Spurs stay up as West Ham drop down to the Championship

Summary of Spurs stay up as West Ham drop down to the Championship

by The Athletic

57m•May 24, 2026
Listen to Episode

Overview of Spurs stay up as West Ham drop down to the Championship

The final episode of the season on The Totally Football Show unpacked a chaotic Premier League finale, headlined by Tottenham surviving and West Ham being relegated. The panel also covered the race for European places, the emotional farewells at Manchester City and Liverpool, Hull City’s dramatic Championship playoff win, and a wide-ranging reaction to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the upcoming tournament.

Premier League Final Day: What Happened

Relegation battle

  • Tottenham beat Everton 1-0 to finish safe, while West Ham’s 3-0 win over Leeds was not enough.
  • West Ham drop to the Championship after a season described as disjointed, poorly managed, and lacking consistency.
  • The hosts emphasized that Spurs surviving by just two points was more a sign of structural failure at the club than a successful rescue.

European qualification

  • Sunderland’s 2-1 win over Chelsea was the day’s biggest feel-good story, lifting them into Europe and sending Chelsea down to 10th.
  • Brighton fell out of the European spots after losing 3-0 to Manchester United.
  • Bournemouth, Brentford, and Brighton were discussed as examples of well-run clubs outperforming bigger, richer sides.

Other notable results

  • Aston Villa 2-1 Manchester City at the Etihad, in what was framed as part of Pep Guardiola’s farewell day.
  • Liverpool 1-1 Brentford, with farewells for Mo Salah and Andy Robertson.
  • Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace, followed by the title trophy lift.
  • Fulham 2-0 Newcastle, Bournemouth 1-1 Nottingham Forest, Burnley 1-1 Wolves.
  • Manchester United 3-0 Brighton, highlighted by Bruno Fernandes setting the Premier League assist record with 21.

Spurs: Survival, but Little Reassurance

Key view from the panel

  • Tottenham’s survival was treated as the bare minimum rather than a success.
  • Daniel described the club as mismanaged, arguing that finishing 17th twice in a row after huge spending is unacceptable.
  • He called for changes at the top, including the chief executive and sporting director.

Main concerns

  • Tottenham have spent around €1.3 billion on players since 2019, yet ended the season in the bottom half.
  • Injuries were repeatedly cited as a major factor, but not an excuse for the broader failure.
  • The panel suggested that simply tweaking the squad would not be enough; Spurs may need a deeper reset.

West Ham: Relegation, Regret, and a Messy Summer Ahead

Why they went down

  • West Ham were criticized for:
    • poor early-season form,
    • no defensive consistency,
    • weak leadership,
    • and a lack of fighting spirit.
  • Rashane Thomas described the mood at the London Stadium as “like a funeral.”

What happens next

  • The club now faces a major financial reset in the Championship.
  • Players may need to be sold to raise funds, which could create a difficult cycle of decline.
  • The panel was skeptical about a quick bounce-back, with concerns that the club could be heading into a long period of instability.

Sunderland’s Remarkable Rise

Big-picture significance

  • Sunderland’s win over Chelsea secured European football, a stunning turnaround after promotion.
  • Chris Weatherspoon described the atmosphere at the Stadium of Light as electric and historic.
  • It was framed as one of the season’s best stories: a newly promoted team punching far above expectations.

Why it worked

  • The club’s recruitment and coaching were praised, especially Régis Le Bris.
  • Sunderland were portrayed as a team with:
    • strong cohesion,
    • tactical flexibility,
    • and a fanbase fully behind the project.

Hull City Return to the Premier League

Championship playoff final

  • Hull beat Middlesbrough 1-0 at Wembley thanks to a late winner from Ollie McBurnie in the 95th minute.
  • Barry Cooper of the Hull Daily Mail said the city was in disbelief after the win.

Why Hull succeeded

  • The panel praised manager Sergej Jakirović and Hull’s smart recruitment under financial constraints.
  • McBurnie was highlighted as a key signing and a symbolic turning point for the club.
  • The consensus: Hull will face a tough Premier League season, but they’ve earned the right to dream.

Manchester City, Liverpool, and the End of an Era

City

  • The show treated Guardiola’s departure as the end of a defining era.
  • There was discussion about how Pep leaves City in a far better structural position than Ferguson left United.
  • The likely arrival of Enzo Maresca was debated, with mixed feelings about whether he fits City’s current phase.

Liverpool

  • The final day included emotional send-offs for Mo Salah and Andy Robertson.
  • Salah’s late-season comments and tears were noted, as was the club’s decision to stop play briefly so he could receive an on-pitch farewell.
  • The panel accepted the gesture as fitting for a player of his stature, even if it felt unusual.

England Squad Reaction: Tuchel’s Big Calls

Main talking points

  • The squad announcement was described as controversial but coherent.
  • Notable omissions included:
    • Phil Foden
    • Cole Palmer
    • Jack Grealish
    • Morgan Gibbs-White
    • Harry Maguire
    • Ivan Toney
  • Some selections, such as Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Noni Madueke, and Anthony Gordon, were defended as tactical or role-based choices.

The panel’s read

  • Tuchel’s squad is built around structure and fit, not simply star power.
  • The thinking appears to be that Harry Kane can function as the creative hub, reducing the need for a traditional No. 10.
  • The panel felt the squad is “talented but confusing,” but not irrational.

Notable Stats and Observations

  • No Premier League team scored six goals in a match all season — a first in the competition’s history.
  • Bournemouth set a Premier League record with 18 draws in a 38-game season.
  • Chelsea received eight red cards in the league, more than any other side.
  • Bruno Fernandes became the Premier League’s all-time assist leader for a season with 21.
  • The panel noted how the league has become tighter and more compressed, with mid-table teams benefiting from misfiring elite clubs.

Bottom Line

The episode framed the final day as a season-defining mix of drama, mismanagement, and surprise success:

  • Spurs survived
  • West Ham went down
  • Sunderland reached Europe
  • Hull returned to the Premier League
  • City and Liverpool waved goodbye to key eras
  • England’s squad debate set up the summer storyline

It was a strong end to a season that the hosts saw as entertaining, if not always aesthetically brilliant.