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Tom Hamilton
Multiple Authors
WOLVERHAMPTON, England — Roberto De Zerbi believes Tottenham’s recent 1-0 victory over Wolves could be a pivotal moment for the club, affirming his conviction that they will maintain their Premier League status. However, he expressed concern over the injuries sustained by Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons during the match at Molineux.
João Palhinha‘s goal in the 82nd minute secured Tottenham’s first win of 2026 and their first victory in 16 games. Despite this triumph, they remain in 18th place, two points adrift of safety, following West Ham’s 2-1 victory over Everton. However, De Zerbi is hopeful that this win will alleviate some of the team’s mental burden.
Unfortunately, the victory had its drawbacks, with Solanke exiting the game due to a muscle injury in the first half, while Simons sustained a knee injury in the 63rd minute and had to be carried off on a stretcher.
De Zerbi remains optimistic that Solanke’s injury isn’t severe, but is awaiting further updates on Simons’ knee condition. “I’d like to know the actual situation with him; knees can be tricky,” De Zerbi remarked. “He mentioned he feels better than when the injury first happened.”
When asked if the win could transform the team’s fortunes in their fight against relegation, De Zerbi responded, “I hope so, but I don’t want to lose any more players. We already have [Cristian] Romero, [Mohammed] Kudus, now Solanke, and possibly Xavi… I want to be optimistic, but we did the first 45 minutes very well.”
He added that while they didn’t create many clear-cut chances, they maintained control during the first half. However, the second half saw them lose structure, succumbing to pressure as players attempted to engage in individual battles. “I’m pleased with the result, and I hope it changes our mindset,” he stated.
De Zerbi cautioned that if the squad starts fixating on West Ham’s results, it might add unnecessary pressure. Nonetheless, he believes this victory could provide some much-needed relief at Spurs and serve as a catalyst for their resurgence, despite his dissatisfaction with their performance in the second half. “I believe we will avoid relegation,” he stated confidently. “The most crucial factor is the team’s quality and character. When I joined, I was pleasantly surprised by my players’ capabilities. We are only two points behind West Ham, who are a solid team, but we also possess exceptional players.”
De Zerbi also highlighted the important role played by goalkeeper Antonín Kinsky, who made a critical save in the 97th minute to deny a goal-bound free-kick from João Gomes. Kinsky is now back in goal after an earlier setback where he was substituted by former manager Igor Tudor just 17 minutes into a match against Atlético Madrid due to a series of mistakes. “That save was crucial for us,” De Zerbi said. “He’s a great guy and a great goalkeeper, and after what happened in Madrid, he truly deserved a performance like today.”
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As the team shifts focus to their upcoming match against Aston Villa, De Zerbi is also keen to help France international Randal Kolo Muani regain his form. Kolo Muani started on the right wing but was substituted at halftime for Mathys Tel, with De Zerbi noting that Kolo Muani is still working to get his rhythm back.
“Muani began well but lost confidence. I’m committed to helping him, having meals together every day – breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” he explained. “He’s a talented player with great potential. He played better and felt better on the pitch, trying to take players on and shoot. He has what it takes.”
Regarding the possibility of tactical changes due to the injuries to Solanke and Simons, De Zerbi responded, “We can make do with Souza, Tel, [Lucas] Bergvall, and Muani. I prefer not to shift too much to avoid creating confusion, especially since we’ve already changed a lot tactically. I want to keep things clear and simple, but we need to maintain a strong mindset and stay positive.”