Tottenham Hotspur have more than one reason to thank their North London rivals ahead of their showdown against Leeds this afternoon.
Spurs have a golden opportunity to give themselves some breathing space in the race for survival with a win over Leeds, which will see them move four points clear of West Ham with two games to go.
That was after Arsenal overcame the Hammers 1-0 at the London Stadium on Sunday under controversial circumstances, with the home side’s stoppage-time equaliser being ruled out after the intervention of VAR.
Sunday’s result has significantly boosted Tottenham’s chances of survival, and Roberto De Zerbi’s men could be in the driver’s seat with a win this evening.
How Arsenal’s win made Tottenham’s task against Leeds easier
Not only has the Gunners’ win given Spurs a chance to open up a big gap with the Hammers, but it has also affected Leeds’ relegation prospects.
Following West Ham’s loss against Arsenal, Daniel Farke’s side can no longer be relegated and are mathematically safe even if they lose all of their final three matches.
This means that Leeds have nothing to play for and may perhaps not be as motivated for this evening’s clash as they were previously.
Arsenal’s win has thus ended up helping Tottenham’s survival chances in more ways than one, but the Lilywhites will still have to get the job done this evening.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 15 |  Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest | 36 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 45 | 47 | -2 | 43 |
| 16 |  LeedsLeeds | 35 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 47 | 52 | -5 | 43 |
| 17 |  TottenhamTottenham | 35 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 45 | 54 | -9 | 37 |
| 18 |  West HamWest Ham | 36 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 42 | 62 | -20 | 36 |
| 19 |  BurnleyBurnley | 36 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 37 | 73 | -36 | 21 |
Can Spurs reverse their wretched fortunes at home this season?
The difference between Tottenham’s home and away results has been night and day this season, with the Lilywhites among the worst at home while having the third-highest points tally in away matches.
In fact, the last time that Spurs won a Premier League game in front of their home fans was against Brentford on December 6, 2025.
That is something that De Zerbi’s men will be keen to put right this evening, and they will take confidence from the impressive display they delivered against Brighton in their previous home game.