Here's every word the Tottenham Hotspur boss said after the much-needed win at Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday evening
Roberto De Zerbi was a happy man at his press conference after Tottenham's hugely important 2-1 win at Aston Villa on Sunday which lifted them out of the Premier League's bottom three.
A revitalised Conor Gallagher opened the scoring 12 minutes into the contest with his first goal in a Tottenham shirt. He took down a headed clearance from Kevin Danso's long throw on the edge of the box and hit it perfectly into the bottom left corner of the Villa net.
Palhinha then struck the left-hand post with a low effort from outside the box a couple of minutes later but Spurs did double their lead on 25 minutes when Richarlison headed home Mathys Tel's inswinging cross from the right.
The second half brought little in the way of incident as a much-changed Villa side struggled to make inroads until Emiliano Buendia looped a header into the Tottenham net deep into added time but it was far too little too late for the hosts.
Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to De Zerbi after the win at Villa Park. Here's the full transcript from the press conference.
I know you weren't here for the first 30 games of the season but I think there's a feeling that Spurs' best performance of the season this evening, watching it, what made you the most proud?
I'm very happy, very pleased for the performance. We won a great game against a great Aston Villa [side]. They have to play on Thursday, a very important game for them. But anyway, it's always very tough playing against Emery, against Villa and in this stadium, a very nice stadium, and for that I'm really pleased.
I'm really pleased for the performance with the ball, without the ball. Without the ball we showed a great courage and with the ball great qualities.
I'm happy for this type of performance, more than three points, because three points, ok we are one point more than West Ham. But the most important thing today, tonight, is to play a great game, to believe more and more in ourselves, to believe in our qualities. And then we have to keep the focus on the improvement we have to do, because we have to play like the first half for 90 minutes.
I didn't like the goal we conceded, but there are a lot of positive things today.
When you arrived, there was a feeling that Spurs' biggest problem was a lack of confidence, a squad lacking in confidence. Can you describe the transformation you've seen in that regard?
Listen, I'm honest, I have one face. If I say Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Palhinha and all our players are great level, big level, it's because I feel. I don't want to sell something if I don't believe in my words. I'm lucky because I'm working with very good players, good people and very good players. And my work, my job is just to transfer the confidence, to believe in themselves and to try to be stronger than the defeat, stronger that the position of the table, stronger than the words all of you normally say about Tottenham, and to show passion, to show value, humility, pride.
After losing a player that was so creative, like Xavi Simons, the midfield today in particular was excellent, what did you make of them?
They played with the ball and without the ball, an amazing game. Xavi Simons and Solanke, both are top players for us, but Kolo Muani is different as a characteristic, but not as a quality. You're not watching the best Kolo Muani, but Kolo Muani is a top player. Mathys Tel is very young, but he has amazing potential as a player. Richarlison is playing in the Brazilian national team.
I'm lucky because I have a lot of players. Now I think the injuries are finished because otherwise it's a big problem, but I'm lucky and for that I'm not surprised. I said two days ago in a press conference, if we win in Villa Park it's not a miracle. It was not a miracle.
You said that you thought you could win every game from now until the end of the season, a couple of weeks ago. You've won two in a row now, the first time Spurs have done so since August, do you feel like that confidence is building within the group?
Yes, but the crucial thing now is to keep in our heads what was the situation before the Wolverhampton game. This is the most important memory to keep in our heads because in football it's very easy to change. If you lose you are stupid, if you win you are a champion. No, we have to find the balance. We have to work this week because Leeds is another very tough game and to remember in ourselves what we have done in the past, in the last month.
Can I just check that Rodrigo Bentancur is okay as well?
Yes, yes, Bentancur just tired.
You mentioned the word passion. I noticed that every time a player won a tackle they were celebrating....
Yeah, I love Palhinha like this (grabs his shirt and pulls it).
Is that something you've asked for, you've demanded that you react like that?
No, no, they have not to follow me in this but if I saw one player like passionate, I become crazy.
Were you surprised at all that Villa made so many changes?
No, they have to play one historic game. They lost three days ago and I think they need two or three points, maybe less, to achieve another very important target.
I think in football we love speaking about the project. Yes, in football one of the not too many projects is like Aston Villa. In the last four years they have done school in terms of project because I remember the first game, the beginning of Emery in Aston Villa, was at the bottom of the table and now they became one of the best teams in the Premier League. They deserve everything.
In this stadium I lost two games but when I have played against Aston Villa with Emery it has been all the time a very, very tough game. Very difficult to find the line-pass to everything.
You said you wanted to get the Chelsea version of Conor Gallagher back. Do you feel you have got it?
Yes, absolutely. When Gallagher plays like this we play with 12 players because you can find him as a striker, as a midfielder, as a full-back, everywhere on the pitch you can find him. Great player, great passion, great qualities. Great player.
Just a quick word on Kevin Danzo, he stepped into that defence for a big play on Cristian Romero but he has given you everything?
He is playing very well. I think with the ball he can play better and he knows what I mean. Maybe he is not used to playing a lot of balls and to take control of the game but he is a great guy for sure. I have no doubt he will improve quickly.
Can I just check on Micky van de Ven, it looked like he maybe rolled his ankle late on?
No, no, no. He's ok.
You referred to the quality of the squad that you inherited. Does it continue to surprise you that this team, this squad of players, is struggling against relegation rather than challenging for the Champions League places?
Yes, I am surprised but you have to consider the league we are playing in. The Premier League is tough. If you suffer so many injuries, if you don't find a win for a long time, if you lose the confidence in yourself, game by game it becomes worse and worse. You have to stop. You have to find the right momentum to restart.
Also Nottingham Forest is an important team, club and players and they suffered until one month ago. They were in a very bad situation and in the Premier League that can happen.