For so long in recent weeks, it appeared the unthinkable could happen.
And let’s face it, were Spurs to lose their place in the Premier League, the impact would be like nothing ever experienced in the modern English game.
Yet even during a run of form in which the Lilywhites took just one point from 24 available, this SBOTOP scribe always thought the North Londoners would survive.
There are still three league games to go, of course, but their 2-1 success at Aston Villa on Sunday night – hosts who, I can only assume (based on both their team-sheet and their under par performance) have one eye on Thursday night’s Europa League semi-final – has given them an almighty lift.
Talk about buses: you wait from December 28 to last weekend to win in the top flight and then two victories come along at once, courtesy of two goals inside the opening 25 minutes from Conor Gallagher and Richarlison.
Roberto De Zerbi’s men are now out of the bottom three with a one point advantage over the Hammers, themselves vanquished 3-0 at Brentford on Saturday.
That scoreline may seem more one-sided than it was and they were certainly unfortunate to hit the woodwork twice.
But an own goal from Konstantinos Mavropanos and strikes from Igor Thiago and Mikkel Damsgaard sealed a comprehensive victory.
The Premier League 2026 betting odds right now paint a very different picture to the one I was anticipating for Keith Andrews and his side before a ball had been kicked this term.
The Bees have been one of the sides of the season.
So have Bournemouth, who took advantage of Crystal Palace’s focus on Europe to boost their own chances of a maiden Euro campaign.
The Eagles played a much-changed line-up and the south coast hosts took full advantage, ahead through an own goal before Eli Junior Kroupi doubled the lead from the penalty spot.
A comfortable win was capped off by Brazilian teenager Rayan, another real ‘find’ for a club who are now up to sixth and, just as impressively, have extended their club record unbeaten run in the top flight to 15 games.
Following a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the top of the table clash a fortnight ago, the speed in which some have written off Arsenal’s Premier League title chances mightily surprised me.
Sure, it was a result which conceded the momentum and, ultimately, the lead they held for so long.
The Gunners’ display, though, was hardly the type of performance which suggested they are suffering from late season nerves or feeling the weight of pressure.
If anything, they only just managed to scrape over the line at home to Newcastle next weekend.
A victory can do wonders for confidence, however, and they were quick out of the blocks at home to Fulham to double their advantage at the summit (City have two games in hand).
I have often though Bukayo Saka is the man that makes them tick and that was certainly the case at the Emirates on Saturday teatime.
On his 200th Premier League start, and his first since March following an achilles injury, it took him just nine minutes to burst down the right and pick out Swedish frontman Viktor Gyokeres who was in the right place at the right time.
The roles were reversed a short time afterwards as he slipped a pass into Saka and the winger curled a quality low finish beyond former Gunners keeper Bernd Leno at his near post.
Gyokeres claimed his second on the stroke of half-time as he headed home a cross from Leandro Trossard cross to wrap up the three points.
If the title is going to be decided by goal difference, this was potentially a handy evening’s work for the North Londoners.
The final word of the weekend goes to interim Manchester United manager Michael Carrick and young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
The Red Devils defeated arch rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford with the latest set of Premier League 2026 highlights they have been instrumental to since January.
For reasons only known to himself, the former boss in the hot seat didn’t start Mainoo in a league game all season.
Carrick immediately saw through that folly and has named the homegrown 21 year-old in all bar one league game since taking over (and he only missed that due to injury).
What a difference the Geordie has made, this success guiding United back to the Champions League after a two-year absence and bringing back a confidence and freedom that was sorely lacking for much of his predecessor’s 14-month tenure.
Whether he should be given the full-time role this summer is open for a lengthy debate.
One thing is certain though, Carrick could have done no more than was asked of him since taking charge. Ten wins 10 out of 14 matches under his stewardship (no side has accumulated more points during that period) is proof of that.
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