A first win of 2026 was secured last weekend, although life at Tottenham Hotspur isn't getting any easier for new boss Roberto De Zerbi.
Left to pick up the pieces following Igor Tudor's disastrous interim reign, the Italian has creditably secured four points from his first three Premier League games in charge, albeit with the Lilywhites still languishing in the relegation zone.
The euphoria and relief of last week's 1-0 triumph at Molineux has also been somewhat tainted by the double blow of losing Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke to injury, the pair joining the ever-growing list of absentees at N17.
With Aston Villa next on the agenda, De Zerbi's already slim attacking options have been depleted even further, leaving the former Marseille boss with a real headache to solve on Sunday.
Latest Spurs team news for Aston Villa trip
Managerial changes and issues with regard to recruitment have played their part in Tottenham's rapid decline in recent seasons, but any club would likely have suffered from the raft of injury issues they have had to face over an extended period now.
Dejan Kulusevski, for instance, is still facing a fight to feature again this season, having not played at all since last May, while Mohammed Kudus also recently suffered a setback in his recovery, leaving the pair in danger of missing this summer's World Cup.
Cristian Romero is in a similar boat after limping off against Sunderland, while Wilson Odobert also remains a long-term absentee following his ACL blow earlier this year.
The aforementioned Simons cruelly suffered the same fate against bottom side Wolves, ruling him out for the foreseeable, while Solanke sustained a hamstring injury in the first half, ensuring he will miss the trip to Villa Park at the very least.
Speaking in Friday's press conference, De Zerbi also confirmed that Guglielmo Vicario is not yet ready to return, albeit while revealing that Destiny Udogie is "available", even if a starting role is not guaranteed.
So many issues then to contend with, although De Zerbi's primary concern will likely be just how his attacking unit will look in Solanke and Simons' absence.
De Zerbi could unleash the new Eriksen to replace Simons
In Solanke's case, Richarlison - who supplied the assist for Joao Palhinha last time out - provides an easy fix, with Simons likely to be replaced by Mathys Tel off the left.
That said, with Randal Kolo Muani again found wanting for the third game running, Tel might slot in on the right flank, leaving that left side in need of a solution.
Encouragingly, De Zerbi did hint that James Maddison could be in line for his first involvement of the season, having returned to the bench in each of the last two games.
"Very well. (Does he have chance to play vs Villa or Leeds?) I don't know, I would like to play with him, because he's a special player, he's a different player, but we have to consider the physical condition, a lot of things. But I think he can be important in the next three games."
Patience might well be needed, considering Maddison hasn't taken to the field since the final days of Ange Postecoglou, although it might be a case of needs must, particularly after Simons' injury blow.
Maddison, more than anyone at Spurs, can provide that creative spark in the Dutchman's place, with something of a free role of the left likely to be well suited to him as he makes his way back to full fitness.
A number ten by trade, he has operated in a wide role previously, somewhat mirroring former Tottenham star Christian Eriksen as a versatile, classy operator in a variety of midfield and attacking berths.
Eriksen, at his best, was the club's chief creator under Mauricio Pochettino, making up for his lack of pace and power with his devastating passing prowess and vision.
Indeed, in his final full season at the club in 2018/19, he provided 12 assists and created ten 'big chances', all while averaging a stellar 2.1 key passes per game.
Maddison, when fit and firing, is certainly cut from a similar cloth, able to unlock the door with a moment of magic, be it as a deep-lying controller or as a more advanced playmaker on the edge of the opposition box.
In his first season at Spurs, for instance, the 28-year-old racked up nine assists, created 11 'big chances' and averaged 2.4 key passes per game, a remarkably similar record to Eriksen previously.
With Simons sidelined, De Zerbi will be crying out for a new creative spark, with Maddison - the modern-day Eriksen - seemingly the best bet to provide that.