The Japan Times - Spurs felled by Forest in relegation battle, Sunderland shock Newcastle

Spurs have not tasted life outside the English top flight since 1978 but remain the only side without a Premier League win in 2026.

Goals from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi inflicted the latest in a series of damaging defeats on interim Tottenham boss Igor Tudor.

West Ham's 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa ensured Spurs remain one point outside the relegation zone with seven games remaining.

Vitor Pereira's first league win as Forest boss propels his side four points above the drop zone.

Tottenham fans gathered in north London en masse before kick-off to line the streets in a show of support under the banner "all together, always."

But nerves quickly took over the state-of-the-art 63,000 capacity Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Jesus rose highest to head in a corner just before half-time.

Gibbs-White could have been starting in white rather than red had Forest not stood their ground after Spurs reportedly met his buyout clause last summer.

The Forest captain instead signed a new deal at the City ground and has played a big role in leading his side away from trouble.

Gibbs-White was left completely unmarked to turn in Callum Hudson-Odoi's cross on the hour mark for his third goal in four league games.

No side has taken fewer points at home in the Premier League this season than Tottenham and they failed to muster a response.

Awoniyi inflicted the final blow when he met Neco Williams' cross three minutes from time.

- No excuses for Newcastle -

Villa took full advantage of defeats for Liverpool and Chelsea on Saturday to close in on a return to the Champions League next season.

Unai Emery's men had taken just one point from a possible 12 in their previous four league games.

But the return of skipper John McGinn from injury has been a timely boost.

The Scotland international curled in from outside the box to give Villa the perfect start.

Ollie Watkins then pounced after Mads Hermansen spilled Morgan Rogers' shot to bounce back from his exclusion from Thomas Tuchel's England squad on Friday.

Villa open up a six-point cushion on sixth-placed Chelsea with the top five set to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Newcastle's European ambitions and local pride were dealt a major blow as Sunderland came from behind to win 2-1 in the first Tyne-Wear derby at St. James' Park for 10 years.

Bryan Brobbey struck a 90th minute winner for the Black Cats, who have not lost to Newcastle in the league for 15 years.

Defeat compounded a miserable week for Newcastle, who were humbled 7-2 by Barcelona in exiting the Champions League in midweek.

"I've got very little to use as an excuse. Once you haven't performed and you know how much the game means you have to accept the criticism," said Newcastle boss Eddie Howe.

Defeat sees the Magpies slip below Sunderland in the table to 12th.

Newcastle also promised to identify and hold accountable anyone guilty after Sunderland defender Lutsharel Geertruida reported an incident of racist abuse from the crowd in the second half.

T.Kobayashi--JT