For five minutes, Tottenham Hotspur’s turbulent season seemed to turn.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side led 1-0 against relegated Wolverhampton at the London Stadium. Meanwhile, Everton grabbed an 88th-minute equaliser versus West Ham United.
As things stood, that meant Spurs would leapfrog their rivals out of the relegation zone.
Last weekend, a late lead against Brighton and Hove Albion became a 2-2 draw. Once again, circumstances turned against the North Londoners.
Callum Wilson’s cool finish in injury time earned West Ham United the points, and the day ended with Tottenham Hotspur two points clear of safety with four games remaining.
The outlook might be grim. At least, finally, under De Zerbi, Spurs look like a team that can win some games. That had become increasingly rare under Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.
But really, that isn’t surprising. The squad at the manager’s disposal is largely comprised of players hired to match the attacking style of Ange Postecoglou, the boss who was fired in favour of Frank.
The Australian’s league form was little better than that of the two men who followed him. But the former boss could point to the first trophy in decades as proof he was making progress.
What looks ill-advised now was the hierarchy’s decision to appoint defensive-minded managers to replace a coach with an attacking ethos.
It’s rare to give fans credit for turning on a coach; in fact, amongst pundits and the media, there is usually disdain for supporters’ emotional reactions.
Tottenham supporters believed Frank was unfit for the role long before the board did.
The statement announcing his departure showed the board was willing to give him more time. This would have happened if it were feasible.
“Thomas was appointed in June 2025, and we have been determined to give him the time and support needed to build for the future together,” it read.
“However, results and performances have led the board to conclude that a change at this point in the season is necessary.”
Sky Sports News Chief Correspondent Kaveh Solhekol pointed this out shortly after the firing. The fanbase was distinctly not of this view.
“The vast, vast majority of Tottenham supporters for a pretty long time have come to the conclusion that Frank was the wrong guy for the job,” he said
“We’ve seen that and their reaction to him at the end of games when he's gone over to try and thank them for their support. They are just not having him, and the whole situation has become very, very toxic.
“But the main reason they’ve acted is the threat of relegation, because we know that Tottenham have one of the biggest debts in world football that is tied to their magnificent new stadium.
“Imagine what would happen to their finances if they were relegated? The shock would be incredible on and off the pitch.
“We’re talking potentially about Spurs losing hundreds of millions of pounds and that is another reason why they've decided to act.”
They chose his replacement poorly—an understatement.
The choice to hire another defensive-minded coach proved disastrous. Igor Tudor had a harsher edge than Frank, but it did not help.
Form did not improve, and Spurs found itself replacing the temporary replacement again.
Now the question is whether De Zerbi has enough time to save Spurs.
Only four games remain in the Premier League season. They likely need to win at least two, maybe more, if West Ham keep grinding out results.
Whether the club is relegated or not, the explanation for their poor season is simple. On paper, the team is far better than its table position suggests.
The club picked the wrong profile manager twice and corrected it too late each time.
All that is left is to hope that the words of Tottenham’s match-winner against Wolves, Joao Palhinha, prove true.
"This victory is much more than [three points],” he explained. “It means a lot to me, my teammates, the club, and especially our supporters. Leading all season is unusual.”
"We all have responsibility in this season, but the reality is we have four finals into the final of the league, and we need to do our job, and hopefully this win can change what happened in the past, give us a bit more motivation as well, because it’s been a long time without victories.”