João Palhinha stepped up in the dying minutes to deliver a decisive goal for Tottenham Hotspur, earning the club its inaugural Premier League win of the 2026 season with a 1-0 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. The narrow victory injected a dose of optimism into a Spurs side fighting to stay afloat, even though they continue to linger in the drop zone.
The climax at Molineux was a roller‑coaster of emotions. While the Portuguese midfielder's header broke the deadlock for Tottenham, elsewhere on the same matchday Everton managed to level against West Ham, temporarily lifting Roberto De Zerbi's side out of the relegation mire before Callum Wilson struck late to snatch a win for the Hammers, dampening the celebratory mood. For Spurs, the three points were all the more valuable after a challenging afternoon that saw Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons limp off with injuries.
The defeat left Tottenham two points shy of West Ham, but the win kept alive a faint hope of preserving top‑flight status, a hope that now hinges on Palhinha's contribution. Team line‑ups reflected the precarious nature of the encounter.
Wolves started with Sa (6), Lima (6), Doherty (5), S. Bueno (6), Toti (5), H. Bueno (7), Andre (6), J. Gomes (7), R.
Gomes (6), Mane (6) and Armstrong (6), with substitutes Arokodare (6), Hwang (6), Tchatchoua (5) and Moller Wolfe (n/a) on the bench. Tottenham fielded Kinsky (7), Pedro Porro (7), Danso (7), Van de Ven (7), Spence (7), Bissouma (6), Bentancur (7), Gallagher (6), Kolo Muani (6), Simons (6) and Solanke (6), with Richarlison (7), Tel (7), Palhinha (7), Bergvall (6) and Dragusin (n/a) among the substitutes.
Palhinha was subsequently named player of the match. Spurs began the contest energetically, yet the first half produced few clear-cut chances, a reflection of the nervousness that settled over the team after the early injuries.
The departure of Solanke, followed shortly by Simons missing a good opportunity, heightened the tension among the traveling supporters. Wolves grew in confidence as the hour progressed, especially after news of West Ham's opening goal against Everton added pressure on Tottenham's already tentative performance.
Adam Armstrong threatened the Wolves' goal on two occasions, but it was a corner delivered by Mathys Tel that proved decisive. Pedro Porro's cross found Richarlison, whose effort was redirected towards goal where Palhinha, positioned perfectly, slotted the ball home. The match still offered a few nerve‑racking moments, notably when Antonin Kinsky made a spectacular save to deny João Gomes from a free‑kick in the 98th minute. In the second half, Wolves made five changes, appointing former Spurs defender Matt Doherty as captain and giving Pedro Lima his first Premier League start of the season.
Tottenham made a single alteration from the side that had drawn with Brighton, bringing on Djed Spence for Destiny Udogie. The win could prove pivotal for a Tottenham side that, without these three points, would have been four points adrift with only four games remaining. The result restores a modicum of belief that the club can still claw its way out of the relegation battle. For fans without a Sky subscription, highlights and live coverage are available through the Sky Sports app or other streaming platforms offering instant, contract‑free access.
The Premier League table and free highlight reels can also be followed online. After the match, Palhinha was asked whether the victory might alter Tottenham's fortunes. He replied, "I don't know, hopefully it changes, that's the reality, but this win means a lot more than that.
For me, for my teammates and especially for the club and the supporters, it's not a normal season that we have been living through until today. We all share responsibility this season, but we have four games left and we need to do our job.
I hope this win can give us extra motivation because we haven't won in a long time, especially in matches where we should have taken more points. Sometimes it's the little details that make the difference.
What we can control now is finishing the job until the end of the season and trying to keep the club where it belongs – the Premier League. It means a lot for us to stay up, and we will give everything until the final whistle." Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi addressed the press, noting the team's performance: "In the first half, the first 35 minutes, we played well.
We didn't create big chances, but we had total control of the game. In the second half, the pressure built – we hadn't won a game in 2026, we were playing against a relegated Wolves side, and we lost our shape on the pitch.
I hope this result can change our mindset and mentality. Winning is tough for us when we look at other teams; it becomes even tougher." He continued, emphasizing the character of his squad: "The most important thing is the quality and humanity of the players.
It surprised me because I didn't know them well, but as I got to know them, I realized we have a chance to stay up. Watching the game on the stand or TV, you can't always see the spirit and attitude, but I work with them daily. All the players are professionals, good guys, suffering through this situation.
I want to give them confidence and order because the second half was far from ideal – we need to play much better." Regarding the injuries, De Zerbi explained, "Solanke has a muscle injury – I'm not sure of the severity – while Xavi has a knee problem. We'll have a clearer picture on Monday or Tuesday. For Solanke it's not a huge issue; I don't know how many games he'll miss. Xavi's knee is a different matter, but he feels better than at the start of the injury." On Antonin Kinsky's crucial late save, the manager added, "He deserves this day because he performed exceptionally, especially today.
He's a good keeper and after his time at Madrid, he deserves a performance like this." Wolves manager Rob Edwards also spoke after the match, acknowledging the difficulty of facing a Spurs side that, despite a poor run, possessed quality and high motivation. He said, "It's not easy to turn up and beat Tottenham because they've been struggling, yet they have good players and a very high motivation level.
This week has been challenging for us – we were officially relegated, and it's been tough. The players gave everything, matching Spurs' intensity, and deserve a lot of credit." Edwards continued, "I have no negative words for Tottenham.
We've lost three in a row, we're at the bottom, and we've been relegated this week. They won't be happy, but everyone is giving their all. It will take time to turn things around; we're not in a transfer window, we can't make big changes, but we're trying.
There are four games left, and we have to fight. I looked around the room at the end and saw no one gave up – every player gave everything today. It's hard because people want to blame after a loss, but there were good performances and real commitment." The match also featured promotional content for a Super 6 competition offering a chance to win £250,000, inviting fans to enter for free.
Overall, Palhinha's late header may be remembered as the turning point in Tottenham's fight for survival, providing a spark of belief that could carry the club through the final stretch of a turbulent season.