{"id":234699,"date":"2026-03-23T02:22:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T02:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/23\/whats-going-on-final-gamble-spurs-must-make-reds-very-worrying-reality-pl-talking-pts\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T02:22:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T02:22:00","slug":"whats-going-on-final-gamble-spurs-must-make-reds-very-worrying-reality-pl-talking-pts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/23\/whats-going-on-final-gamble-spurs-must-make-reds-very-worrying-reality-pl-talking-pts\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018What\u2019s going on?\u2019: Final gamble Spurs must make; Reds\u2019 \u2018very worrying\u2019 reality \u2014 PL Talking Pts"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Tottenham\u2019s fears of a ruinous relegation from the Premier League deepened after a 3-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest<\/a> as Aston Villa took control of the race for a place in the Champions League this weekend.<\/p>\n

With Arsenal and Manchester City facing off in the League Cup final, the focus was on the battle for Europe and to stay in the lucrative English top flight.<\/p>\n

\ufeffGet all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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Villa re-established a cushion in the battle for Champions League riches as they beat West Ham 2-0 to take advantage of defeats for Liverpool and Chelsea<\/a>.<\/p>\n

West Ham\u2019s defeat also meant Spurs avoided dropping into the relegation zone for now, but they have just seven games to arrest an alarming slide and avoid dropping out of the top tier for the first time in nearly 50 years.<\/p>\n

Scroll down for the biggest talking points from the weekend\u2019s Premier League action!<\/i><\/p>\n

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City beat Arsenal to 1st domestic title | 02:40<\/p>\n

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SPURS SINK EVER CLOSER TO ABYSS<\/b><\/p>\n

Tottenham fans issued a rallying call for the relegation six-pointer against Forest, descending en masse before kick-off to greet the team bus amid a sea of white.<\/p>\n

But it made little difference when it came to matters on the field. Spurs are the only side without a Premier League win in 2026 and remain just one point above the relegation zone.<\/p>\n

For the second time this season Forest strolled to a 3-0 victory over the Europa League winners.<\/p>\n

Igor Tudor missed his post-match duties due to news of a family bereavement. But the Spurs hierarchy have a huge decision to make over the Croatian\u2019s future in the three weeks before they play again.<\/p>\n

Hired to bring an immediate lift, Tudor has collected just one point from a possible 15.<\/p>\n

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Tottenham’s coach Igor Tudor reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest in London, Sunday, March 22, 2026. (AP Photo\/Dave Shopland)<\/span>Source: AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe whole reason the manager was brought in was because he\u2019s had an impact initially at other clubs \u2013 that\u2019s the whole remit for him,\u201d Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest job is to keep Tottenham in the league, but the whole point was to come in and make an impact really quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe hasn\u2019t made that impact and I think it was always felt that once you got to this international break, it\u2019s almost a \u2018see where we are\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately for him and the club, it hasn\u2019t worked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo manager can come in right now and make the players fitter, make them better. The only thing you can do is make them more confident and have more belief in themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone with an affiliation to the club [could come in] and try and get the supporters involved. It\u2019s \u2018how can we keep this group of players and club in the Premier League right now \u2013 we need togetherness\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the situation he finds himself with his family and at the club, I think it would be better if Tottenham parted ways with Tudor and looked to bring another manager in between now and the end of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Liverpool and Chelsea lose AGAIN | 02:20<\/p>\n

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SLOT LACKS SOLUTIONS TO LIVERPOOL SLIDE<\/b><\/p>\n

The defending champions slumped to a 10th league defeat of the season as Danny Welbeck struck twice in Brighton\u2019s 2-1 win over Liverpool.<\/p>\n

Any hope that Arne Slot\u2019s men had turned the corner in a dominant 4-0 victory over Galatasaray to reach the Champions League quarter-finals proved short-lived.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a backwards step for Liverpool,\u201d former Premier League goalkeeper Rob Green said on BBC Radio 5 Live. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou just don\u2019t know what you are getting from this team. The spine of the team is not there. They are looking around saying \u2018what\u2019s going on?\u2019. They can\u2019t find an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

A flat performance lacking intensity, creativity and riddled with individual errors was a familiar feeling for a fan base who have begun to question Slot, less than a year after he delivered the club\u2019s 20th league title.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could come up (and) tell you all the reasons why we\u2019ve lost 10 times this season,\u201d Slot said, referencing Liverpool\u2019s lengthy injury list.<\/p>\n

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Liverpool’s Dutch manager Arne Slot gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on March 21, 2026.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Alisson Becker were among those missing from the trip to the south coast, while Hugo Ekitike limped off inside the opening 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not my job to find excuses,\u201d Slot added. \u201cMy job is to find answers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slot desperately needs to find those answers during the international break to make a top four charge in their remaining seven games – Liverpool are five points behind fourth place Aston Villa.<\/p>\n

The Reds\u2019 Champions League hopes also remain alive, but next month\u2019s quarter-final against defending champions PSG could be ugly if they do not turn their form around.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they go and play like that in Paris it could be 10-0,\u201d former Liverpool left-back Stephen Warnock said on BBC Radio 5 Live.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s how bad Liverpool were today. Brighton weren\u2019t clinical and tried to walk it in, but PSG will be clinical. It\u2019s very, very worrying for Liverpool.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Were United robbed of a clear penalty? | 00:47<\/p>\n

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MAN UTD TO COMPLAIN OVER REF INCIDENT<\/b><\/p>\n

Manchester United were furious in the aftermath of their 2-2 draw at Bournemouth<\/a> as their appeals for a penalty when Amad Diallo went down inside the box under a challenge from Adrien Truffert were ignored.<\/p>\n

The Red Devils took the lead from the penalty spot earlier in the game and interim manager Michael Carrick was left baffled by how both incidents could be treated differently.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should have had another penalty. Obviously, if you get one, you must get the other,\u201d Carrick said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s pretty much identical for me, two-hand grab. Either way, he\u2019s got one wrong, but to give one and not give the other, I can\u2019t get my head around it, I think it\u2019s crazy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a bit baffling, really.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of that, they score and then it\u2019s chaos after that, really,\u201d Carrick added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should have had another penalty and the game would have been totally different.\u201d<\/p>\n

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BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – MARCH 20: Michael Carrick, Manager of Manchester United, shakes hands with Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United after the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at Vitality Stadium on March 20, 2026 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse\/Getty Images)<\/span>Source: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

United also suffered the blow of finishing the game with ten men as Harry Maguire was shown a red card for bringing down Evanilson and conceding a penalty.<\/p>\n

The result did not hurt United drastically as they remain in third place – one point above Aston Villa and six points clear of fifth placed Liverpool.<\/p>\n

But they are set to officially complain to the Professional Game Match Officials over the contrasting decisions.<\/p>\n

Not everyone believes they were hard done by, however.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey will complain but they didn\u2019t complain when Dalot wasn\u2019t sent off in the Manchester derby,\u201d former Premier League referee Mike Dean said on Sky Sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the two incidents are completely different.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaguire is a dead cert, it\u2019s a simple decision. It\u2019s easy – it\u2019s a sending-off all day.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first one could have been a penalty but there was doubt about how he went down – that\u2019s why he hasn\u2019t given it. I could see why he didn\u2019t give it. And I can see why it\u2019s referee\u2019s call.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand they have made a complaint but you have to backtrack as well because they have had a few calls [in their favour] this year that have gone on referee\u2019s call.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Kepa drops cross in nightmare moment | 00:30<\/p>\n

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WORLD CHAMPIONS CHELSEA HIT THE WALL<\/b><\/p>\n

A bright start for Liam Rosenior as Chelsea boss has been swiftly forgotten after a run of four consecutive defeats.<\/p>\n

After a humbling 8-2 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, the Blues were soundly beaten 3-0 at Everton to miss the chance to climb back into the top five.<\/p>\n

Rosenior is hoping the upcoming international break will provide a much-needed rest for his shattered squad.<\/p>\n

Chelsea\u2019s success at the Club World Cup in July meant they had barely any break between last season and this.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to be seen to make excuses because that was not good enough. The last week hasn\u2019t been good enough,\u201d Rosenior said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think if you\u2019re a logical-thinking person and you look at the workload and the amount of games that the players have played it\u2019s a pretty simple conclusion to come to.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Chelsea’s head coach Liam Rosenior leaves the field after the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Chelsea in Liverpool, England, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jon Super)<\/span>Source: AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Everton\u2019s victory further tightened the battle for a Champions League place, particularly with a tough run-in to come for Liverpool and Chelsea.<\/p>\n

Only seven points separate Liverpool in fifth from Bournemouth in 13th. But Villa opened up a six-point lead on Chelsea after their first win in five league games.<\/p>\n

Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live that the Blues are \u201cnot getting the best\u201d out of their players at present.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to find out why that\u2019s happened,\u201d he said. \u201cThat can\u2019t be allowed to happen in the Premier League.\u201d<\/p>\n

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‘Would have been unfair’ to drop Kepa | 00:40<\/p>\n

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MANAGER TAKES BLAME AS NEWCASTLE EMBARRASSED IN DERBY<\/b><\/p>\n

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe took full responsibility as the Magpies were beaten at home by fierce rivals Sunderland.<\/p>\n

The 2-1 victory by the Black Cats means they won both Tyne-Wear Derby clashes in their first season back in the Premier League in almost a decade – having triumphed 1-0 at the Stadium of Light in December.<\/p>\n

Newcastle cut a tired figure on Sunday.<\/p>\n

It was their 51st match of the season, having performed strongly in the Champions League before being knocked out by Barcelona in the Round of 16 and making deep runs in the domestic cups.<\/p>\n

Club legend Alan Shearer was not interested in excuses, however.<\/p>\n

The Premier League\u2019s all-time leading goalscorer took to social media to lament \u201ca pathetic, weak, lazy, limp second half from Newcastle\u201d.<\/p>\n

Howe was not shying away from the disappointment caused by such a display in one of English football\u2019s fiercest derbies.<\/p>\n

Adding to the pain for Newcastle supporters, the result pushed Sunderland ahead of them on the table by a point, into 11th.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery painful. Most of all, painful for supporters. They\u2019re the ones I think about now,\u201d Howe said in his post-match press conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you haven\u2019t performed and you know the size of the game and you don\u2019t deliver, you expect to be criticised and you understand why. I understand the reaction at the end. We haven\u2019t done our jobs well enough today and we\u2019re desperately disappointed in ourselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t look to deflect it anywhere and I certainly won\u2019t deflect it to my players. I protect my players until my last breath. That\u2019s how I look at it and it\u2019s going to be a tough, painful few days for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Tottenham\u2019s fears of a ruinous relegation from the Premier League deepened after a 3-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest as Aston Villa took control of the race for a place in the Champions League this weekend. With Arsenal and Manchester City facing off in the League Cup final, the focus was on the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":234700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[39798,2228,47442,468,8748,12716,10735,1000,20980,14254,99,14537,1192,65632,3270,1846,13843,7205,4046,12276,7493,71237,71245,4813,145,4399,1429,71260,71256,64437,4042,4015,149,71246,726,1425,4547,3397,61639,12885,9992,576,1071,17475,2234,4002,17321,68100,3833,3272,1415,2232,3661,27841,981,1427,3153,71257,71258,9795,71261,71234,71248,46147,2242,70549,71259,2207,71243,4037,2312,15615,2014,4038,38054,32837,3166,7748,1836,1856,4043,3150,20053],"class_list":{"0":"post-234699","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-againpremier-league","9":"tag-agence-france-presse","10":"tag-aggregate-defeat","11":"tag-alan-shearer","12":"tag-alexander-isak","13":"tag-alisson-becker","14":"tag-all-time-leading-goalscorer","15":"tag-amad-diallo","16":"tag-association-football-club-bournemouth","17":"tag-bbc-radio-5-live","18":"tag-brighton","19":"tag-brighton-and-hove-albion-football-club","20":"tag-champions-league","21":"tag-city-of-derby","22":"tag-city-of-liverpool","23":"tag-city-of-manchester","24":"tag-club-legend","25":"tag-club-world","26":"tag-club-league-logos","27":"tag-danny-welbeck","28":"tag-defending-champions","29":"tag-domestic-titlefootball","30":"tag-drops-cross","31":"tag-eddie-howe","32":"tag-english-football","33":"tag-europa-league","34":"tag-europe","35":"tag-face-relegation","36":"tag-familiar-feeling","37":"tag-family-bereavement","38":"tag-fixture-lists","39":"tag-football-match","40":"tag-football-news","41":"tag-forest-hand","42":"tag-france","43":"tag-getty-images-inc","44":"tag-glyn-kirk","45":"tag-home-defeat","46":"tag-igor-tudor","47":"tag-interim-manager","48":"tag-international-break","49":"tag-jamie-carragher","50":"tag-kepa-arrizabalaga","51":"tag-league-defeat","52":"tag-league-games","53":"tag-league-title","54":"tag-lengthy-injury-list","55":"tag-liam-rosenior","56":"tag-liverpool-football-club","57":"tag-london","58":"tag-manchester-city-football-club","59":"tag-manchester-united-football-club","60":"tag-michael-carrick","61":"tag-mike-dean","62":"tag-mohamed-salah","63":"tag-northern-europe","64":"tag-paris","65":"tag-pat-nevin","66":"tag-players-fitter","67":"tag-post-match-press-conference","68":"tag-ref-incident","69":"tag-regulation-cross","70":"tag-relegation-blowfootball","71":"tag-relegation-six-pointer","72":"tag-relegation-zone","73":"tag-rob-green","74":"tag-ruinous-relegation","75":"tag-ryan-pierse","76":"tag-second-choice-keeper","77":"tag-single-club-league-player-publications","78":"tag-sky-sports","79":"tag-soccer-match","80":"tag-social-media","81":"tag-social-media-in-match","82":"tag-spurs-sink","83":"tag-stephen-warnock","84":"tag-talking-points","85":"tag-team-bus","86":"tag-the-premier-league","87":"tag-united-kingdom","88":"tag-video-emulation","89":"tag-western-europe","90":"tag-world-champions"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=234699"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234699\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/234700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=234699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=234699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}