West Ham United host Leeds United on the final day of the season, in need of a miracle that would save their Premier League status.
With just West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur remaining unsure of their fate coming into the final day of the season, there are nine possible outcomes depending on their respective results. Only one of these will see the Hammers avoid relegation. West Ham must win against Leeds and hope that Spurs lose at home to Everton. The chances of this are slim but, crucially, not impossible.
When the fixtures were announced at the start of the campaign, many would have anticipated that it would be newly-promoted Leeds fighting relegation on the final day, and not West Ham. However, football does not always play out as expected.
West Ham’s Sorry Season
West Ham endured a dismal start to the season and, aside from a brief fortnight outside of the bottom three last month, it is hard to pinpoint any moment where things looked good.
Graham Potter was relieved of his duties as manager in late September after four defeats from the opening five. His replacement Nuno EspÃrito Santo had just guided Nottingham Forest to Europe the season prior, and his appointment bred some optimism. However, it took more than a month for the Portuguese coach to claim his first victory.
It was January 2026 before the Hammers managed to find any real form, perhaps boosted by January signings Taty Castellanos, Pablo Felipe, Adama Traoré and Axel Disasi. This outlay appears to have been too little too late from the owners, with the club already seven points adrift at the turn of the year.
Despite this, Nuno was able to get his team fighting. They went on a run of just three defeats in 13 matches, culminating in them climbing out of the bottom three. But it looks like they will still come up short in the end. Three consecutive losses has seen Spurs move two points clear of West Ham coming into the final day.
How Leeds Overcame the Odds
Following an opening night victory, Leeds won just two more of their next 12 league fixtures. The Whites looked to be heading straight back down and Daniel Farke was under serious pressure. However, their fortunes suddenly changed at the start of December.
A dominant display against Chelsea at Elland Road served as a catalyst for a Leeds side that went unbeaten across the entire festive period and into the New Year. They went on a run of seven matches unbeaten, including two tricky clashes against Liverpool, one with Manchester United and the aforementioned win against Chelsea.
Farke was able to galvanise his squad. Dominic Calvert-Lewin fired in goals at a rate he has not done since Covid times. Anton Stach and Noah Okafor excelled, proving to be shrewd summer acquisitions. Whilst Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk helped to form a solid defensive unit.
The original seven match unbeaten streak was not just a temporary upturn in form, it served as a springboard for the rest of the season. Since then they have remained a tricky test for almost every opponent, only losing by more than one goal once – to eventual champions Arsenal. That unbeaten streak has been bettered by their current run too, as they have not tasted defeat in their past games.
For many reasons, this makes Leeds a nightmare opponent for West Ham on the final day. It is true that they no longer have anything to play for, but that was also the case last weekend when they defeated Champions League-hopefuls Brighton. Besides, there is always pride for – especially at a club like Leeds. Farke’s side have proven many people wrong this season and they will be motivated to keep doing that until the end.
Spurs to Falter?
Even if West Ham do overcome Leeds, it will be for nothing if Spurs do not falter. Tottenham have been rejuvenated under Roberto De Zerbi, with the Italian finally inspiring a reaction out of a squad that has underperformed so severely across the campaign. They have lost just one of their last five and know a point is all it takes to secure their safety.
Everton, meanwhile, are without a win in six and have nothing left to play for as their season has petered out over the past two months. Pictures of some Everton stars stumbling out of a club in the early hours after a team dinner in midweek will do little to stir up hope amongst the Hammers faithful.
Despite this the Toffees do have one of the strongest away records across the Premier League and, as is often said, the freedom of a team with nothing to play for can make them dangerous opponents. West Ham will hope this is the case on Sunday as they pray for an unlikely escape from relegation.
