Nottingham Forest and Tottenham may get relegation run-in advantage over West Ham and Leeds United
West Ham may be at a disadvantage after picking up a penalty shootout win on Monday.
Nottingham Forest and Tottenham could be set for an advantage over relegation rivals West Ham and Leeds United. The relegation battle is really hotting up amid a resurgence from the Hammers, who have closed the gap from seven points to zero.
Only goal difference separates the Iron from Forest in the final safe spot, while Tottenham are only one point ahead of both sides amid a nightmare start under Igor Tudor.
Meanwhile, Leeds United are just three points above the drop despite looking, at one stage, as though they were storming away to safety. The Yorkshire side has seen their form dip, and some of those below them have been creeping up.
Nottingham Forest remain in poor form, but they did draw with Manchester City last time out, and it will be hoped that they can turn things around over the coming weeks under Vitor Pereira, and they will have a small advantage, at least for now.
That’s because both West Ham and Tottenham advanced in the FA Cup, and they will now face each other on April 4.
Meanwhile, Forest and Tottenham, who are both out, will not play at all on that weekend, meaning a 20-21 day break between their fixtures on the weekend of March 22 and their next game on the weekend of April 11.
The extended break is due to the fact there is an international break after those March 22 fixtures, but Forest and Spurs will get that extra rest to prepare for the final run-in, which will include seven fixtures, all of which are separated by a at least six days due to there being no mid-week fixtures remaining at that stage of the season.
But there is a caveat. Forest may have Europa League football to factor in, and Tottenham may have Champions League football if they progress to the next rounds respectively.
If Spurs get through, they would play the first leg of the quarter-final on April 7 or 8, interrupting that break, while Forest would play their first leg on April 9.
Though, Spurs don’t look capable of beating Atletico Madrid currently, while Forest will be more confident of coming through two legs with Midtjylland.