VAVEL.com

The first thing that occurs when thinking about Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham versus the rest of the season is that since he has come in he has used wholly positive language.

De Zerbi has actively spoken against the mindset of excuse making, showing contempt to the idea that everything is going wrong. This was no more prominent than when he, ahead of Aston Villa, spoke with Sky Sports' Michael Bridge about the injury situation and commented on the fact that Bridge had been highlighting this in his reporting. No crying allowed was De Zerbi’s mantra in a passionate monologue.

Bridge, himself a Spurs fan, took it all in good grace, but the message was clear: De Zerbi is not here to make excuses. He is here to only look forwards and give the players the platform to play as he knows they can.

The words were fine, but actions speak louder and thankfully the volume was turned all the way up at Villa park. This was no more evident than with Randal Kolo Muani, who, having endured an extremely disappointing season for Tottenham, had by far his best game. On being substituted, Muani came off to applause and camaraderie from the Spurs fans in recognition of his effort. He even smiled.

Conor Gallagher was exceptional in a Spurs shirt. Not just his goal, but his relentless pressing, clever decision-making, ability to spot danger and nous to understand where he should be at all times. Gallagher won’t have learned all of these things overnight. He will have always known how to play like this, but forgotten that he could. De Zerbi brought out of him the belief that he could show everyone what was always there.

Then there is the case of goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky. He has been restored the team due to Vicario’s hernia issues, but you would not know that he was a supposed second choice. This is a stark contrast to the goalkeeper who left the field crying away to Atletico Madrid as Tottenham exited last the Champions League.

That player had no self-belief, had been exposed publicly by an interim manager who lacked all bedside manner, and everybody assumed his career with the North London club was over.

Across the past three games, Kinsky has shown assuredness, ability with his feet, for which he is well reputed but hadn’t been displayed since last season, and full confidence from his defence.

Why? Because with Kinsky and every other player at Spurs, De Zerbi focused primarily on building up their confidence, restoring their self-esteem, and making sure that when they enter the pitch, they believe they are good enough to win, regardless of any supposed limitations.

There is a huge contrast between this mindset and that under Thomas Frank, under whom players, either by design or by unhappy accident, believed they couldn’t play any way other than passively and with reverence for the opposition. This is De Zerbi’s greatest impact so far.

Oh look, players being coached

It would be unfair to say that Spurs' new manager has merely come in and cheerled this side. In fact, when you look at what the players are doing on the pitch, you can see a cohesion that hasn’t existed in, at the very least, the previous nine months.

When receiving the ball, players’ body shape is suddenly better. It allows them to relieve pressure on themselves quickly. These previously stuttering footballers are not having to take as many touches as before, and are finding teammates far more accurately.

Of course there are still mistakes and unforced errors. Of course there is still a limit to what certain players are able to do, and a lack of genuine creativity due to Spurs’ injury problems. However, the burden of thought has been lifted by these and several other very subtle but impactful tweaks.

This happens on the training pitch, and this is where De Zerbi has his reputation. He works with players actively to ensure that they understand how they can most simply and most easily affect play around them. He coaches them on how to prepare to receive a pass, on scanning and understanding the field around them. He coaches them on where to move, when to press, and how to react.

The results? Spurs dominated Aston Villa. Spurs had not truly dominated any match this season, but against Villa they had most of the ball and all of the impetus. When the North Londoners had possession, they were making far better, calmer decisions, and when they didn’t have the ball they knew exactly how and where to win it back.

Aston Villa’s consolation goal, late into injury time, was their first shot on target during the match. This is testament to not just how much belief De Zerbi has instilled in the short space of time, but how quickly he has got to the source of Spurs’ prior tactical and technical limitations.

If Spurs stay up, they should be excited about what they can achieve with more fit players available - returnees such as Mohammed Kudus and James Maddison, maybe even Dejan Kulusevski.

They should also hope that this board backs De Zerbi with the transfers needed to fully execute his ideals. If he can do this in limited time with players not necessarily suited to his philosophy, then imagine what he will be capable of with even 75% of the backing he will demand.

Audere est Facere

The final element about De Zerbi in his time at Tottenham so far is that he has really embraced what Tottenham are. This doesn’t just mean coming in and saying, “We’re a big club who play good football.” No, this means speaking as if he had been part of the furniture and part of the fabric of the club for a long period of time.

In press conferences, without even referring to style, as everyone knows his preferred way to play, the passionate Lombardian exudes a genuine belonging to Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs identity is to be daring, ambitious, innovative. Thomas Frank leading with “we will lose football matches”, and irritating constant comparisons with Arsenal was never going to wash. Igor Tudor was a mortician when what was needed was a magician, or at least some stardust.

Tottenham Hotspur is, and always has been, a positive club. This has even been true during the fallow years without a trophy. The club has been associated with great players, great moments, and are part of English football’s aristocracy.

Therefore, Tottenham Hotspur needs a manager who befits that mentality and who embraces it more than ever when faced with the permanent belittlement of its place in the elite that relegation poses. A manager who believes that Spurs is a huge club, and that he is the right manager for a huge club.

Thomas Frank did not understand. Even Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, the two serial winners in between Mauricio Pochettino and Ange Postecoglou, did not understand. They believed Tottenham Hotspur was lucky to have them. De Zerbi manifests the belief that Spurs belongs near the top and competitive at all times, and that he is the manager to deliver that.

This translates to the players and to the crowd. Going into the match a few weeks ago against Nottingham Forest, the Spurs support were exceptional, but in reality it was driven by fear.

Going into this match against Leeds, there should be a similarly brilliant atmosphere - one driven by hope and optimism because De Zerbi has reminded everybody, purely in his adoption of Tottenham Hotspur’s ideals, that this is a club of hope and optimism.

There is still much work to do, and little margin for error, but thanks to De Zerbi Spurs enter that last three matches rejuvenated and remembering what the club is. If this remains the case, they will be playing top flight football again next season, and the De Zerbi’s era can truly begin.

Unai Emery expressed his thoughts on a 2-1 defeat for Aston Villa against Tottenham.

The Villans were slow to start on home soil as Conor Gallagher and Richarlison netted twice in the first 25 minutes of the match while Joao Palhinha smashed the inside of the post from long range.

Emiliano Buendia halved the deficit in second half injury time, but that strike was not enough.

‘We are still being in advantage’

It has been a bad week for the club, beaten 1-0 by Fulham on the previous Premier League matchday after losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-final first leg.

But they are still six points clear of Bournemouth with only three topflight fixtures to go in the schedule, and qualification for Champions League football is still more likely than not.

“Disappointed, but we must accept. Today, Tottenham, especially the first half, they played better than us. They were so, so focused and they scored two goals so quick.

“After, it was more difficult. We tried to react. The second half we played more or less reacting, but we couldn’t get really clear chances. We scored the last minute with Emiliano Buendia. But now is the moment I can feel overall how we are doing the season and accepting. We lost, and today they deserved to win, Tottenham, and keep going in the Premier League to fight for the positions we are.

“We had consistency, a lot of very good things getting points. Now, especially the last match in Fulham and today, we didn’t get the points, but we are still being in advantage of other teams.

“Next match is in Burnley on Sunday, and another opportunity. My priority now is to recover players, mentally as well, try to support the players and try to get a good mood again during the week.

“Of course, we are going to play on Thursday (a) match here I didn’t play before – one semi-final at home, second leg in Europa League, and of course, it’s something we must be so, so motivated (about) and focusing now.

“In the league is 38 matches and we finished today – the day 35 – with 58 points. Other teams, it’s not easy for them to get points, and we are still being in front of them to achieve the top-five position.”

Tottenham Hotspur remain in the bottom three of the Premier League and are still two points from safety.

After a difficult period stretching back to December without a win, Spurs secured their first win of 2026 at Molineux last weekend, against the league's bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

They again make the trip to the West Midlands this weekend to face Unai Emery's Aston Villa on Sunday, May 3.

It will be the third time that the sides have met this season, with the previous two meetings taking place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Both in the league and the FA Cup, the matches ended 2-1 to Villa.

Villa have also won the last two meetings at Villa Park, with one of those also coming in the FA Cup.

The last time that Spurs tasted victory in this fixture was a 4-1 win in November 2024.

Spurs are fighting to stay in the league. Whereas Villa are looking to secure qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League.

They are also competing in the UEFA Europa League, with this game sandwiched between their semi-final ties with Nottingham Forest.

Start of something special?

There will be a hope that last week's victory can provide the required boost to their season.

There are just four games remaining so time is tight. However, sometimes it can only take one result to turn a corner.

There will be a hope that the win is enough to kick Spurs into action.

It was not necessarily an outstanding performance but their job was to leave Molineux with the three points and that is what they did.

They should take confidence from that and it breaks the long run without a win.

If Spurs can take the positives from the win then they may be in a position to put a run together.

It does not need to be pretty, they just need to find ways to get points.

For many weeks, it has been said that it was likely a case of 'now or never' for Spurs. The win last week does not change that but they have made the start and got the first of however many wins they will need to give them a chance of avoiding the drop.

All is still not well

Critics will say that Spurs made hard work of getting the three points.

On paper, Wolves are the easiest game that teams can have in this season's Premier League and Spurs did not win easily.

They needed Antonin Kinsky to make several big saves in goal, notably denying Adam Armstrong when he was in one-on-one and saving a free-kick from Joao Gomes in the final moments of the match.

Therefore, other teams in the league may not be sitting up and taking notice of Spurs just yet.

If they can back it up with a win in Birmingham then it would likely be a different story.

However, that is the challenge in front of them.

Not a lot changed

The other concern for Spurs may be that they won their game but with West Ham and Nottingham Forest winning last weekend the table remains the same.

It is arguably worse for Spurs as another gameweek has passed by and they remain in the bottom three.

They remain two points behind the Hammers and five points behind Forest.

Roberto De Zerbi will point out that his side cannot worry about other results and that they can only focus on winning their own games.

However, they may be internally frustrated that results did not go their way as at one point when West Ham were drawing, Spurs were moving out of the drop zone on goal difference.

Fresh injury setbacks

In the game against Brighton, where he scored the goal to put Spurs ahead, and against Wolves Xavi Simons was one of Spurs' best players.

He left the pitch on a stretcher at Molineux and has been ruled out for the rest of the season and the summer's World Cup.

It will come as a blow for De Zerbi to lose such a key attacking threat.

They are also waiting on the fitness of striker Dominic Solanke who limped off in the first half last week.

Spurs have a lengthy injury list and it is still growing.

This will not help their cause.

Villa may not be in the strongest form, losing last week at Fulham and that was their second defeat in their last five Premier League games. However, Spurs will need to be at their best to get a result.

A win and a draw in their last two games suggests an upturn in form.

They very much remain in the battle for survival and, despite their struggles, are far from down yet.

They will be arriving in Birmingham bruised with another injury but hopeful that they can back up the victory from last week.

Roberto de Zerbi shared updates about the state of his squad as Tottenham travel to Wolves.

‘He was one of my perfect players’

Injuries have been a big factor in the failures of the club during the last two years, and the Italian head coach continues to work without several significant options in attack for the final phase of the season.

"Destiny Udogie has a problem and can't play tomorrow. I'm sorry, because he played a great first half, second half as well, but the first one was great. We have Djed Spence, Souza is also available to come with us, so it's not a big problem. I hope Destiny will be available next week at Villa Park.

“It’s a muscular injury [for Destiny], but not so important. He didn't play for a long time, and it can happen at the beginning when you start to feel something of this problem. I have a big opinion about Destiny, and he is a crucial player for us. We are lucky because we can play with Djed Spence, another important player. I think he is playing very well this season, another very good guy.

“[James Maddison] is not available yet. Especially this week, he felt pain, but not a so important problem. He will come with us on the bench because it's important if he plays or not. It doesn't matter. It's better if he plays, for sure, but also as a guy, as a leader, as a positive guy inside of my dressing room. I want to see nice people and positive people and it's important also for his team-mates.

“I'm sorry for [Dejan Kulusevski] because he was one of my perfect players. He is a very specific player for me, like Mohamed Kudus, like Cristian Romero. I hope for him that he can play in the World Cup because the World Cup for a player is a moment, is the best period of their career. I don't know the situation very well.

“[Pape Matar Sarr has] felt pain in the shoulder and this week he has not worked with the group. He is not available to play.

“[Guglielmo Vicario] is not available for tomorrow. I hope he can start with me from Monday. Antonin Kinsky is playing very well and from Monday we go to work with him. I hope Vicario can come back in the best physical condition because he is another very important player for us.”

‘I consider the attitude, the behaviour’

The fallout from the 2-2 draw with Brighton was also on the media’s radar. Georginio Rutter levelled the score for the Seagulls in North London as he profited from a Kevin Danso mistake, and the defender has been the recipient of reams of racial abuse on social media in the days that followed.

De Zerbi defends Kevin Danso against racist abuse

De Zerbi stood up for the player, and he asked other team members to step up for the fight to survive.

“I was very annoyed by the racist insults towards Kevin Danso, but he has to be calm. I am proud for him. He played a fantastic game, not a good game, a fantastic game. It was important for the result, but I don't consider one mistake so important.

“I consider the attitude, I consider the behaviour on the pitch, the quality in which he played that game, the personality while he played that game. He will be here next season because he is a good guy, he is a very good player and every one of us is lucky to work with him.

“I think Xavi Simons but also Conor Gallagher [stepped up against Brighton]. I watched the same Gallagher when he played in Chelsea. Dominic Solanke played a great game, Micky van de Ven, I don't know what the problem was, but everyone knows my opinion about him. Pedro Porro scored a goal, but he played an important game.

“Udogie, Danso maybe can improve in the confidence, not in the attitude because he is a good guy, he worked a lot in the defensive phase, especially in defensive space, but Randal Kolo Muani in the second half, the second part of the game, Mathys Tel, both can play better. Not play better because they are playing bad, but because they have big talent and I want to see all this talent on the pitch.

“It's not the best position for [Kolo Muani], right winger, and also for Mathys Tel, because Mathys Tel is more of a winger, but in the left side. For a winger, from my experience because I was a winger, it's a totally different playing the left and the right side. Both they can play and we need them in that position.

“It's not a problem about the position of the pitch, but confidence and players can change completely, performance depends on the confidence. If they feel confident from the coach, from the environment, from the fans, and they want to help them both to play following their qualities, that's just it.”Log in

Tottenham's risk of being relegated from the Premier League continues to grow after a draw with Brighton ensured their stay in the bottom three for another week.

Spurs put on one of their better performances of the last few weeks and looked set to claim all three points after goals from Pedro Porro and Xavi Simons, however, equalisers from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter meant the points were shared.

The North London side have now gone 15 games without a win and are still looking for their first league victory of 2026.

However, Roberto De Zerbi remained confident of his team's survival hopes and insisted they have the quality to pull through.

"Brighton is a very good team. In this moment, they are playing very well, but I think we deserved to win the game, " said the Italian manager.

"I'm very proud for the performance of my players. I'm very proud because they gave all of them their best, with the right mentality, with the right blood, with the right character.

"And I'm disappointed just for the result, for my players and for the fans, because it was an incredible atmosphere today.

"It is tough. Every one of us knows it is a tough moment, it is a difficult situation, but we have another five games and 15 points.

"This team is able to win five games in a row. Now it is difficult to hear my words, but if you watch the players and analyse the level of the players, I think we can win five games in a row."

Despite the disappointing result, Tottenham did put on a promising performance, spearheaded by Simons, who assisted the opener before scoring the second.

"He played very well, a great game, " said the Spurs boss.

"I think he can play better and better, because a player like this, he needs to feel confidence from the manager.

"I think I'm lucky to have this player on my team, but also he's lucky because with number 10, I can understand better than other coaches."

De Zerbi will be hoping for more performances like today's from the Dutch midfielder if Tottenham are to escape this relegation battle.

Tottenham Hotspur will have spent a week inside the bottom three of the Premier League before they kick off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Brighton and Hove Albion.

Roberto De Zerbi is Spurs' third manager of the season. His reign began with a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland last week and the pressure will be on when he faces one of his former employers on Saturday, April 19.

The Seagulls have improved themselves in recent weeks and they come into this game having won their last three league games and winning four out of their last five.

When the sides met earlier in the season, back in September, it ended in a 2-2 draw.

The side from the south coast are currently ninth in the table and have ambitions of securing European football once again. It will not be an easy game for Spurs but it is a challenge that they have to rise to due to the games running out.

Now or never?

There may be a feeling for Spurs that it is a case of now or never in terms of the time they have to save their Premier League status.

They have not won a league game since the end of December and it is now mid April.

Some may say there is little to suggest that they are going to win this game but there has to be a belief that they can turn it around still.

Notably, Spurs play before their rivals this weekend with Nottingham Forest and West Ham not playing until Sunday and Monday.

Therefore, it is a chance for Spurs to put the pressure on their rivals if they can get a win.

A draw, although an improvement on what has gone before, would not be enough for Spurs. They need wins and there will now be an urgency around the situation.

Although they travel to the league's bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers next week and will be expected to win that one, there may likely be a feeling that the results have to come this week.

It may only take one win to provide the boost but it has been a long time without one.

The psychological factor of being in the bottom three?

The challenge now is that Spurs have dropped into the relegation zone, after West Ham won last week, and they missed the chance to climb out immediately by winning at Sunderland.

They will have spent a week in the drop zone and the pressure is on them to get the results required to climb out.

If they win the game then they give them a chance of getting out but they have to do their job.

Throughout the early months of 2026, Spurs had a four point lead over the sides below them but that has soon evaporated. They are now the ones doing the chasing, as opposed to being chased.

Their rivals are picking up points at a far better rate than them and would appear to have much more confidence.

Spurs need a reaction and De Zerbi will want to see something from his side.

The worry would be that, unlike Nottingham Forest for example, many of the Spurs players do not have experience of a relegation battle.

Home form needs to improve

In their last home game, Spurs lost 3-0 to Forest and that was a disappointing day for everyone associated with the club.

Before that match there was the feeling of a cup final and the supporters of the north London side greeted their team bus to stadium and backed their side ahead of the kick-off.

Throughout the second half, many supporters headed for the exits early and that has been the case in recent home fixtures.

That is partly because they have only won two home league games all season, against Burnley and Brentford.

The only point they have achieved at home in 2026 came in a 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

There has been very little for fans to cheer. However, things need to change and Saturday's game will provide an opportunity for change.

There are plenty of key games to come but their next home fixture after this one is against fellow potential relegation rivals Leeds United.

They have to make the stadium an intimidating place for opponents to come.

On what could be a decisive final day of the season, De Zerbi's side are also at home to Everton so they will want to make that an advantage and not a hindrance.

Another injury

Spurs have experienced an injury crisis throughout this season and parts of last season too.

De Zerbi will not use this as an excuse and the previous managers did not either.

However, the latest blow to the side is that their captain Cristian Romero left the pitch last week at the Stadium of Light with an injury and has since been ruled out for the rest of the season.

It is the latest addition to a lengthy injury list and the timing is inevitably frustrating for the player and the club.

However, the club will have to adapt and find a solution.

The game on Saturday, April 19 will likely attract a significant amount of attention from fans of all clubs as Spurs' struggles have been one of the stories of the season.

They have a chance to quieten some of the noise with a win against Brighton.

There can be no excuses as the time to deliver has to be now.

If they were to lose again and their rivals then pick up points then De Zerbi would have a real challenge ahead of him.

Igor Tudor talked about the astonishment of the 5-2 loss for Tottenham against Atletico Madrid.

The team that are one point above the relegation zone in the Premier League landed in the Spanish capital in abysmal domestic form. They hoped for respite from the battle for survival with the same form that saw them finish fourth in the league phase of the Champions League. That did not happen.

Antonin Kinsky took centre stage on a night to forget with two mistakes that saw Rojiblancos run up a three goal lead after just 17 minutes. Micky van de Ven slipped on the way to the hosts’ second goal, Atletico were 4-0 up after 22 minutes, and a big Richarlison miss immediately preceded the second half strike from Julian Alvarez. It feels like Tudor’s time in the dugout is already up.

“I need to apologise to the fans, to everyone. It’s incredibly difficult to explain, at least for the first 20 minutes, I've never seen in my life, things like this. It’s very strange to explain.

“I’m sorry for Toni also. I need to talk to him, to preserve him, to help him, to help the team. It was not a nice thing, but Toni understands. He's a very good goalkeeper, a very good guy.

“So, we need to stay together now, try to help each other in a difficult moment. It’s very difficult to explain, It's like everything is going wrong, even in the end, this headache with two players now (Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha clashed heads late in the game), and we're going to see what we do for Liverpool - amazing, incredible things.

“Of course, you understand everything. it's a big lesson. It has unfortunately happened in this big game. We need to be supportive. It's not even about him, it's about us. We need to keep working.”

To say that Tottenham Hotspur have a problem would be a seismic understatement.

The club sacked Ange Postecoglou weeks after winning their first piece of silverware in 17 years, only to sack his successor, Thomas Frank, months later.

Frank had unknowingly led the Lilywhites into a relegation fight and, as Leeds, West Ham and Nottingham Forest gradually closed the gap, the Spurs board pulled the plug on the former Brentford boss.

In a bid to turn their season around with fresh ideas and innovation, Spurs turned to Igor Tudor, a manager known best for playing a three-at-the-back wingback system, uncanny in its similarities to the tactics used, unsuccessfully, by his predecessor.

With only Conor Gallagher joining Spurs in the January window, weeks before Frank’s dismissal, the situation was… odd.

The same players and tactics were expected to yield different results at the most crucial stage of the campaign.

Unsurprisingly, Tottenham’s fortunes have not changed on the pitch, while tensions and emotion has risen drastically off it.

Now, just two points above the drop zone in the Premier League, Spurs’ latest embarrassment, a 5-2 thrashing at Atletico Madrid, is a low that Tudor cannot come back from.

It is abundantly evident that the players have lacked what little faith they may have initially had in the Croatian, with a lack of hunger, fight and cutting edge culpable for their demise in the Spanish capital.

The transfer window is fixed shut until long after the season ends, when Spurs’ future in the top flight of English football will already have been decided. Something needs to change, and fast.

It cannot be the players, so Tudor must go.

Let one thing be clear, however, the former Juventus boss is not solely responsible for his new employers’ woes, far from it.

But whatever the specifics and causes of Spurs’ issues, of which there are many, do not matter here and now.

Whether you are discontent with the board, unhappy with certain players or dissatisfied with the general direction of the club’s trajectory, there is not enough time in their nine remaining Premier League games to make meaningful changes to those areas.

Spurs need somebody to make an immediate difference, not a lasting one. Tudor’s appointment on a deal until the end of the season is proof that the club agree, but now they must recognise that their judgement was wrong, and roll the dice again - but the stakes are far higher this time.

Get it wrong again, and midweek visits to Madrid could soon be replaced with Saturdays in Stoke, all while their north London rivals hurtle towards a first Premier League title in 22 years.

The exact solution is not an obvious one, but what Spurs need is clear: belief. With players seemingly giving up mid-game, sometimes even mid-run, it is easy to see how things have unravelled so quickly.

In fact, asked after the game whether he believes he deserves to continue as Spurs boss, Tudor responded, emotionless, “No comment,” in a scene more reminiscent of a trial than a Champions League press conference.

Tudor cannot be confident that he deserves to continue after a mere four games at the helm, so how can he expect any player to get behind his ideas? He cannot.

If Spurs are to retain their Premier League status, it will not be pretty. Holding onto hopes of easy-on-the-eye, free-flowing football is pointless and will only lead the Lilywhites closer to the edge of a perilous cliff face.

Tactics remain important, but should be rendered subordinate to the rapid change in mood needed at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

One of the biggest hurdles facing any prospective new boss to improve morale among the squad is to regalvernise the fanbase. Tudor has cut a lonesome figure for himself in record time, while his predecessor’s media comments alienated him from much of the fanbase.

Somebody who knows the club and gets what it means to the fans is essential. The worry for Spurs is that candidates who fit that admittedly limited criteria are of even shorter supply.

A perhaps obvious candidate would be Ryan Mason. A two-time interim boss at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Mason left the Lilywhites in June 2025 to become Championship side West Bromwich Albion’s head coach.

Just seven months later, in January, Mason was sacked, with the Baggies 18th at the time, just seven points from the drop zone. Though since his dismissal, West Brom have plummeted to new lows, currently sitting 22nd, two points from safety.

Though his credentials as a manager in his own right are sub-optimal, Mason has always enjoyed a strong relationship with Spurs supporters and, as a two-time interim boss of the club, will already have a rapport with some players, a bond which could prove crucial so late into the campaign.

Mauricio Pochettino cuts an interesting figure in Spurs’ managerial debate. One of the most-loved managers in the club’s history, the Argentine was in attendance at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Tuesday, an invited witness to his former side’s slaughter.

If reports are to be believed, Pochettino is a front-runner for the permanent Spurs job in the summer, when Tudor’s interim contract will end, if it is not done prematurely, but there is a fundamental issue with any talk of an early arrival for the 2021/22 Ligue 1 winner.

He is currently the manager of the United States and, with a home World Cup just three months away, the US are unlikely to consider his departure, or allowing him to split his responsibilities to occupy both roles, at present.

An outsider who meets the criteria, Harry Redknapp, has not managed professionally since a brief stint at Birmingham City in 2017, but even he looks an unlikely option, with the 79-year-old due to appear in ITV’s ‘I’m A Celebrity South Africa’ in April.

Whoever Spurs decide to move forward with, it cannot be Tudor; that much is clear. There is too much at stake to persist with the same failed ideas and expect to reap new rewards.

Before the game, new Tottenham Hotspur boss Igor Tudor insisted that the Premier League remains the club's priority.

Judging by their performance as Atletico Madrid put five past them, that message was received loud and clear by the players, though it was less warmly received by the club's travelling supporters.

As the threat of relegation looms large, the tension and emotion have spilt over from the pitch and polluted the fanbase.

That much was abundantly apparent on the flight from Manchester to Madrid, where doom talk persisted, and some let their entire fanbase down with their abusive behaviour towards female flight attendants.

There is almost always a level of rowdiness on European away nights, the result of a cocktail of alcohol and excitement. But this was different, a consequence of anger, frustration and immaturity.

It took until just the sixth minute for Spurs' resolve to crumble, as Julian Alvarez laid it off to Marcos Llorente on the edge of the box, allowing the Argentine to place a powerful strike into the bottom corner with ease.

Eight minutes later, Antoine Griezmann doubled the hosts’ lead after a mistake from Micky Van de Ven gifted the Frenchman possession. One-on-one with Kinsky, Griezmann took plenty of time to unsettle the 22-year-old and slotted home with ease from point-blank range.

Less than 60 seconds later, the scale of the disaster that was unfolding for Spurs reached almost comedic levels.

A complete mis-kick from Kinsky presented Alvarez with the ball nine yards from an empty net, and the World Cup winner made no mistake from close range.

Three became four in the 22nd minute when a scramble in the box looked to have been desperately cleared just in time, but a check of the watch saw referee Serdar Gozubuyuk award a goal, deeming that the ball crossed the line after a final touch from defender Robin Le Normand.

It looked like anything Atletico touched would turn into a goal, but while some were frantically checking the competition’s biggest win in history, Spurs pulled one back.

An intelligent touch unlocked Pedro Porro in the box after taking the ball around Matteo Ruggeri, and the Spanish full-back finished excellently at full stretch to cut into the deficit.

The start of one of the great comebacks? A chance to save face on a night that could have ended in embarrassment? Likely neither, but if nothing else, the unexpected setback for the hosts helped settle the game after a chaotic start, which saw five goals in the opening 26 minutes.

While it may seem difficult to believe without having watched the match, Atletico were not the all-empowering force that the half-time scoreline implies.

But the crucial difference is that, while chances fell for both sides, Spurs looked uneasy on each occasion, whereas the stadium preemptively rose with virtually every touch that the hosts had in the Spurs half.

Tudor opted for a double change at the break, with something needing to give. Priority or not, Spurs were on the brink of an embarrassment of the magnitude that their fragile mentality could ill-afford at such a crucial point in the club’s history.

A similar tale of profligacy versus deadly precision unfolded, and the outcome was the same as Atletico extended their lead in the 55th minute.

In truth, there was no better example of the very nature of the game than this goal, as a saved Richarlison header at one end immediately kick-started a counter for the hosts, which saw Alvarez net his brace just 13 seconds after the Brazilian’s saved attempt.

Another consolation arrived in the 76th minute when Solanke reduced the deficit back to three. It was Jan Oblak’s time to make a mistake between the sticks, as he ceded possession under pressure from the English striker.

Porro collected the loose ball and fed it back into Solanke, who made no mistake one-on-one to make it 5-2.

But, truthfully, this did little to save Spurs’ blushes. Losing 5-2 against an Atletico side who did not look extraordinary, to lose their sixth consecutive game in all competitions, felt like an unacceptable new low.

Excluding the second leg of this tie, Spurs have nine games to save their season and preserve their Premier League status.

If they are to do that, something needs to change, and, with the transfer window firmly shut, it will not be the players.

Pedro Porro talked ahead of the trip to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Tottenham have been in poor form in the Premier League, but their away form has been some of the best in the division, and they have taken that level into Europe, having finished in the top eight of the league phase. Now, they must prepare to play against a passionate opponent in the Spanish capital.

As Porro returns to his homeland, he believes his side can rise to the occasion. And he is particularly pleased with the return of the club captain and a fellow defender who raises the level at the back.

"Good evening, everyone. To answer your question, yes. I think we need to have the right mindset for the [Tuesday] game. I've warned the players that we are coming to a very tough ground to play in. I like watching football, and I think we do have the proper mindset for this clash.

“We have not been able to achieve the consistency we wanted. It could be because of different circumstances, but in the Champions League, we've competed well, we've done things right, and this is the reason why we are here. We also need to look at the positive side. The team has competed well in Europe, and we just need to do our best in the Premier League.

"It depends on how you look at [who is the favourite]. We were fourth on the table in the league phase, and they've had an amazing season. So, we just hope to give our best for tomorrow on it. I hope it goes well for us.