There are six points left to play for at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and every single one of them matters. When Tottenham Hotspur host Leeds United on Monday evening in Matchday 36 of the Premier League, the stakes could not be any clearer — win, and Tottenham take a massive step toward survival. Drop points, and the trapdoor swings open again.
Tottenham begin the weekend 17th in the table, just one point above West Ham United, and could move four points clear of the relegation zone with two games remaining if results fall kindly and they beat Leeds. It is the kind of arithmetic that makes every touch, every decision, and every substitution feel enormous.
Tottenham’s Unlikely Revival Under De Zerbi
The chaos that defined Tottenham’s season — multiple managerial changes, a historically poor home record, an injury list that reads like a hospital ward — has somehow given way to something resembling momentum. Roberto De Zerbi, appointed just last month, has injected urgency and structure into a squad that was sleepwalking toward the Championship.
When De Zerbi took over, he inherited a squad that had not won a league match in 2026, but Tottenham have now picked up seven points from the Italian’s four games in charge. Back-to-back away wins — first at Wolverhampton Wanderers, then a 2-1 result at Aston Villa where Conor Gallagher and Richarlison scored — have transformed the mood around the club entirely.
Under their new head coach, Tottenham are pressing higher, winning the ball back more aggressively, and showing more conviction in advanced areas, averaging 5.3 final-third possession wins per match — the highest figure of any Premier League manager with four or more games in charge this season. A third consecutive league win tonight would be their first such run of the entire campaign.
Tottenham’s Injury Crisis Remains a Factor
The optimism around Tottenham must be tempered by one uncomfortable reality— the injury list is still staggering. Tottenham will be without Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski, Xavi Simons, Dominic Solanke, Mohammed Kudus, and Wilson Odobert. It is a remarkable number of absences for a club fighting relegation, and it places even greater pressure on the players who are fit to deliver.
Despite those constraints, Tottenham are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation with Kinski in goal, backed by Udogie, Van de Ven, Danso, and Porro, with Bissouma, Bentancur, and Gallagher in midfield and Richarlison leading the attack.
Leeds Arrive With Form — But Without Their Best Attacker
Leeds United come into this fixture riding a wave of confidence. Daniel Farke’s side are unbeaten across their last six league matches, and more than two goals have been scored in each of their last four Premier League games. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a consistent threat all season, scoring 12 Premier League goals for Leeds this campaign.
However, Leeds arrive in North London with a significant absence. Noah Okafor has been ruled out for the next two matches due to a calf injury, with his recent form having made him one of the most important players in Farke’s attack. Lukas Nmecha and Brenden Aaronson are the candidates to fill that void.
Gabriel Gudmundsson and Ilia Gruev — the latter having sustained a meniscus injury — will also miss the match, while Pascal Struijk is a doubt after picking up a hip contusion in training.
What History Says About This Fixture
The head-to-head record favors Tottenham significantly. Since Leeds were promoted in 2020, Tottenham have beaten them on six occasions while only suffering one defeat, and Leeds have yet to win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in three attempts.
The last six meetings between Tottenham and Leeds have all produced more than 2.5 goals, which points toward an open, physical contest rather than a cagey affair — particularly given Tottenham’s defensive vulnerabilities and Leeds’ directness on the counter.
For Tottenham, tonight is about more than three points. It is about proving that De Zerbi’s revival is real, that the worst of the season is behind them, and that a club of their stature still belongs in the top flight. For Leeds, even in a more comfortable position, a result at a Premier League giant’s stadium would be a statement of their own.
Kickoff is at 7:00 PM BST.