Forest and Leeds have a marginally greater cushion between them and the bottom three. But with seven games remaining for each, there will be plenty of twists and turns still to come.

Here’s how the crucial relegation run-in is shaping up.

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Leeds United

Position: 15th | Played: 31 | Points: 33 | GD: -11

Remaining fixtures:

  • 13 April – Manchester United (A)
  • 18 April – Wolves (H)
  • 25 April – Bournemouth (A)
  • 2 May – Burnley (H)
  • 9 May – Tottenham (A)
  • 17 May – Brighton (H)
  • 24 May – West Ham (A)

Where to pick up points? The fixtures have fallen fairly kindly for Leeds and the chances are there for them to secure Premier League football next season. Three wins would definitely be enough to survive and two may well do it, so they’ll be eyeing up home fixtures against the current bottom two – Wolves and Burnley – to get over the line. Away games against relegation rivals Tottenham and West Ham also look like prime opportunities to get results on the board.

Tricky contests? Their first game after the international break, away to high-flying Manchester United, is their toughest remaining fixture on paper and leaving Old Trafford with anything would be hugely impressive. That is their only game against a team currently above 10th in the standings but a trip to Bournemouth in April and hosting European football-chasing Brighton in their penultimate fixture won’t be easy. Will an FA Cup quarter-final against West Ham straight after the international break prove to be a welcome distraction or a hindrance?

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Final straight? Leeds will be desperate to have secured safety by the time they travel to West Ham on the final day but if not, that could be a high-octane shootout for survival. Games against Brighton and Spurs immediately preceding that are too unfriendly as finales go.

Leeds have battled hard this season
Leeds have battled hard this season (PA)

Nottingham Forest

Position: 16th | Played: 31 | Points: 32 | GD: -12

Remaining fixtures:

  • 12 April – Aston Villa (H)
  • 19 April – Burnley (H)
  • 24 April – Sunderland (A)
  • 2 May – Chelsea (A)
  • 9 May – Newcastle (H)
  • 17 May – Manchester United (A)
  • 24 May – Bournemouth (H)

Where to pick up points? The three points they picked up by securing their first Premier League win since late January by hammering Tottenham 3-0 in the final match before the international break could prove vital with a tricky-looking remaining schedule. A home fixture against seemingly doomed Burnley is a golden opportunity for Forest to collect three more points and one further win in addition to that could be enough to get over the line. A home game against a mid-table Bournemouth side who may have nothing to play for on the final day could be their best chance.

Tricky contests? Games against three of the current top six still await Forest with trips to Man United and Chelsea on the docket as well as Aston Villa heading to the City Ground just three days after Forest travel to Porto for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final. A trip to Wearside to face this season’s surprise package Sunderland at the end of April is also a tough ask.

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Final straight? It’s not the best with a journey to Old Trafford on the penultimate day of the season far from ideal although, as mentioned above, hosting Bournemouth on the final day could offer a chance to snatch the points required if things aren’t wrapped up by then. A home match against a floundering Newcastle as their antepenultimate fixture could also be worse. Things could be complicated if they are still going in the Europa League by that point, however.

Nottingham Forest secured a vital win over Spurs
Nottingham Forest secured a vital win over Spurs (AP)

Tottenham Hotspur

Position: 17th | Played: 31 | Points: 30 | GD: -10

Remaining fixtures:

  • 12 April – Sunderland (H)
  • 18 April – Brighton (H)
  • 25 April – Wolves (A)
  • 2 May – Aston Villa (A)
  • 9 May – Leeds (H)
  • 17 May – Chelsea (A)
  • 24 May – Everton (H)

Where to pick up points? At the moment, Spurs can’t pick up points from anywhere… They haven’t won for 14 league matches, with their last Premier League triumph coming against Crystal Palace back in December and their most recent attempt being a 3-0 hammering by relegation rivals Nottingham Forest. On paper, a game away to Wolves at the end of April is a good opportunity for three points, as is a potentially pivotal clash with Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium three matches from the end of the campaign, but every clash is tough currently. There’s a good chance they may have a new man in charge by the time they face Sunderland on 12 April though and how they could do with a new manager bounce.

Tricky contests? Sidestepping the obvious quip of ‘every single one’, given their recent form, away games at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa and Chelsea in May don’t look too fruitful. Even home fixtures with mid-table sides Sunderland, Brighton, plus top-half Everton suddenly look that much more dangerous as well.

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Final straight? Leeds at home as the third-last game is absolutely huge. Should that game go awry and Spurs head into the final two matches in the relegation zone, then a trip to Stamford Bridge and clash with Everton to finish up appear unlikely to provide succour.

Tottenham’s loss to Nottingham Forest was hugely damaging
Tottenham’s loss to Nottingham Forest was hugely damaging (AFP/Getty)

West Ham United

Position: 18th | Played: 31 | Points: 29 | GD: -21

Remaining fixtures:

  • 10 April – Wolves (H)
  • 20 April – Crystal Palace (A)
  • 25 April – Everton (H)
  • 2 May – Brentford (A)
  • 9 May – Arsenal (H)
  • 17 May – Newcastle (A)
  • 24 May – Leeds (H)

Where to pick up points? Their impressive form since hugely damaging back-to-back defeats to Wolves and Nottingham Forest at the start of the year have seen West Ham go from doomed to having a genuine chance of survival. They may well be questioning exactly where the form that has seen them claim four wins and three draws from their last 10 league games was earlier in the season but if they can keep it going from here, then a home game against cellar-dwelling Wolves straight after the international break and a trip to struggling Crystal Palace to follow look like brilliant chances to rack up victories. Welcoming Leeds to the London Stadium on the final day also looms incredibly large.

Tricky contests? The Everton (H), Brentford (A), Arsenal (H) run from late April to early May does not look very friendly. The games before and after that run appear to be much better chances to pick up the points the Hammers need to pull off an impressive escape.

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Final straight? If West Ham can get through that three-game stretch with a realistic shot at survival then an away game against Newcastle and a home clash with Leeds to finish the season might just be the ticket to get them clear of the drop zone. The final-day showdown against Daniel Farke’s side could be an all-time classic but won’t be a pretty watch if both sides are still fighting for their lives. However, the fact that the Whites are coming to the London Stadium at least plays into Nuno and co’s hands.

West Ham's form since the turn of the year has given them a chance of survival
West Ham’s form since the turn of the year has given them a chance of survival (Getty Images)

Verdict?

This could genuinely go in any direction and you’d have to be a brave person to predict the outcome with any confidence.

It will surely all come down to the final day when West Ham host Leeds in a showdown for the ages, Spurs play Everton and Nottingham Forest host Bournemouth. Leeds generally have the kindest fixtures and although the goals have dried up for them recently, they should have enough to survive given the current cushion.

Forest could be adversely affected by their Europa League run and will probably need to have survival wrapped up going into the final couple of games, while West Ham’s crunch period comes straight after the international break. The next two fixtures could make or break the Hammers’ chances.

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Meanwhile, Spurs are in abject form and appear to be on the brink of ditching Igor Tudor. Could a new manager bounce prove sufficient? At this stage, we’ll say no and condemn Tottenham to the Championship for next season. But everything will change week by week.

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Man United flop in embarrassing telling off as he’s caught texting on subs bench

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Manchester United signed Memphis Depay for £25million over a decade ago now and the forward made barely 50 appearances, scoring just seven goals, before leaving

Memphis Depay received a telling off from a Corinthians coach after being caught using his mobile phone on the substitutes bench during their match against Flamengo.

The former Manchester United player started the match but came off midway through the first half after grimacing earlier in the game. Memphis went down the tunnel to their dressing room before later reemerging and sitting in the dugout.

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During the final few minutes of second-half added-time, he was looking down at a phone in his hands. A staff member soon came over and animatedly spoke to Memphis, who quickly put the phone away.

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The player claims he was using it to communicate with medical staff in the Netherlands after sustaining an injury. Memphis said on X afterwards: “Just to clarify, my moment with the phone was purely to communicate with the medical staff in the Netherlands at that moment.

“I came outside to show support to my team, while I could’ve stayed inside the dressing room with the injury. I’m upset with the result of the game as well. We keep working for better days.”

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Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman said Memphis had a scan on Monday and was awaiting the results. He said at a press conference on Monday: “He can still travel over, but it doesn’t look good.

“We might bring him in later, perhaps for the second match, but if that’s not feasible, then there’s no need.” The Netherlands face Norway in a friendly on Friday, followed by Ecuador four days later.

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Memphis remains a regular for the national team 18 months after moving to Brazil following short spells with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Erling Haaland was the only player to manage more than his eight goals in the European section of World Cup qualifying.

That is one more than Memphis managed during his entire United career. All seven strikes came during his first season, when he made 45 appearances across all competitions.

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However, after Jose Mourinho replaced Louis van Gaal, the former PSV player featured just eight more times before being sold to Lyon midway through his second season in England. Memphis rediscovered his form across the Channel, scoring 76 goals over 178 games and earned a dream move to Barcelona.

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He scored 13 times during his debut season, but, like at United, left midway through his second for Atletico. Four goals in nine games from January onwards did not translate over his first full season, however, scoring nine in 31 before departing and eventually joining Corinthians.

Memphis has made 76 appearances across three seasons in Brazil, scoring 20 times, but just once so far this season. His contract with Corinthians is due to expire this year.

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MLB futures odds, picks: Best bets for wins, strikeouts, saves leaders in 2026

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We’ve already examined which MLB players we think might cash futures bets in offensive stat categories, but what about the pitchers? Aces are nastier than ever, but which of the game’s great hurlers will rack up the most strikeouts or pace the field in wins? Which closers will notch the most saves? SportsLine expert Angelo Magliocca looks at the pitching landscape across MLB ahead of the 2026 season and makes his case for who will lead the league in key statistical categories while also giving some options to stay away from.

Bet on MLB futures and more at DraftKings, where new users get $200 in bonus bets after wagering $5+:

Magliocca, also known as “Amags” is a hugely profitable MLB capper who uses his deep knowledge of baseball to find value on player props, sides and totals. He is coming off another strong season at SportsLine. Over the 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 MLB seasons, Amags is up 133.4 units on straight bets and parlays while winning an additional 25.3 units on ladder plays. 

Here’s a look at his picks and analysis of World Series futures for the AL and NL in 2026.

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MLB wins leader: Paul Skenes (+1400)

We saw how great Paul Skenes was in the World Baseball Classic against a Dominican Republic lineup filled with all stars, showing how dominant pitching can keep a dominant offense at bay any day of the week. Having a lineup that scores a bunch of runs has been a missing piece so far for the 2025 NL Cy Young winner, getting the third lowest average run support in the majors last year at just 3.16, far below MLB average, and something that will need to change for this bet to hit. Yet he wound up with 10 wins because of his impeccable ERA at 1.97, and holding opponents to the fourth lowest hit total of any pitcher with 180+ innings last year. 

The Pirates have finally invested (slightly) in upgrading their lineup, adding Brandon Lowe, Marcell Ozuna, and Ryan O’Hearn, all of whom have been All-Stars and will help them score more runs. Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds finally get some big league level help in the order, and I love Cruz as a real breakout star this year offensively too. Scoring more runs for Skenes is imperative to their success, and the offense is getting better at the same time it seems the young right-hander is getting better on the mound. Skenes ended last year with just 10 wins, and projects for around 13-14 this year, which would get us within striking distance of the leaders. With one of MLB’s most improved offenses behind him, getting to 15+ wins is well within the potential outcomes. We could be getting the best pitcher in baseball priced as the fourth or fifth option on the odds board. 

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MLB strikeouts leader: Logan Webb (+8000)

When betting this market, you’ll need to get at least a little bit lucky when it comes to the health of the pitchers you’re backing. We have Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet and Skenes at the top of the projected leaderboard here, each above 230 strikeouts. But after that tier, you have a bunch of pitchers in that 200 strikeout range, Logan Webb being one of them. Last year, Webb struck out 224 batters, leading all National League pitchers (including Skenes), but we’re getting odds as if he has absolutely no shot here. I get that regression is expected, but I also recognize Webb’s progression last year, where he adjusted the use of his changeup and cut back on the fastball but used it more in two-strike counts. He’s getting maturing and just pitched for Team USA, racking up 11 strikeouts in 8.2 innings of work. 

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If something were to happen where Skubal and Crochet missed portions of the season, it would open the field up. If you’re trying to fade the top three options, how about the pitcher that’s led the MLB in innings pitched in two of the last three seasons, and recently tweaked his pitch arsenal to hunt more strikeouts? At this price, I can’t pass it up.

Bet on MLB props at FanDuel, where new users can get $300 in bonus bets every day for 10 days: 

MLB saves leader: Daniel Palencia (+2500)

It may be tough to overtake Edwin Diaz for this award with how many wins the Dodgers are projected to rack up this year, but we’re going to try. Daniel Palencia has as much talent as any reliever in baseball, with a fastball that tops 100 mph and a hard slider that has a nearly 40% whiff rate. The Cubs are in line to win the NL Central if all goes to plan and the Brewers don’t come up with another historic effort to overtake them. The Pirates are young and exciting but they lack depth, which should catch up with them over 162 games. The Reds have already been hit with a Hunter Greene injury, so we’ll need to see how they recover, but I’m not sold on the offense or bullpen either. And the Cardinals are already half torn apart as they enter a rebuild. 

In the end, winning just 88 games could take this division and it could get tight if the Brewers play well, so having Palencia to help shorten games will be huge. He wasn’t really used as a closer until late May last year, yet he picked up 22 saves, spanning from May 21 to Sept. 2. Producing 22 saves in just over three months has me excited to see what he can do with full ownership of the ninth inning now. Palencia joins last year’s leader, Carlos Estevez, as my two picks in this market.

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MLB futures odds: Expert offers his World Series best bet, longshot and team to fade for AL, NL

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SportsLine expert Angelo “Amags” Magliocca has looked at the 2026 season from all angles and has his top plays for betting on the World Series champion

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Ryan Blaney bows down to Tyler Reddick amid 23XI drivers’ flying start to 2026 NASCAR campaign: “He just goes faster”

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Tyler Reddick continued his dominant start to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series with his fourth win of the season at Darlington, drawing praise from rivals, including Ryan Blaney. The 23XI Racing driver has been the benchmark early in the year, and his latest performance in the Goodyear 400 only reinforced that.

Reddick sits at the top of the NASCAR standings with 325 points. He has led the most laps (189) this season, secured three poles, and hasn’t finished beyond 13th so far. Across track types, the No. 45 Toyota has consistently shown speed that others have struggled to match.

Ryan Blaney, who sits second in the standings, admitted that he has no clear answer to Reddick’s pace advantage. When asked what sets the 23XI driver apart, he said:

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“I don’t know. He just goes faster… I wish I could point something out, but he’s just faster. And Tyler is an amazing racecar driver. Always has been. And they’ve got it going on over there right now. And momentum is a big thing. Once they find something, it’s a big thing. And pair that with a really good team, really good race car driver, you’re going to get this stuff.” (2:55 onwards)

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Tyler Reddick’s Darlington win highlighted that advantage. Despite dealing with an alternator issue in the opening stretch, running without his cooling system, and dropping back after a battery change, he still drove through the field. His pace on long runs allowed him to erase a late deficit and pass Brad Keselowski for the win.

Even within his own team, the performance stood out. Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, admitted that the No. 45 had an edge in every phase of the corner.

“He was faster on the entry, the middle and the exit. I do not know. I’ll study it and try to learn something from it because clearly they got it figured out,” he said via FOX.

Keselowski, who finished second, pointed to both car performance and execution:

“Tyler is a great driver. You shouldn’t take anything away from that. But they’re clearly up on horsepower and downforce right now, and he’s making that count. So he deserves a lot of credit.”

Ryan Blaney, meanwhile, was one of the big performers of the Goodyear 400 behind Tyler Reddick, turning his own race into a recovery drive to a third-place finish.

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Ryan Blaney recovers from setbacks to secure strong Darlington finish behind Tyler Reddick

Ryan Blaney (12) and Tyler Reddick (12) - NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400. Source: GettyRyan Blaney (12) and Tyler Reddick (12) - NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400. Source: Getty
Ryan Blaney (12) and Tyler Reddick (12) – NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400. Source: Getty

Ryan Blaney’s race was defined by execution swings rather than pace limitations. After starting seventh, he moved early and finished Stage 1 in third, challenging at the front. However, a pit road penalty between stages dropped him deep in the field.

The No. 12 Team Penske responded with steady progress through Stage 2, climbing back to 12th. Another issue on pit road later in the race again shuffled him to the back, but Blaney worked his way forward again.

“I’m proud of us keeping our head down all day and finishing where we did. I thought the 45 (Tyler Reddick) was probably the best guy by a little bit, and then I thought me and the 6 (Brad Keselowski) were pretty kind of close right behind him. I think the three of us were kind of the class of the field, and us three finished top three. So, I was just happy,” he said post race. (onwards)

The result moved Ryan Blaney up to second in the standings with 230 points. The series now heads to Martinsville Speedway, a track where Blaney has historically been strong, while Tyler Reddick is still searching for his first win.