Tottenham Hotspur will chase only their second win of 2026 on Sunday when they face Aston Villa.
Spurs were far from convincing last time out, but Joao Palhinha’s close-range finish secured a much-needed three points against Wolves – their first league win of the calendar year.
The result did little to lift the mood around the North London club, though, with Xavi Simons ruled out long-term, while Dominic Solanke is expected to miss the rest of the season.
Roberto De Zerbi, appointed over the international break, has inherited an injury-hit squad and the task of keeping Tottenham in the division is already growing tougher.
After returning to the West Midlands for a second straight week, Spurs now face another stiff test against Champions League-chasing Villa.
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Roberto De Zerbi forced to ring changes as Tottenham face Aston Villa
Simons will be a big miss for the struggling Lilywhites after the Dutchman began to find form of late.
Spearheading the push for survival, the attacking midfielder had become integral under De Zerbi, especially after his standout display against Brighton two weeks ago.
With that in mind, the Italian may have no option but to hand Mathys Tel a start, while Lucas Bergvall could move into midfield given James Maddison’s lack of sharpness after his recent return.
Tel was admired by De Zerbi during his time at Marseille, but has been used mainly from the bench since arriving at Tottenham.
The Spurs boss praised the versatile forward before the win over Wolves, hailing his “great attitude” and suggesting he could prove vital in the coming weeks, despite failing to dislodge the struggling Randal Kolo Muani.
Completing three changes, Richarlison is also set to replace Dominic Solanke, who, like Simons, was forced off at Molineux.
De Zerbi’s squad remains hit by injuries, with Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert all absent as Spurs battle for their Premier League future – a situation that might never have arisen had Thomas Frank, Igor Tudor and now De Zerbi had their star attackers available.
Mathys Tel must grab opportunity as Tottenham fight for survival
Since joining from Bayern Munich in January 2025, Tel has struggled to establish himself at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With Spurs enduring a difficult 18 months, the young Frenchman has been used across the frontline without settling into a single role.
His willingness to take defenders on cannot be questioned.
Although he completed only three of nine dribbles against Wolves, he remains the only current Tottenham player capable of offering anything close to the game-breaking qualities of Simons.
Opportunities in front of goal have been limited in north London, reflecting the club’s wider struggles.
Yet when the chance comes, he can be clinical. In limited Bayern appearances, his ball-striking became a notable strength, with seven goals in 2023-24 as he outperformed his xG of 3.72 by more than three.
Often stationed wide, he is not getting into enough shooting positions at Spurs. He has hit seven shots on target from 28 attempts, compared with 18 from 43 in Bavaria, and he is again outperforming his xG, with three goals from 2.03.
If De Zerbi can move him into more dangerous areas, he could still prove useful in the closing weeks of the season. But that will require giving him confidence with a start this weekend.
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