‘I played 200 games for Arsenal but even I don’t want to see Tottenham relegated’

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An Arsenal legend has offered a surprising take on Tottenham Hotspur’s relegation fears, going against what many would expect from a fierce rival.

The precarious situation Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in this season is there for all to see, including rival fans.

The Lilywhites have struggled for form this year, having not won a single domestic match – a run that has left them hanging rather close to the bottom three.

Failure to get a victory next weekend against Sunderland, away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, combined with a West Ham win against Wolverhampton Wanderers, will see Spurs drop below those dreaded lines, taking the relegation fight out of their own hands.

Tottenham relegation fear addressed by Jens Lehmann with derby reasoning

Of course, naturally, the expectation is that Tottenham’s local rivals will be excited by the prospect of the Lilywhites being relegated.

However, former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, who was never on the losing end of a north London derby, does not want Tottenham to go down.

Speaking on the Clutch9 Podcast, Lehmann explained that he wants Spurs to stay up and outlined his reasoning, drawing on an example from Germany.

He pointed to Schalke’s relegation from the Bundesliga and how Borussia Dortmund fans initially welcomed it, before admitting they missed the Revierderby, as he said:

“I would be happy for them to stay up.

“For example, as I told you before, there was a situation in Germany where Schalke got relegated two years before and the Dortmund fans are happy about it. But when you ask the fans, they say, ‘Wow, we’re missing the derbies.’ And so you do not really want Tottenham to go down.

“Because, you know, I love to see these derbies Tottenham against Arsenal.”

Spurs relegation would impact Premier League beyond rivalry

Of course, given the record the Gunners have in north London derbies of late, it is no surprise to hear Lehmann say he wants those games to stay.

But not just from a rivalry perspective, losing Tottenham as a whole could be rather damaging to the Premier League, given the club’s prestige and history.

Spurs used to be a constant presence in the Champions League and were even fighting for the title a few years back. They also have some of the best facilities in the country at the moment, which are regularly used by England.

Seeing all of that in the Championship would feel rather off, but that is the price they may have to pay for their lacklustre showing in the last couple of seasons.