Tottenham handed relegation warning after Arsenal thrashing in North London derby plunges them further into trouble
Jamie Redknapp has said Arsenal are in a different league to Tottenham and warned that could become a reality with the threat of relegation looming for Spurs; Arsenal won 4-1 away from home to move five points clear at the top; Spurs in 16th, just four points from bottom three
Sunday 22 February 2026 20:38, UK
Jamie Redknapp says Arsenal are in a different league to Tottenham following the Gunners' 4-1 win on Sunday - and has warned that could become reality with the threat of relegation looming.
New Spurs boss Igor Tudor said his team will "100 per cent" avoid relegation this season but suffered an emphatic defeat to their north London rivals at home in his first game in charge, meaning they remain in 16th, four points above the bottom three.
Spurs are winless in the top-flight in 2026 with 11 games remaining in the Premier League campaign.
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Doubles from Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze secured bragging rights on Sunday, moving five points clear at the top of the table in the process, with Arsenal fans chanting "we'll never play you again" from the away end at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
"They were magnificent today. You just felt there was control about this Arsenal side," Redknapp said on Sky Sports.
"It was a complete mismatch. They were in different leagues, Arsenal were so classy. They were so much better than Tottenham; it was like two different leagues.
"If Tottenham aren't careful, they might be in a different league. They cannot keep performing like this.
"They have not won a game in 2026 [in the league]; it is a team devoid of personality. They've had a personality bypass. They have to somehow show some character. They cannot carry on every year like this.
"Arsenal were fantastic, too good for Tottenham."
Neville: Spurs relegation would be shock of the century
Gary Neville believes Tottenham will have enough to beat the drop, but says relegation would be the "shock of the century".
"Tottenham are in trouble," he said. "Last season, they really skirted with it a little bit, but they were always clear of it and they were managing the Europa League games and just getting enough points. You never really felt they were going to go down.
"This season, they've got some real work to do and they better do it quickly. I watch West Ham, I watch Nottingham Forest, and they've got something about them that you think they're going to pick up points.
"It's not going to be the case that Tottenham can just sit there and think that this is just going to happen - they're going to have to work hard to get out of this mess.
"It's unthinkable. But on the football side of it, they've underdelivered for a number of years, they've never found the right formula to get it right and this is the second season on the trot that they're in this type of position.
"It's not a fluke anymore. This is a pattern of what you are and it would be the shock of the century. It would be absolutely mind-blowing to think that they could disappear out of this league, but I don't think they will.
"They've shown an attitude against Arsenal for 55, 60 minutes. They were just beaten in the end by a better team. They have shown a little bit of ruggedness that they will need.
"They've got to make sure that if they're playing a team here that doesn't get the crowd up as much and doesn't get these players up as much, that they show that same ruggedness. Because it's easy to show it sometimes in a north London derby where you have to and you're almost forced to in a manager's first game.
"But when the cameras are off, and they're playing against the team in mid-table next week and the week after - and maybe it's a little bit less motivation because of the fact of what the fixture is - are they going to be as rugged, as dogged and as hardworking and as pressurising?
"They're going to need to be. Because if you just a few per cent off it in this league, you will get done."
Tudor: We didn't do enough, Arsenal were much better
Tudor's first game in charge offered a harsh reminder of the current problems plaguing Tottenham, such as the 11 senior players missing due to injury or suspension, while also highlighting the chasm that separates them from their north London rivals.
"I'm sad because we didn't do enough. Arsenal was much better," Tudor told Sky Sports after the game.
"This time there was too much gap between the two teams. Even the physical problems we made to make 11 players [on the pitch] plus three [substitutes].
"It's good to show and see this kind of team [like Arsenal], to show us where we need to be. It shows work and hard, because we struggle in a lot of things.
"Psychologically, we need to come out of this moment, the only way is work. Stay quiet, stay humble. And look in the future day by day, growing and growing day by day and week. It's too strong in this moment.
"We need to work. There were too many bad habits in the past. Each of us, each part of the team needs to look at ourselves, grow and be humble. It's all about work. We need to run more, work win duels and second balls.
"We prepared this for four or five days, but they were faster.
"The players showed their passion, they wanted to run and they wanted to do. But we pressed high and don't arrive and take the ball, they are stronger, they have more power and energy. They believe more, that's the key in the end. That's it. Take the lessons."
Despite the defeat, Tudor remains confident he will guide the club to safety. He added: "Of course I am confident. These are players who are a good group with bad habits.
"Nobody can tell me we don't have quality. But we need to change, a mental switch and have this mental sharpness to be in the game from the first and second minutes. And have the physicality.
"One or two players did not have good moments, but today it can happen. Too many players had problems. That's the result."
Van de Ven: Arsenal were the better team
Spurs defender Micky van de Ven echoed the claims made by Redknapp after admitting the better side walked away with bragging rights on Sunday afternoon.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "I think Arsenal overall was the better team. In the first half we were still in the game, it was 1-1. Two minutes into the second half, they scored to make it 2-1 and after that it was really difficult.
"I think maybe sometimes in the press we could have done a bit better. We pressed them quite high but Arsenal came out of it a few times and it's difficult to come back quick.
"Today, they were just the better team, they created way more than us.
"It's a risk when you press up high and go man v man. If one guy is too late, you're going to be open. It's the way you have to deal with it. But when you press high and win it, there are so many chances to score.
"But the opposite, when they come out, it's a big risk."
When asked if Spurs are in a relegation battle with just 11 games to go in the Premier League season, Van de Ven added: "We just need to win the games. Step by step we need to look, next up is Fulham and that's the most important one for us."
