SUNDERLAND, England — The prospect of relegation feels more tangible than ever for Tottenham Hotspur. The excitement surrounding the appointment of highly regarded manager Roberto De Zerbi is now overshadowed by the shocking possibility that one of the Premier League‘s historic clubs might actually face relegation.
Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Sunderland has placed them in the relegation zone for the first time this season, with just six matches remaining. This marks a historic low for the club, as it’s the first time they have been in the bottom three at this stage of the Premier League season.
Captain Cristian Romero left the pitch in tears, while others, including Micky van de Ven, appeared visibly shocked at the final whistle. Welcome to Spurs, Roberto.
– Why did Spurs hire De Zerbi? Are his tactics suitable for a battle against relegation?
– How players truly tackle the challenge of Premier League relegation
– How did Spurs transition from Europa League champions to facing the drop?
As they confront the abyss, is the fear of relegation the real issue?
“I believe so,” De Zerbi stated in his post-match comments. “At 46 years old, I have more experience than the players, and I remain positively confident because I know their character and abilities—not simply because we are Tottenham.”
“They possess the quality to win a game, and that’s our immediate goal … to secure one win. Winning one game can change our perspective completely.”
However, achieving that single victory is proving to be a challenge. Spurs have gone 105 days without a league win, marking a streak of 14 matches without victory—their longest since 1935, the year they were relegated.
While De Zerbi is a skilled coach, even he can’t work miracles. Before the match, he hoped Spurs would channel the attacking flair they exhibited under Ange Postecoglou.
This was partly an attempt to inspire a deflated squad by reminding them of their potential, but it also highlighted the troubling cycle the club finds itself in.
After all, the flaws of Postecoglou’s high-risk strategy are partly responsible for Tottenham’s current predicament. They enjoyed success as UEFA Europa League winners, yet finished 17th last season and now sit 18th.
De Zerbi encouraged Spurs to think like the prestigious club they are. For the first time, Randal Kolo Muani, Dominic Solanke, and Richarlison started a Spurs match together. In contrast to former manager Igor Tudor’s pragmatic approach, De Zerbi sought bravery in his lineup choices.
When citing the best aspects of Postecoglou’s style, De Zerbi specifically mentioned Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie as examples. Thus, Tottenham’s fullbacks frequently inverted and surged forward—hallmarks of “Angeball.”
The midfield pairing of Conor Gallagher and Archie Gray was reminiscent of Thomas Frank’s earlier strategies this season. Managers have been experimenting with various tactics to try and extract better performances from players whose displays have fallen alarmingly short of expectations.
Nordi Mukiele’s goal in the 61st minute was unfortunate—a significant deflection off Van de Ven left goalkeeper Antonín Kinsky with no chance. It exemplified the kind of bad luck faced by teams at the wrong end of the table. Yet, Mukiele was allowed to advance into a shooting position with minimal resistance—an indicator of the lax defending that has led to Spurs’ current troubles.
Kinsky, who was playing for the first time since his brief and disastrous appearance against Atlético Madrid a month ago, emerged as one of the few players to earn credit in this match. He sustained a head injury during a collision with Romero but was fortunate to avoid serious harm. De Zerbi expressed hope that Romero, a “big personality” for the team, would recover quickly to help finish the season strong.
There’s no quick fix. Furthermore, De Zerbi insists that radical changes aren’t the answer right now.
“We are in a challenging moment,” he acknowledged. “My role is not to overhaul the style of play at this point. We’ve made some adjustments both with and without the ball, but the key focus is our mindset and staying positive.”
The importance of mentality is apparent. Both Frank and Tudor have raised concerns about the squad’s inability to handle setbacks, and the statistics confirm their worries. Spurs have now gone 33 league games without winning after conceding first.
“You know me as a coach, but a crucial aspect of my coaching style revolves around mentality—the need to instill confidence in the players and provide them with what they require in terms of mindset,” De Zerbi explained.
“With that, we can perform better, as they show improved focus during training when their minds are clear. However, during matches, it’s a different story. My task is to guide them and demonstrate what they achieve in practice during the games.”
De Zerbi has just begun his tenure, yet as the league table indicates, time is swiftly running out to implement his vision successfully.