Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has been unequivocal about the importance of Saturday's clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers as his side continues to fight for survival in the Premier League. The Spurs are entrenched in the relegation zone, sitting two points behind 17th‑placed West Ham United and eight points adrift of 16th‑placed Nottingham Forest after a crushing 5-0 defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Friday night. Although De Zerbi secured his first point in charge when Tottenham drew at home against Brighton, a match in which the visitors led twice before settling for a stalemate, the club has yet to register its first league win of the 2026 campaign.
With only five fixtures remaining, the Italian coach warned that his players must remain fully aware of the precarious situation they find themselves in. "I don't want to add extra pressure, but we have to understand the reality," De Zerbi explained.
"We cannot ignore the table, we cannot ignore the fact that we need to win. What we have done so far simply isn't enough. If we manage to win at Wolves, the battle will not be over, but it will be a massive step forward." He added that there are still four games left after the Wolves encounter and that Spurs deserve to claim victories. "I knew Brighton were one of the best sides in the league.
After Chelsea, everyone understood the challenge. We played well but were unlucky.
This is not an easy game," he said when asked about the upcoming trip to a side already condemned to relegation. Tottenham's recent form has been a roller‑coaster of narrow draws and heavy defeats. The club sits near the bottom of the live Premier League table and is scrambling to pick up points wherever possible. De Zerbi emphasized the need for composure: "The last three home games they [Wolves] drew with Arsenal and beat Aston Villa and Liverpool.
It's a tough match because they have nothing to lose. We have to play without too much pressure.
My job is to prepare the team as best I can and then let the football speak. These players have quality, they have important attributes, and they can play with clear heads." James Maddison will travel with the squad to Wolves, but De Zerbi confirmed that the England midfielder is still not fully fit to feature. Maddison, who suffered an ACL injury during pre‑season, made a long‑awaited return to the bench for the Brighton draw but has not played a competitive match since that injury. "Maddison is not available yet.
He felt pain, especially this week, but it's not a serious problem. He will travel with us because he is important," De Zerbi said.
"If he plays or not, it doesn't matter. It would be better if he does, but he is also a leader and a positive influence in the dressing room.
I want to see positive people, and that matters for his teammates as well." Injury woes continue to plague Tottenham. Destiny Udogie, Pape Sarr and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario have all been ruled out for the Wolves fixture, adding to a long list that already includes captain Cristian Romero, Mohamed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski.
"Destiny has a problem," De Zerbi explained. "I think he can't play tomorrow. He played a great first half and second half against Brighton, but the first one was especially good.
We have Djed Spence and Souza available, and I hope Udogie will be fit for Villa Park. It's not a major injury, it can happen.
Udogie is a crucial player for us." He also confirmed that Sarr will miss the trip due to shoulder pain, while Vicario will be unavailable but is expected to rejoin the squad from next Monday. "Sarr felt pain in his shoulder this week and didn't train with the group. He's not available.
Vicario is not available either, but I hope he can start with me on Monday. Antonin Kinsky is playing really well, and I hope Vicario returns in the best physical condition because he's another important player for us," the manager added. Off the pitch, Tottenham have announced that they will wear shirts bearing the slogan "Spurs against Racism" for the decisive match at Molineux.
The decision follows an incident of online racist abuse directed at defender Kevin Danso after the Brighton draw. The club issued a statement condemning any form of racial harassment, noting that they have reported the offending content to the Metropolitan Police and that the accounts responsible have been removed and banned. "We want to make it clear to the world that if anyone thinks it's okay to racially abuse our players, we will take the strongest possible action," the statement read. De Zerbi expressed his frustration at the abuse aimed at Danso during his press conference: "I was very annoyed about the abuse directed at Kevin.
He played a fantastic game. I don't consider one mistake so important. I consider the behaviour on the pitch. He will be here next season because he's a good guy.
We are lucky to work with him." The upcoming match will be streamed live on the Sky Sports app, with highlights available from 5.15 pm on Saturday. Fans are also encouraged to participate in the club's Super 6 competition for a chance to win £250,000, with free entry available.
In summary, De Zerbi's message to his squad is clear: acknowledge the pressure, stay focused on the task at hand, and seize the opportunity to earn three points at Wolves. With the relegation battle hanging by a thread, every decision, every injury update, and every moment of on‑field performance could determine whether Tottenham remains in the top flight or joins the ranks of the demoted clubs.
The next five games will be a crucible in which the manager's tactics, the players' resilience, and the club's unity are tested to their limits.