Tottenham vs. Everton: A Survival Match | OneFootball

So, it all comes down to this for Tottenham Hotspur. Thirty seven games were not enough to save themselves; it will go down to the last day.

Spurs are currently 17th and two points above West Ham. One of the two teams will be relegated and playing in the Championship next season. Tottenham face Everton, and West Ham host Leeds.

Simple Math

The equation is simple. If Tottenham can get one point against the Toffees, they will stay up. For West Ham, they must win the game and hope that Tottenham slip up. It sounds simple for Spurs, but nothing has been straightforward for them this year.

From their injury struggles to managerial failures, to their captain not even planning not to be in attendance for the game, Spurs have had more than their share of struggles.

The Romero Situation

It is truly baffling that Cristian Romero is not going to be at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium for this game of all games that will decide the fate of his teammates. This proud club have not been relegated since 1977, but they will be without Romero, who will be in Argentina.

To add some context, Romero is injured and could play no part on the pitch anyway, but he is the club’s captain. Their would-be leader. Since the news came out of this farcical situation, fans have been furious.

Speaking on the situation, manager Roberto De Zerbi said: “Not all leaders are the same. Ben Davies spoke with me and he asked to stay today to work with us and tomorrow we sleep in the Lodge [at the training ground], and he wants to stay with the team, with his teammates.

“But Romero is preparing [for] the World Cup, he has an injury and for me nothing changed. And then we have to think after [Sunday], we have to think everything for the future and the best future of Tottenham.”

Managerial Failures

It is not Romero’s fault that Tottenham are this close to relegation, though. The blame for that lies with the club’s ones, previous manager Thomas Frank, and to a lesser extent his temporary replacement Igor Tudor.

Frank was at the helm for eight months of the season, and left Tottenham 16th in the league. Spurs still had time to correct their campaign and survive comfortably, when Frank left in February.

But they got his replacement horribly wrong. They opted for the Croatian Tudor, and he lasted only 44 days as interim manager. His Premier League record at the club reads four losses, one draw and zero wins.

So when De Zerbi was appointed on 31 March, he had seven league games to save Tottenham. They have played six of those, and lost only two. Had Spurs made the decision to bring in the Italian straight after Frank, the club would probably have been safe by now.

Draw all Spurs Need

But now it will come down to Sunday. Fortunately for Tottenham, Everton have nothing to play for. They cannot finish in Europe.

One would, therefore, say that at home, needing only a draw to survive, it shouldn’t be too arduous a task. But it surely will be. Tottenham’s home record has been horrific this campaign. They have won a remarkable two games out of 18.

It is lucky, then, that they only need a draw on Sunday.