Leeds United earned a hard-fought point in north London after drawing 1-1 with Tottenham on Monday night, a result that also handed West Ham a boost in the survival race.
Mathys Tel fired Spurs ahead early in the second half, but Leeds hit back when Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored from the spot after a long VAR check.
Leeds nearly completed the turnaround late on as well, but Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky produced a superb save at close range to keep out Sean Longstaff.
Even with their Premier League safety already confirmed, Daniel Farke’s side played with real energy and intensity from start to finish against Spurs.
Jason Cundy outlines the difference between Leeds and Tottenham
The 1-1 draw between Tottenham and Leeds was the topic of discussion between Jason Cundy and Jamie O’Hara on talkSPORT’s Sports Bar on Monday night.
O’Hara moaned and ranted about the performance and felt Tottenham should have been awarded a penalty in injury time for a foul on James Maddison.
However, Cundy outlined the difference between the two teams, which explained why Leeds are out of trouble, and Spurs could still get relegated.
He pointed out that Leeds were built to battle and scrap for survival in the Premier League this season, and they have managed to do exactly that.
However, Spurs signed players from PSG and Bayern Munich to play at a different level. These are not players who are likely to be scrapping and working hard to just survive in the Premier League.
Cundy said, “Leeds are built to fight for their lives.
“Spurs were not built to fight for their lives; they were built differently. You signed Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich and Muani [from PSG].
“They signed players from Bayern Munich and PSG; they are not built and designed to come to Spurs and fight to get out of trouble.
“These are players that have played at an elite level, and they are expected to win major honours, but this is a different animal.
“Give credit to Leeds and Forest because they have fully battled their way out of trouble.”
Spurs now need a favour from Daniel Farke’s side
Leeds’ display on Monday night gave West Ham a lifeline in the relegation race, and the Hammers still have a genuine chance of escaping the bottom three.
Roberto De Zerbi has already called on Leeds to bring the same energy and intensity when they face West Ham on the final day of the season.
Tottenham, meanwhile, still have a huge derby against Chelsea to come, and the Blues would love nothing more than to pile more pressure on Spurs with a strong result.
Still, the fight for survival may ultimately be decided on the final day when Leeds travel to the London Stadium to take on West Ham.
