Tottenham Avoid Relegation Before Chelsea Trip as West Ham's 1-0 Loss Leaves Spurs Needing 1 Point
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 19
Tottenham Avoid Relegation Before Chelsea Trip as West Ham's 1-0 Loss Leaves Spurs Needing 1 Point
6 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 19
West Ham’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle on Sunday ensured Tottenham cannot be relegated at Chelsea and left Spurs needing just one point from their final two league games to stay up.
Tuesday’s trip to Stamford Bridge still carries unusual pressure because Chelsea have repeatedly shaped Tottenham’s seasons, from title and top-four races to cup defeats and recent collapses.
Spurs have won only once at Stamford Bridge in 36 years in any competition, a record that has deepened fears around a fixture many fans dreaded as a possible relegation decider.
That psychological burden has been reinforced by flashpoints including the 2016 'Battle of the Bridge' 2-2 draw and the 4-1 loss in November 2023 that preceded Tottenham’s long decline under Ange Postecoglou.
From European glory to a relegation scrap in one year, what caused Tottenham's dramatic collapse?
If statistics show Spurs should have won, is the Stamford Bridge 'curse' a real psychological barrier?