Tottenham Hotspur’s manager Roberto De Zerbi has been blunt about the importance of Saturday’s clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers as his side continues to fight against relegation. After a 5‑0 defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, Spurs find themselves still entrenched in the bottom three of the Premier League table. They sit two points behind 17th‑placed West Ham United and eight points adrift of 16th‑placed Nottingham Forest, with only five matches left in the campaign. The recent home draw with Brighton & Hove Albion – a game in which Tottenham led twice before settling for a point – gave De Zerbi his first point as manager, but the club has yet to register a league victory in the 2026 season.
With the season winding down, the Italian coach warned his players not to lose sight of the precarious situation they are in. "I don’t want to create extra pressure, but we have to be fully aware of where we stand," De Zerbi told reporters. "We can’t pretend the table isn’t there, and we can’t pretend we don’t need to win. What we have done so far simply isn’t enough.
If we manage to take three points at Wolves, the battle isn’t over, but it will be a massive step forward." He went on to stress that there are still four games left for Spurs to turn their fortunes around. "We deserve to win games," he added.
"Brighton proved they are one of the best sides in the league – after Chelsea, everyone understood that. We played well but were unlucky." Regarding the upcoming encounter with Wolves, a side already condemned to relegation, De Zerbi acknowledged the difficulty of the task. "It’s not an easy game," he said.
"Wolves have nothing to lose, which makes them dangerous. We must play our football without letting the pressure get to us.
My job is to prepare the team as best as possible, but ultimately it’s about the players executing on the pitch. They have the talent and the mental strength to keep a clear head." In addition to tactical concerns, the manager addressed the fitness of several key players.
James Maddison will travel to Wolverhampton with the squad, but De Zerbi confirmed the England midfielder is still not match‑fit. Maddison, who suffered an ACL rupture during pre‑season, has not featured in a Premier League game for a year and only made the bench for the Brighton draw. "Maddison is still feeling some pain," De Zerbi explained.
"It’s not a serious problem, but he isn’t ready to play yet. He will be with us tomorrow because his presence is important for the group, even if he doesn’t step onto the pitch. He brings leadership and a positive attitude that lifts the dressing‑room morale." The injury list remains extensive. Defender Destiny Udogie, midfielder Pape Sarr and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario are all sidelined, joining captain Cristian Romero, Mohamed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski among others.
De Zerbi gave a brief update on each case. "Udogie picked up a problem after his first‑half performance against Brighton, so I doubt he’ll be available tomorrow," the manager said. "He’s a crucial player for us, but we have Djed Spence and Souza as alternatives, and I hope Udogie will be fit for the Villa Park game." Sarr, according to De Zerbi, suffered a shoulder injury and missed this week’s training, making him unavailable for the Wolves fixture.
Vicario, the club’s third‑choice keeper, is also out but is expected to rejoin the squad early next week. "Antonin Kinsky is playing really well," De Zerbi added, expressing optimism that Vicario will return in top physical condition. Beyond the on‑field matters, Tottenham have announced that they will wear shirts emblazoned with the slogan "Spurs against Racism" for the Wolves match.
The decision follows an incident of online racist abuse directed at defender Kevin Danso after the Brighton draw. The club said it has reported the abusive content to the Metropolitan Police, resulting in the removal and banning of the offending accounts.
In his post‑match press conference, De Zerbi expressed his frustration at the abuse aimed at Danso. "I was very annoyed by the abuse towards Kevin. He played a fantastic game, and a single mistake does not define a player.
What matters is the behaviour on the pitch. He will be with us next season – he’s a good guy and we’re lucky to have him," the manager affirmed.
Tottenham fans can watch the Wolves‑Spurs clash live on the Sky Sports app starting at 5:15 pm on Saturday, and the club is also running a Super 6 competition with a £250,000 prize for participants. With the season hanging in the balance, De Zerbi hopes his side can summon the resilience and quality needed to secure a vital win and keep their Premier League hopes alive.