João Palhinha rose to the occasion in the dying minutes, slotting home the decisive goal that handed Tottenham Hotspur their inaugural Premier League win of the 2026 campaign. The 1-0 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux offered a glimmer of hope for a side teetering near the bottom of the table. The match unfolded with drama from the outset. While Spurs managed to take the lead through the substitute's strike, the atmosphere was further electrified by Everton's equaliser against West Ham, which briefly lifted Roberto De Zerbi's men out of the drop zone before Callum Wilson's late winner for the Hammers dampened the celebration.
The three points earned by Tottenham became even more vital on a day when they suffered injuries to key attackers Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons. Now sitting just two points behind West Ham, Spurs cling to a realistic chance of survival, largely thanks to Palhinha's heroics.
**Line‑ups** *Wolves (4‑3‑3):* Sa (6), Lima (6), Doherty (5), S Bueno (6), Toti (5), H Bueno (7), Andre (6), J Gomes (7), R Gomes (6), Mane (6), Armstrong (6). Substitutes: Arokodare (6), Hwang (6), Tchatchoua (5), Moller‑Wolfe (n/a).
*Tottenham (4‑2‑3‑1):* Kinsky (7), Pedro Porro (7), Danso (7), Van de Ven (7), Spence (7), Bissouma (6), Bentancur (7), Gallagher (6), Kolo Muani (6), Simons (6), Solanke (6). Substitutes: Richarlison (7), Tel (7), Palhinha (7), Bergvall (6), Dragusin (n/a). Player of the match: João Palhinha.
Spurs opened the game energetically but struggled to produce clear-cut chances in a first half that, despite its measured tempo, belied the urgency of their situation. The early loss of Solanke to a muscle strain, followed shortly by Simons missing a golden opportunity, heightened the nervousness among the travelling supporters.
Wolves grew in confidence after hearing the news of West Ham's early goal against Everton, which added pressure on the already tentative Tottenham side. Wolves threatened twice through Adam Armstrong, but the decisive moment arrived from a well‑taken corner by Mathys Tel.
Pedro Porro delivered the ball into the box, where Richarlison forced it toward goal. Palhinha, positioned perfectly, pounced and hammered the ball home for the winner. The final minutes saw a frantic scramble, including a spectacular save from Antonín Kinský, who dived to parry João Gomes' 98th‑minute free‑kick.
Wolves made five changes at halftime, with former Tottenham defender Matt Doherty captaining the side and Pedro Lima earning his first Premier League start of the season. Tottenham made a single alteration to the lineup that had drawn with Brighton, bringing Djed Spence on for Destiny Udogie. The victory could prove pivotal in Tottenham's season, potentially serving as the catalyst that steers them away from the relegation zone. Without these three points, the club would find itself four points adrift with only four games remaining – a daunting prospect.
For now, the win injects a much‑needed dose of optimism. **Palhinha on the impact of the win** "I don't know, hopefully it changes things, that's the reality.
This victory means a lot more than just three points – it's for me, for my teammates, for the club and especially for the supporters. This season hasn't been normal for us until today. "We all share responsibility, but we have four games left in this marathon and we need to do our job.
I hope this win can shift the narrative, give us extra motivation, because it's been a long time since we celebrated a victory. There were several matches where we should have taken more points. "Sometimes it's the little details that make the difference. What we can control now is giving our best until the end of the season and trying to keep the club where it belongs – the Premier League.
It's about more than just survival. "We want to contribute and we will give everything we have until the final whistle, because staying in the Premier League means a lot to us." **Robert De Zerbi’s post‑match comments** "In the first half, the opening 35 minutes, we played well.
We didn't create huge chances, but we had overall control of the game. "In the second half, the pressure built – maybe because we hadn't won a game in 2026 yet, maybe because we were up against a side already relegated, and we lost shape on the pitch. "I hope this result changes something in our heads, in our mentality. As for the other result, it's very tough for us to win a game when we keep looking at other teams – it becomes too difficult.
"The most important thing is the quality and humanity of the players. It was a surprise to me at first, but once I got to know them better I realized we have a chance to stay up.
"If you watch the game from the stands or on TV, you can't always see the right spirit and attitude, but I work with them daily. All the players are professionals, good guys, suffering because of this situation.
I want to give them confidence and structure because I wasn't happy with the second half. We need to improve, much improve." **Injury updates** "Solanke has a muscular issue – I’m not sure of the severity yet – while Xavi has a knee problem. We'll assess them in the next few days, Monday or Tuesday. "Solanke's issue isn’t huge; I don’t know how many games he'll miss.
The knee is different, so I want to understand Xavi's condition better. "I spoke with him a short while ago; he feels better than when the injury first occurred." **Kinský’s crucial save** "He deserves this day because he performed excellently, especially today. He was vital for the result. He's a good keeper and after his time at Madrid, he deserves a day like this." **Wolves manager Rob Edwards’ perspective** "It isn’t as simple as turning up and beating Tottenham, even when they’re struggling.
They have quality players and a high level of motivation. "It might sound odd, but this week has been extremely challenging for us – officially relegated.
The lads gave everything, matching Tottenham’s intensity, and deserve huge credit. "I thought they were brilliant throughout the game.
I have no negative words for them. We’ve lost three in a row, we’re at the bottom, and we were relegated this week. They’re understandably not happy. "Everyone is giving their all.
It will take time to turn things around; we’re not in a transfer window, so we can’t make big changes immediately. We’re trying.
"Four games remain, and we must fight. I looked around the room at the end and saw no one who gave up – everyone gave their all. "It’s hard because people want to criticize after a loss, but there were good performances and real commitment today. The boys are trying, they’re fighting.
"It’s been a tough week – the final nail in the coffin, relegated. Some teams might have collapsed, but we delivered a proper football match, even if we lost.
The players gave everything." *Stay tuned for more updates, and consider watching the highlights on Sky Sports or accessing free Premier League highlights online.*