Tottenham held by Leeds as relegation battle goes to the wire

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur missed a major chance to move further away from the Premier League relegation zone after being held to a 1-1 draw by Leeds United in north London on Monday.

A home league victory, which would have been Tottenham’s first since December, could have taken Spurs four points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United with two matches remaining. Instead, the draw left Tottenham in 17th place on 38 points, with West Ham on 36 after 36 games.

Tottenham looked set to claim all three points when Mathys Tel put them ahead early in the second half with a fine strike. The young French forward controlled a high ball and curled a right-footed effort into the top corner past Karl Darlow, lifting the tension inside the stadium.

But Tel’s evening changed later in the contest when he gave away the penalty from which Leeds equalised. Attempting an overhead clearance inside the area, he accidentally caught Ethan Ampadu in the head. After a VAR review, referee Jarred Gillett checked the pitchside monitor and awarded the spot-kick. Dominic Calvert-Lewin then drove the penalty past Antonin Kinsky in the 74th minute.

As Tottenham struggled with the pressure, Leeds nearly snatched victory in stoppage time, but Kinsky produced a crucial save to divert Sean Longstaff’s effort onto the underside of the bar.

Spurs fail to build on recent improvement

After a 15-match winless run in the league dragged Tottenham towards what would be their first relegation since 1977, back-to-back away wins under Roberto De Zerbi had improved the mood around the club. West Ham’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal on Sunday had also opened the door for Spurs to create a more comfortable cushion before a difficult trip to Chelsea.

However, Tottenham’s poor home form remained a problem. They had won only two of their 17 home league games this season, and the tension was visible from the opening stages.

Tel made an anxious clearance across his own area that required Kevin Danso to intervene, while Kinsky had to claw a header from former Tottenham defender Joe Rodon off the line. At the other end, Richarlison sent one chance straight at Darlow and Palhinha lifted an effort over the crossbar.

Tottenham were then given a reprieve just before halftime when Destiny Udogie brought down Calvert-Lewin. A penalty looked likely, but a VAR check found Calvert-Lewin marginally offside.

According to the match report, Tel had told Sky Sports before the second half that Tottenham would do it. Five minutes after the restart, he appeared to back up that confidence with his goal, only for Leeds to hit back later.

De Zerbi says pressure affected his side

De Zerbi, who has taken eight points from his first five matches in charge of Tottenham, said his side had paid for their errors.

"We made too many mistakes," he said. "I think we deserved to win anyway but maybe the pressure, the crucial game, the crucial part of the season, we suffered too much. It will be tough until the end of the season, until the last game."

The Tottenham manager also defended Tel after the young forward’s costly mistake led to Leeds’ equaliser. "He is young and is a talent. I will kiss him and hug him. He doesn't need too many words," De Zerbi said.

There was still late controversy as Tottenham believed substitute James Maddison, making his first appearance of the season, should have been awarded a penalty after a challenge from Lukas Nmecha, but their appeals were rejected.

Tottenham now face Chelsea away on May 19, while West Ham travel to Newcastle United on May 17. Spurs’ survival may ultimately depend on their final-day home game against Everton.