Tottenham slipped closer to relegation from the Premier League following a 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, while Sunderland beat Newcastle in the Tyne-Wear derby, extending Forest’s position above the relegation line and tightening the cluster at the bottom of the table.
Tottenham, who have not finished outside the top flight since 1978, remain the only Premier League side without a win in 2026.
Forest’s goals, from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi, dealt a serious blow to interim Tottenham boss Igor Tudor.
West Ham’s 2-0 loss to Aston Villa left Spurs one point above the relegation zone with seven games remaining. Forest moved four points clear of the bottom two as Vitor Pereira secured his first league win as Forest boss.
Tottenham supporters gathered in north London before kick-off in a show of unity, but the home side struggled to respond after Jesus headed in just before half-time and Gibbs-White added a second, with Awoniyi sealing the win near the end.
Gibbs-White’s goal came from a cross by Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Tottenham have struggled to win at home this season while their opponents celebrated a crucial victory.
In other results, Villa capitalised on Liverpool and Chelsea failures to tighten a Champions League qualification cushion, with John McGinn and Ollie Watkins contributing to the win as Villa opened a six-point gap on Chelsea for sixth.
Meanwhile, Sunderland defeated Newcastle 2-1 in the first Tyne-Wear derby at St James’ Park in a decade, with Bryan Brobbey scoring a stoppage-time winner for the visitors, who had not lost to Newcastle in the league for 15 years.
Newcastle’s heavy Champions League exit after a 7-2 aggregate defeat to Barcelona compounded their difficult week, and manager Eddie Howe acknowledged the need for better performance, while the club pledged accountability for any racist abuse reported by a Sunderland player in the crowd.
Tottenham assistant coach Bruno Saltor expressed confidence that the club can overcome the relegation battle, emphasizing support for Tudor who was absent due to a family bereavement, and highlighted positive recent performances despite the current crisis.
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