The Premier League relegation battle could take another dramatic twist this weekend, with Newcastle United bizarrely being urged to help send Tottenham Hotspur down.
Spurs and West Ham remain locked in a tense survival fight heading into the final two games of the season, separated by just two points. West Ham’s trip to St James’ Park on Sunday could therefore have huge consequences at the bottom of the table, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side able to leapfrog Tottenham if they secure victory.
Despite Opta still making West Ham favourites for the drop, talkSPORT presenter Angelina Kelly has argued that Newcastle would actually benefit from Tottenham being relegated.
Kelly suggested Eddie Howe should rotate heavily against the Hammers, believing Spurs staying in the division could create another major obstacle for Newcastle’s ambitions next season.
Speaking on talkSPORT, she explained: “Newcastle really don’t have much left to play for now. Even if supporters care about finishing above Sunderland, it doesn’t erase the disappointment of losing twice to them this season.
“Looking ahead, Newcastle need as few rivals as possible competing for European places. Tottenham surviving could become a serious issue because if De Zerbi keeps them up, stays in charge and receives backing in the transfer market, they could rise very quickly.
“We’ve already seen Manchester United go from 15th to third in one season. Tottenham have the infrastructure and resources to do something similar. Under De Zerbi they’ve already shown signs of improvement after failing to win a single league game in 2026 before his arrival.
“If Spurs rebuild properly in the summer, they become another club Newcastle have to worry about. West Ham, realistically, don’t feel like that kind of threat. So if you’re Newcastle, maybe you weaken the team, help West Ham stay up and remove Spurs from the equation.”
However, fellow talkSPORT host Adrian Durham strongly disagreed, insisting Newcastle will still be desperate to win because finishing above Sunderland remains hugely important in the north east.
Durham also argued that West Ham deserve relegation more than Tottenham because of the way the club has been managed in recent years.
He responded: “The only way Newcastle can rescue anything from this season is by finishing above Sunderland. Given where Sunderland were only a few years ago, Newcastle supporters won’t accept ending below them after playing Champions League football and winning a trophy recently.
“And honestly, I don’t get why people are so desperate to see Spurs relegated instead of West Ham. West Ham have been badly run for years. They got that stadium cheaply, talked about reaching the Champions League, and now they’re staring relegation in the face.
“You’re underestimating how much this means to Newcastle fans. Finishing above Sunderland matters massively to them, so I expect Newcastle to go all out to beat West Ham.”
