After a point against Spurs West Ham can now ensure they qualify for Europe with very achievable wins in four specific games.
It’s not just the Premier League title race and fight to beat relegation that’s going down to the wire this season.
The battle for the European spots is also hotly contested and West Ham are very much in the thick of the battle.
In fact the Hammers are currently in possession of the last spot as things stand.
Liverpool’s Carabao Cup victory – and guaranteed top four finish – has ensured European qualification will go down to seventh spot in the Premier League. Whether seventh will be a Europa League or Conference League place remains to be seen.
West Ham can seal Europe with four achievable wins
There is a chance the Euro spots could go down to eighth or even ninth place. That will depend on who wins the FA Cup, European competitions and whether the Premier League gets an expected extra Champions League spot.
West Ham as a club from owners to fans, manager and players have loved their adventures over land and sea in the last three seasons.
Well after getting the season back on track with a decent point against Tottenham, a fourth consecutive European campaign is now well within West Ham’s grasp.
Earlier this week I did a deep dive on how many points West Ham will need from the last eight games to win what is a 5-horse race for Europe.
And West Ham can now seal a European spot with the very achievable aim of wins in these four games.
Spurs draw was bonus point for Hammers in Euro battle
Before Spurs I looked at all the remaining fixtures for the Hammers, Newcastle, Brighton, Wolves and Chelsea and calculated their likely returns for the run-in.
It showed that West Ham needed 12 points from their remaining games to seal seventh place ahead of Newcastle.
Well the draw against Spurs was a bonus point in those calculations.
Now if the Hammers can pick up wins in games against Wolves, Fulham and Palace and Luton it should be enough to seal Europe again.
There is no reason West Ham cannot win those games. With the point against Spurs in the bag, another 12 will leave David Moyes’ side on 57.
57 points and seventh place beckon for West Ham
By my estimations that will be enough to finish seventh and one or two points ahead of Newcastle.
Because the Magpies – by my reckoning – will get a maximum of 11 or 12 points from their last eight games putting them eighth on 55 or 56 points.
We must not forget West Ham do of course still have two routes into Europe open to them.
If the Hammers go on and win the Europa League they will qualify for the new-look Champions League next season.
But that will be a tall order with the competition’s second favourites and invincible German champions-in-waiting Bayer Leverkusen to come in the quarter-finals. And if the Hammers make it past them it’s the small matter of AC Milan or Roma and in the final a high chance of Liverpool.
Updated remaining fixtures and predicted final points and positions:
West Ham: Wolves (A), Fulham (H), Palace (A), Liverpool (H), Chelsea (A), Luton (H), Man City (A). Current points and position: 45, 7th. Predicted total and final position: 57, 7th.
Newcastle: Fulham (A), Spurs (H), Man United (A – TBD), Palace (A), Sheffield United (H), Burnley (A), Brighton (H), Brentford (A). Current points and position: 44, 8th. Predicted total and final position: 55/56, 8th.
Chelsea: Man United (H), Sheffield United (A), Everton (H), Brighton (A – TBD), Arsenal (A), Villa (A), West Ham (H), Forest (A), Bournemouth (H). Current points and position: 40, 11th. Predicted total and final position: 54/55, 9th.
Brighton: Brentford (A), Arsenal (H), Burnley (A), Chelsea (H – TBD), Man City (H), Bournemouth (A), Villa (H), Newcastle (A), Man United (H). Current points and position: 42, 9th. Predicted total and final position: 53, 10th.
Wolves: West Ham (H), Forest (A), Arsenal (H), Bournemouth (H), Luton (H), Man City (A), Palace (H), Liverpool (A). Current points and position: 42, 10th. Predicted total and final position: 51, 11th.