Three goals, eight chaotic minutes - how day of relegation drama unfolded

Split image of Tottenham and West Ham players celebrating their respective goals

ByGary RoseBBC Sport journalist

Published2 hours ago
83 Comments

For a neutral, there are few things more entertaining in football than a dramatic relegation battle, but fans of the teams involved will feel they should come with a health warning.

On Saturday, West Ham and Tottenham fans will have experienced deflation and elation. At various points, Spurs were four points adrift, out of the relegation zone with the Hammers dropping in and then back in themselves as both secured vital wins that now mean other clubs who thought they were safe are once again looking over their shoulders.

While in a sense it is as you were, with West Ham's win against Everton and Tottenham's victory at Wolves meaning Spurs remain two points adrift, the wins will feel significant in their respective bids to stay in the Premier League.

"It is going to be until the end," said West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo of the relegation battle.

"Keep fighting, keep believing."

Joao Palhinha scored the winner for Tottenham at Wolves and afterwards said: "We have four finals [to come]. We need to do our jobs. Hopefully, this win can change things, give us a bit more motivation as well as it's been a long time without victories.

"What we can control right now is doing our job until the end of the season and keeping the club where it belongs, which is the Premier League."

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Figure caption,

Wilson's last-gasp winner boosts West Ham fight for survival

'A bit like the final day'

Saturday marked the last time before the final game of the season that both West Ham and Tottenham will play at the same time on the same day.

Both sets of fans might be thankful of that for their heart rate as they lived through it all on Saturday, particularly in eight dramatic minutes that saw crucial goals flying in.

Here's how it all unfolded:

52nd minute - West Ham 1-0 Everton

After a drab first half, West Ham make the breakthrough against Everton when Tomas Soucek heads in from a corner.

At that point, Tottenham were goalless at Wolves, meaning the Hammers were four clear of relegation.

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Figure caption,

Palhinha scores crucial goal to boost Spurs' survival hopes

82nd minute - Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Tottenham (16:42 BST)

With eight minutes remaining at already relegated Wolves, Joao Palhinha stepped up with an important goal as his close-range strike reduced the deficit Spurs had from West Ham back to two points.

88th minute - West Ham 1-1 Everton (16:46 BST)

It is a nightmare for West Ham as with just two minutes of normal time remaining they concede an equaliser as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall fires in.

That scoreline, combined with Tottenham winning, had West Ham were heading back into the relegation zone.

92nd minute - West Ham 2-1 Everton (16:50 BST)

There are huge scenes of celebration at the London Stadium as substitute Callum Wilson coolly slots in a dramatic late winner for West Ham.

That result along with Tottenham's win at Wolves means the gap between 17th and 18th is back to two points.

"The way the afternoon unfolded – with Spurs scoring, then West Ham almost immediately conceding before finding a late winner – was a bit like the final day of the season," former Arsenal defender Martin Keown told BBC Sport.

"Perhaps it is a dress rehearsal for what's to come.

"It's difficult to call how it will play out, but Tottenham have given themselves a chance. I think their fixtures look more favourable and for West Ham it's going to be tricky."

Forest - and maybe Leeds - back in it?

"We need more points, we need to win more games and we need to keep our mentality".

Many will have felt Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira was being overly cautious when he said that after watching his side thrash Sunderland 5-0 on Friday to move onto 39 points.

Perhaps his caution is well placed.

It is 15 years since a team was last relegated from the Premier League with 39 points but after Tottenham's win the gap between Forest and the final relegation place is five points with four games remaining.

Leeds likely will have felt they were safe after reaching the "magic" 40 points mark but both they and Forest will now feel they need at least one more win to be able to rest that bit more easily.

"Some people see it as a straight fight between Spurs and West Ham but anything could happen in the remainder of the season," former Manchester City defender Steph Houghton told BBC Sport.

"There's going to be a lot of twists and turns and I think it's going to go right until the final day."

Who is going down?

Despite getting a much-needed win on Saturday, Tottenham remain the favourites to finish in the final relegation place.

According to Opta's supercomputer, Spurs have a 60.15% chance of finishing in 18th place, while for the Hammers it is 37.35%.

After beating Sunderland on Friday, Opta had Nottingham Forest and Leeds at less than 1% chance of being relegated but that has now increased - albeit ever so slightly.

Opta gives Forest a 1.26% chance of finishing 18th while for Leeds it is 1.2%.

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