Leeds United got a good result at Bournemouth but dropped points on all their Premier League relegation rivals over the weekend.
Leeds United aren’t fully safe from relegation despite reaching 40 points – but Gary Neville believes one more win would do it.
Daniel Farke’s side hit that 40-point milestone in dramatic fashion last week, with Sean Longstaff coming off the bench to score a 97th-minute equaliser at Bournemouth. But while Leeds were preparing for an FA Cup semi-final meeting with Chelsea, their relegation rivals put on a quite incredible show.
Nottingham Forest thumped Sunderland 5-0 on Friday evening to pull within one point of 15th-placed Leeds. Tottenham then beat Wolves on Saturday while West Ham won 2-1 at home to Everton, with Callum Wilson sending the London Stadium into chaos with a 92nd-minute decider.
Those results mean Leeds actually dropped two points on all their rivals last week but they still have a cushion of three places and six points on Tottenham in 18th. It could take a record tally to avoid the drop this season but Farke and his squad have been backed to increase their tally at the next opportunity.
“I thought Leeds were out of it,” the former Manchester United defender told his Sky Sports podcast. “I think Leeds’ fixtures are quite good. They’ve got Burnley at home, Tottenham, Brighton at home, and West Ham.
“Yeah, I think they’ll beat Burnley at home, which would take them to a point where I don’t think they’ll get caught. I think Leeds are okay.”
Farke has done an incredible job to get Leeds to a point where in virtually any other Premier League season, they would be safe. Even with the improvement in those competing to avoid 18th place, a good run of fixtures coupled with performances like the draw at Bournemouth or a historic win at Manchester United breeds confidence.
Gary Neville’s ‘flip a coin’ verdict on Leeds United relegation rivals
The same confidence cannot be applied further down, however, with two points separating 18th-placed Tottenham and West Ham in 17th. The latter have pulled themselves back from near certain relegation thanks to a brilliant run of just three defeats in 13, while the former picked up their first win of 2026 at Wolves on Saturday.
“I went to bed last night thinking Nottingham Forest are okay, I still think they’re okay, but less okay than 24 hours ago,” Neville added. “We talk about the title race, but that West Ham, Tottenham, Forest dynamic in this next few weeks could be where the real thrill and excitement lies.
“Tottenham down there, that league table when West Ham scored and they were four points clear, you’re thinking ‘oh my god if it finishes like this’. And then Tottenham get that goal, then Everton equalised, then pretty quickly West Ham score again. Absolutely thrilling day in the relegation race. I have no idea what’s going to happen, it’s a flip-a-coin job.”
Leeds will have a huge say on the relegation battle even if they can virtually secure safety with a win over Burnley on Friday. The Whites kick off May with a trip to Tottenham before heading to West Ham on the final day, by which point there is hope only the hosts will still be fighting to survive.