Tottenham Hotspur’s relegation worries intensified after a heavy 3-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest, while Aston Villa strengthened their push for a UEFA Champions League spot during a dramatic Premier League weekend.
With attention shifting away from the Carabao Cup final clash between Arsenal and Manchester City, focus turned to the battles for European qualification and survival.
Villa capitalised on slip-ups from rivals by securing a 2-0 win over West Ham United, while both Liverpool and Chelsea suffered defeats.
Spurs sink ever closer to abyss
Despite West Ham’s loss helping Tottenham stay just above the relegation zone, the North London side remain in serious danger, sitting only one point clear with seven matches left.
Their struggles continued as Forest completed a second 3-0 victory over them this season. Manager Igor Tudor, who missed post-match duties due to a family bereavement, has managed just one point from five games, leaving the club’s hierarchy facing a crucial decision over his future.
Slot lacks solutions to Liverpool slide
Liverpool’s poor form also persisted as they fell 2-1 to Brighton, with Danny Welbeck scoring twice. The defeat marked their 10th league loss of the season, raising concerns over manager Arne Slot’s ability to steady the team despite their recent Champions League progress.
Liverpool’s difficulties have been worsened by injuries to key players such as Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker, while Hugo Ekitike was forced off just 10 minutes into the match due to injury.
EPL fixtures: Tottenham host Nottingham Forest as Chelsea face Everton
“It’s not my job to find excuses. My job is to find answers,” Slot said after the game.
World champions Chelsea hit the wall
Chelsea’s campaign has also taken a downturn, with four consecutive defeats under manager Liam Rosenior.
Following a heavy aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the Champions League, the Blues were beaten 3-0 by Everton, missing the opportunity to move into the top five.
Rosenior admitted his side’s recent performances have fallen short, though he pointed to fatigue after a demanding schedule.
Everton’s victory has further tightened the race for Champions League qualification, with just seven points separating fifth-placed Liverpool from 13th-placed Bournemouth.
Meanwhile, Villa’s win ended a run of poor results and moved them six points clear of Chelsea in the race for a top-four finish.
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