I prefer them to stay” 😱😱😱: Roy Keane has revealed whether he would rather see West Ham United or Tottenham Hotspur remain in the Premier League — and this is the club he wants to stay.

Well, here’s something few West Ham supporters ever expected to hear. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has publicly urged Londoners to get behind West Ham United in their fight against relegation.

For years, relations between City Hall and the Hammers hierarchy appeared strained, particularly during the long-running disputes surrounding the London Stadium.

Yet Khan has now made a surprising appeal to supporters across the capital, warning that relegation for West Ham could leave taxpayers footing an even larger bill.

Speaking yesterday, Khan said: “If West Ham are relegated, we, the taxpayers, we City Hall, could lose up to £2.5m each year.

So what I say to Londoners who don’t support Spurs is you should probably be cheering on West Ham, because the taxpayer will lose out if West Ham go down.”

The remarks are unlikely to go down particularly well in North London, especially among supporters of Tottenham Hotspur, although Khan stopped short of directly asking Spurs fans to back their rivals.

The concern stems from the mounting costs surrounding the London Stadium, where losses are reportedly already around £20m per season despite West Ham paying Premier League-level rent.

Relegation would significantly reduce the club’s payments under the current agreement.

For that reason, City Hall appears desperate to avoid pouring further public money into the stadium project.

While it is doubtful Khan’s comments will suddenly turn London claret and blue, it nevertheless marks a remarkable shift in tone after years of tension between the Mayor’s office and West Ham.