Credit: Imago

Daniel Lewis

Sun 24 May 2026 14:10, UK

Alan Shearer has predicted Leeds United will fall to defeat away at West Ham United in their final game of the Premier League season.

West Ham require a victory in Sunday’s clash at the London Stadium, plus a defeat to Tottenham Hotspur against Everton, if they are to avoid relegaion.

Leeds are already safe, meanwhile, as has been the case for a couple of weeks now thanks to the impressive work of Daniel Farke.

The Whites could still finish as high as 11th, depending on results elsewhere in Sunday’s final round of fixtures.

But Shearer cannot see that happening as he has provided his prediction ahead of the clash in East London.

West Ham seek rare back-to-back home wins vs Leeds

West Ham could beat Leeds and yet still drop down to the Championship, with the Irons requiring a favour from Everton.

Leeds are not helped by injury issues against West Ham, with five players – including three central midfielders – ruled out.

The Whites have already picked up a victory at the London Stadium this season, having prevailed on penalties in a dramatic FA Cup quarter-final in early April.

Leeds were also 2-1 winners in the reverse league fixture this season at Elland Road, with Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon netting that day.

However, West Ham beat Leeds 3-1 in their most recent Premier League meeting at the London Stadium in May 2023.

If they win on Sunday, it will be the first time in 52 years they have won back-to-back home league games against Leeds.

Providing his prediction for The Metro, Shearer said he can see exactly that happening – but ultimately West Ham will still go down.

“I saw West Ham last week. I was at the game at Newcastle on Sunday, oh my goodness, they were so bad defensively,” Shearer said.

“They came in with a new system, tried to play five at the back and changed after 25 minutes or so because they were 2-0 down. But they were really, really poor.

“They’ve got to try and get that win and try and put as much pressure on Tottenham Hotspur as possible, because you can imagine the picture where we’re flicking to Tottenham’s ground and we’re flicking to West Ham at different points on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m going to go for a West Ham win but unfortunately, I don’t think it will be enough to keep them up as I can see Spurs and Everton playing out a draw at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.”

West Ham have lost each of their last three Premier League games, as per Opta, but they have not lost four in a row since December 2022.

Leeds can achieve a 30-year-plus first of their own

Leeds have been in great form pretty much throughout the second half of the campaign, relatively speaking, having survived with ease.

Farke’s men have not taken their foot off the gas, having drawn away at Tottenham and defeated Brighton in their two games since confirming safety.

Indeed, the Whites are now eight games without a defeat in the top flight in a run stretching back to the start of March.

If Leeds avoid defeat against West Ham, it will be the first time since 1995 in which they have gone nine Premier League games without defeat to to conclude a campaign.

That really would be quite some doing for Farke, and would ensure the feel-good factor remains alive heading into the summer.