Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has emphasized the importance of his team's upcoming match against Wolves, as they struggle to avoid relegation. Despite earning their first point under De Zerbi in a draw against Brighton, Spurs remain in the relegation zone, two points behind 17th-place West Ham.
De Zerbi stressed that his team must acknowledge their situation and work towards securing a win. "I don't want to put pressure on my players, but we must be aware of our situation," De Zerbi stated. "We cannot afford to forget the league table and the fact that we need to win. The Italian manager acknowledged that his team's current performance is not sufficient, and they deserve to win games.
However, he also recognized that the match against Wolves will be challenging, given the latter's recent impressive performances at home, including a draw with Arsenal and wins against Aston Villa and Liverpool. De Zerbi expressed his concern about the pressure on his players, stating, "My job is to prepare them for the game in the best possible way, but also to allow them to play football without too much pressure. These players have excellent qualities, and they can play without many problems in their heads." James Maddison, who has been out of action since pre-season due to an ACL injury, will travel with the team to Wolves but is not yet ready to play. De Zerbi confirmed that Maddison felt pain, particularly during the week, but it is not a serious issue.
The England midfielder's presence is important for the team, both as a player and as a positive influence in the dressing room. Spurs will be without several injured players, including Destiny Udogie, Pape Sarr, and Guglielmo Vicario, who join a lengthy injury list that includes captain Cristian Romero, Mohamed Kudus, and Dejan Kulusevski. De Zerbi hopes that Udogie will be available for the upcoming match against Aston Villa.
The club has also announced that they will wear "Spurs against Racism" t-shirts before the match against Wolves, in response to the online racist abuse suffered by Kevin Danso during the draw against Brighton. De Zerbi expressed his annoyance at the abuse and praised Danso's performance, stating that he will be with the team next season.