Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over West Ham United on Sunday had a wide impact on the Premier League relegation battle, with Nottingham Forest and Leeds United securing survival.
The result means that it will be either West Ham or 17th-placed Tottenham Hotspur joining the already relegated Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship next season.
Forest, 15th, drew 1-1 with Newcastle United earlier in the day to put them seven points clear of the drop zone with two games to go, while Leeds have had safety confirmed without taking the field this weekend. Daniel Farke’s side are 16th and also seven points heading into Monday’s match against Spurs.
West Ham thought they had scored an equaliser in stoppage time through Callum Wilson’s strike, though there was a lengthy stoppage for a review by Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Darren England.
An on-field review was then recommended to match official Chris Kavanagh, who announced to the London Stadium that the goal would be disallowed for a foul on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya by West Ham’s Pablo.
A draw would have meant that Forest and Leeds could still mathematically be relegated, though it would have taken a significant goal difference swing, with the clubs on -2 and -5 respectively and West Ham entering the game on -19.
Forest head coach Vitor Pereira, whose side exited the Europa League at the semi-final stage after a 4-0 second leg defeat against Aston Villa on Thursday, insisted after the draw with Newcastle that he would not watch West Ham’s game.
“This is a conversation we had before the game — we cannot control other results,” Pereira said. “I do not want to watch the game, because I suffer with my team, I cannot suffer with other teams.
“I believe that we can win more points; that we can get more points. It is eight games unbeaten and that is not easy in the Premier League.”
Forest take on Manchester United and Bournemouth in their remaining fixtures.
Leeds were promoted as Championship winners last season and have now joined Sunderland in avoiding relegation back to the second tier at the first time of asking. In the last two seasons, each of the three promoted sides have been relegated straight back to the Championship.
After the Spurs game Leeds take on Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham, on what could be a critical final day game.
West Ham visit Newcastle next Sunday, while Tottenham visit Chelsea on May 19 before hosting Everton on the final day.
