Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has been blunt about how crucial Saturday’s visit to Wolverhampton Wanderers is for a side that is fighting to avoid the same fate as last season’s relegated clubs. The Spurs are entrenched in the Premier League’s bottom‑three, sitting two points behind 17th‑placed West Ham United and eight points adrift of 16th‑place Nottingham Forest after a 5‑0 demolition of Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Friday night. Although De Zerbi’s men managed to secure their first point under the Italian coach with a home draw against Brighton – a match in which they led twice before eventually settling for a stalemate – they have yet to claim a league victory in the 2026 calendar year.
With only five fixtures remaining, the manager warned his players not to lose sight of the precarious position they occupy. "I don’t want to create additional pressure, but we have to be fully aware of where we stand," De Zerbi told reporters.
"We can’t ignore the table, and we can’t forget that we need to win. What we have done so far simply isn’t enough. If we take three points at Wolves, the battle isn’t over, but it will be a massive step forward." He added that the team still has four games left after the Wolves encounter and that they deserve to win each of them. "Brighton were one of the strongest sides in the league, and after Chelsea everyone understood the quality we were up against.
We played well but were unlucky." When asked about the difficulty of facing a club already condemned to relegation, De Zerbi acknowledged the challenge. "It’s not an easy match," he said, referring to Wolves, who have already confirmed their drop from the top flight. "They have nothing to lose, which makes them dangerous. We must play our football without the weight of too much pressure." He emphasized his role as a preparer rather than a motivator: "My job is to set up the team in the best possible way, then let the players express themselves on the pitch.
They are talented, they have the right qualities, and they can perform without overthinking." James Maddison will travel to Wolverhampton with the squad, but De Zerbi confirmed the England midfielder is still not match‑fit. Maddison, who returned to the bench for the Brighton game after a long recovery from an ACL injury sustained in pre‑season, has not played a Premier League minute in over a year.
"Maddison is still feeling some pain," the manager explained. "It’s not serious, but he isn’t fully ready. He’ll be with us tomorrow because his presence is important, whether he plays or not. He brings leadership and a positive attitude to the dressing room, which is vital for the team." Injury concerns continue to bite Spurs.
Destiny Udogie, Pape Sarr and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario are all sidelined, adding to an already extensive list that includes captain Cristian Romero, Mohamed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski. De Zerbi gave a brief update on each case. "Udogie suffered a problem after the first half against Brighton – he played well, but I don’t think he’ll be available tomorrow.
We have Djed Spence and Souza as options, and I hope Udogie returns for the Villa Park match," he said. Sarr, who felt a shoulder pain, will miss the Wolves trip as well. "He didn’t train with the group this week and is not fit to travel," De Zerbi added.
Vicario, the backup keeper, is also unavailable for the upcoming fixture but is expected to rejoin the squad early next week. "Antonín Kinský has been performing admirably, and I hope Vicario can come back in top physical condition," the manager noted. Beyond the tactical and personnel issues, Tottenham have announced they will wear shirts bearing the slogan "Spurs against Racism" for the Wolves clash. The decision follows an incident of online racial abuse directed at defender Kevin Danso after the Brighton draw.
The club issued a statement condemning the abuse, confirming that all offending content has been reported to the Metropolitan Police and that the responsible accounts have been removed or banned. De Zerbi expressed his frustration at the incident, saying, "I was very annoyed by the abuse aimed at Kevin.
He played a fantastic game; one mistake does not define a player. The behaviour off the pitch is what concerns me." He also praised Danso’s character, stating, "He will be with us next season because he is a good guy and we are lucky to have him." Fans can catch the live action on the Sky Sports app at 5.15 pm on Saturday, and the club is also promoting a Super 6 competition with a £250,000 prize for participants. As the season draws to a close, De Zerbi’s message is clear: respect the reality of the table, stay focused, and treat the Wolves game as an opportunity to prove that Spurs can still turn the tide and secure the points needed to survive.