Premier League: West Ham relegated as Tottenham see off toothless Everton

Nuno Espirito Santo and West Ham badge
Nuno Espirito Santo and West Ham badge

West Ham have been relegated from the Premier League despite beating Leeds United 3-0 on the final day of the 2025/26 season.

Goals from Taty Castellanos, Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson gave the Irons all three points against Daniel Farke’s Whites, who finished the campaign in 14th place.

But the Irons have dropped down to the Championship after spending 14 years in the top flight – as former Hammers boss David Moyes’ Everton lost to 17th-placed Tottenham, who secured survival by the skin of their teeth with a 1-0 win.

Joao Palhinha scored the only goal of the game for Spurs on 43 minutes and the toothless Toffees barely troubled Roberto De Zerbi’s hosts, who kept Everton at bay with ease.

Finish with dignity

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo told Sky Sports: “Tough day for us. We knew it would be difficult and we did our part but it did not happen.

“The moment is to just feel this sadness. We had a tough mission and the boys tried it. I wish things could be different for our future but at least we finish with dignity.

“It doesn’t take away the sadness. We did many good things but now it is tough to look back and analyse. I just spoke with the boys, we are all sad going through this period.”

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England & Thomas Tuchel
England & Thomas Tuchel

Relegation hurts

Hammers skipper Bowen said: “It hurts, a horrible place to be in football. Relegation for a club like this, it hurts. We did enough today but throughout the season we haven’t.

“You can pinpoint many things but when you go out on the pitch, it’s about players turning up week in and week out. 

“Last season, we managed to wriggle out of it but we haven’t this time; we have been there all season.

“It’s not something that has just happened. The last couple of seasons, we have been below the standards. We haven’t done enough consistently to pick up the points.

“We have not been good enough and we have paid the biggest price. 

“We thought maybe it was a one-off season, in the European season we finished 14th but no one remembers as we won a trophy.

“We didn’t do enough on the pitch to grind out results. We have been leading games and dropping points. In this league, you have to fight and earn every point.”

Summer rebuild

Tottenham have now finished in 17th place for successive seasons – meaning De Zerbi has a big summer rebuild of the squad on his hands after Spurs won only 10 of 38 league games.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion boss told Sky Sports: “Manic. We worked well. I am lucky because I have a lot of big players and big guys. 

“You can see the game today and you can understand that with big pressure, they played a fantastic game with the ball. Not just to fight but with the ball.

“They played maybe my best game in my time. If they play the best game in my time, you can imagine how big the personalities of my players are.”

Just champion

At the other end of the table, champions Arsenal secured a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace, while Manchester City lost 2-1 on home soil to Aston Villa, meaning the Gunners finished seven points clear of Pep Guardiola’s Man City troops.

Third-placed Manchester United ended the campaign with an impressive 3-0 win at Brighton, and defending champions Liverpool limped to a 1-1 draw with Brentford at Anfield.

Elsewhere, Sunderland saw off Chelsea 2-1 and Fulham grabbed a 2-0 win over visiting Newcastle United.

Relegated duo Burnley and Wolves drew 1-1, as did Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.

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By Simon Wilkes

Simon Wilkes is an accomplished digital project manager and senior leader with over 25 years’ experience in digital media, content strategy and SEO.

He has a solid background developed in sports journalism, working for Sky Sports Digital Media, TEAMtalk Media Group, 365 Media Group and Press Association Sport.

Simon achieved a 2-1 BA (HONS) degree in journalism at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, graduating in 1997, when he joined PA Sport as a reporter based in Leeds.

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