The Premier League’s title race may offer few twists and turns but even during seasons when the action at the top of the table is enthralling, the start of spring usually ushers in a new sense of urgency for another batch of teams entirely. It is officially crunch time for the relegation-threatened sides, for whom the stakes are much higher than winning or losing a title. It feels appropriate, then, that this weekend’s most notable matchup in England is a proverbial six-pointer between two teams barely above the drop zone – Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur, the latter a surprise entry in this season’s relegation race.
While Forest’s slide down the table from last season’s seventh-place finish was gradual, Spurs’ entry into the relegation battle almost happened all at once, forcing questions of exactly how a perennial top four challenger – and last season’s UEFA Europa League winners – got here. Things have only gotten worse in recent weeks, Spurs slipping from a six-point cushion above the relegation zone to one flimsy point since hiring coach Igor Tudor a month ago, conceding 14 goals in his first four games in charge. The tide finally may be shifting in north London, though, with Sunday’s game against Forest arguably coming at the perfect time for Spurs.
This time a week ago, Spurs were on a winless run that stretched back to the end of January, the downward skid complete with a capitulation at Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. Things could not have been worse – they conceded four goals in 22 minutes in the first leg of their round of 16 tie, making a goalkeeper substitution just 17 minutes in after Antonin Kinsky’s mistake-laden Champions League debut.
How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs. Nottingham Forest, odds
- Date: Sunday, March 22 | Time: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- TV: USA Network | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
- Odds: Tottenham Hotspur +120; Draw +230; Nottingham Forest +230
The mood has shifted for Spurs, perhaps because the reality has sunk in. First came an unglamorous 1-1 draw at Liverpool, a valuable point for a team trying to stave off relegation. They were understaffed at Anfield – center backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven were unavailable, making their defense easier to carve up. The Reds’ offense misfired frequently, though, paving the way for a hard-working Spurs to get their equalizer through Richarlison in the 90th minute, the Brazil international exemplifying the team’s persistent performance.
TTe flourish, though, made a comeback of sorts on Wednesday in the Champions League. Spurs won their first game in nearly two months with a 3-2 result against Atleti, one that did not eradicate the first leg deficit but one that offered a stark reminder of what this team can actually be, warts and all. Atleti overperformed from an attacking perspective, mustering just 1.02 expected goals over the course of the game, Spurs matching them for shots and outdoing them with 2.39 expected goals along the way. Xavi Simons, a player whose potential has yet to be realized in a season where he’s been underutilized by two different coaches, had one of his most notable outings since his summertime move – he bagged a brace, including a late penalty that ensured Spurs would win.
For the first time in a long time, they were not defined by sloppy mistakes. There was a level of competence – and competitive drive – that was clear to see, offering a newfound verve that has been sorely missed by the Spurs faithful.
Against Forest, Tottenham have the chance to go unbeaten in three for the first time since January, two draws in league play sandwiching a 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt to wrap up league phase play in the Champions League. Forest will be equally motivated – they only sit outside the relegation zone on goal difference and rested their players midweek in the Europa League, their focus on Sunday’s match. Spurs only need the semblance of decent form to dig themselves out of this hole, though, and a spirited outing against a European mainstay in Atleti suggests they are more than capable of rising to the challenge.
