GiveMeSport

Tottenham take on Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Thursday night aiming to move away from the relegation zone.

To do that they will need to do something they have not done in 2026 yet - win a game of Premier League football.

Spurs are winless in 2026, with four draws and six defeat from their ten matches, which has plunged them deep into the relegation mire.

Going into Thursday's game they could be further in trouble, with West Ham United and Nottingham Forest both in action before them on Wednesday night.

Igor Tudor, like Thomas Frank before him, has struggled to get a tune out of the Spurs players since arriving in north London, but has been hamstrung by the huge number of injuries in N17.

Djed Spence Will Not Return For Palace Clash

And there is no help with returning players coming back for the game against the Eagles at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tudor has held his pre-match press conference ahead of the game on Thursday night and confirmed that one player who he might have hoped would return to action will not be available.

Tudor said: "Djed Spence is out. Kevin [Danso] came back in the last game."

When asked when Spence would be back, Tudor added: "We hope for the Champions League game."

Tottenham will be without nine other players for the home game with Palace - eight through injury and Cristian Romero through suspension, as the Argentine sits out the last of his four-match ban for his red card against Manchester United.

Destiny Udogie is now into week four of former boss Thomas Frank's assessment that it would be "four or five weeks" that he would be missing.

Meanwhile, Tudor hinted at an update on Dejan Kulusevski during his press conference last week, but offered nothing this time around.

"No other news," he said in response to a question about an update on Udogie and Kulusevski.

Spurs Still have a Number Of Players Out Long-Term

Lucas Bergvall is not far away from a return to action following surgery on his ankle injury, but it is likely to be another month before we see him again. After the March international break is the likely date for his return to action. Reports in Sweden have said that his rehabilitation is 'going in the right direction'.

That will be the same for Mohammed Kudus following his hamstring injury.

Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison and Wilson Odobert all remain long-term injuries and may not be seen again this season.

The threat of relegation to the Championship is looming large over Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs have been in England's top flight since 1978, with that one season in Division Two in 1977/78 the only year the Lilywhites have spent out of the top flight in 76 years.

But with ten games of the current Premier League season to go, Spurs are just two places and four points above the relegation zone and in danger of dropping into the second tier.

There were warning signs last season, with Tottenham finishing 17th under Ange Postecoglou, although the Australian did prioritise Europe, with Spurs winning the UEFA Europa League title.

And domestic form - or lack thereof - has continued under Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor this season, following Postecoglou's sacking at the end of the season.

Tottenham have a huge number of international players in their squad and it has already been revealed that there would be a massive pay cut for players should they get relegated. Many of the highest profile players are unlikely to stick around for a year - and potentially more - in the Championship and would look to secure a transfer out of the club.

But there are certain stars who could be willing to put the work in and help the club back into the Premier League. Here GIVEMESPORT takes a look at predicting what the starting lineup could be in the Championship.

Tottenham Already Have The Perfect Goalkeeper

Guglielmo Vicario has already been linked with an exit from the club this summer, with plenty of interest from back home in Italy. He has endured a difficult relationship with the Spurs supporters and surely would be unwilling to drop down to the second tier with the club.

Antonin Kinsky is just 22 years of age and was signed for the future. He needs game time and a drop to the Championship would see that come to fruition, with the Czech getting used to English football in the second tier before becoming a more established Premier League regular afterwards.

Brandon Austin has been with the club since he was a boy and is likely to be kept on to play second fiddle to Kinsky.

Big Changes Will Be Required At The Back

Let's be brutally honest about this, World Cup winner Cristian Romero and Dutch international Micky van de Ven will not be playing Championship football. If Spurs are relegated, both will be looking to move on.

Radu Dragusin has been linked with an exit ahead of the summer transfer window with Spurs in the Premier League currently, so he is likely to move on too. Kevin Danso is an interesting one though, who could stick it out.

Tottenham do have two young centre-backs out on loan who could easily slot into the side in the Championship and gain huge experience of the English game. Luka Vuskovic has been brilliant for Hamburg and there are plenty of teams after him but at 19 and with a big contract in north London, a year in the Championship might not be the worst thing in the world. Kota Takai is another who needs English football experience and would have a key role to play.

At full-back, you can't imagine Pedro Porro sticking around, but Djed Spence has experience of the second tier already under his belt and could be convinced to stay for a season. Souza is new to England and will get a good run in the side if Spurs are in the Championship to get used to a new country. Destiny Udogie has had so many injury problems he may stay as well with clubs potentially not taking a punt on signing him, so he could still be around too.

The Midfield Conundrum Awaits

Conor Gallagher was a big-money signing in the January transfer window and chose Spurs over Aston Villa. He is on big wages - which would be cut naturally - and would not have signed for Spurs to play Championship football. However, he does have experience of the second tier and is the sort of character who could stay and fight.

Archie Gray came from Leeds in the Championship when he was 18, so he knows the league well and could really ignite his Tottenham career with a season in the second tier playing in his favoured central midfield position.

It would be a huge boost for Spurs to have Lucas Bergvall in the middle too, but it remains to be seen if the highly-rated 20-year-old would be willing to stick it out in the Championship.

Yves Bissouma is at the end of his contract and you've got to think Rodrigo Bentancur and Xavi Simons would have no interest in playing second tier football.

James Maddison, having been out injured all season, could be the sort of player to stick around.

Pape Matar Sarr has always been on the fringes of the starting XI and could get an extended run in the team to make the position his own in the Championship.

The Forward Line Is A Concern

Wilson Odobert, while injured now, is just 21 years old and was relegated to the Championship with Burnley. While he left the Clarets to sign for Tottenham, he will not be back from injury until the summer is over so he will take one of the positions in the forward line.

Mathys Tel came in from Bayern Munich for big money, yet has failed to tie down a regular starting spot under Postecoglou, Frank or Tudor. He may not want to play in the Championship, but he would be a regular starter in the side.

Mikey Moore will return from his loan spell at Rangers, where he has shone and will be expecting to start Premier League games, but if Spurs are in the Championship he would surely relish a regular starting spot to prove his worth.

You can't imagine Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke wanting to play in the Championship, given their standing in the game.

Young forward Yang min-hyeok has had Championship experience on loan and would come straight into the first-team picture at Tottenham.

Mauricio Pochettino would be open to a return to Tottenham Hotspur even if they get relegated to the Championship, GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs has revealed.

The north London club are set to be on the lookout for a new permanent manager after the season and are believed to have included Pochettino, as well as former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi and ex-striker Robbie Keane, on their shortlist.

With Igor Tudor tasked to steer Spurs out of the relegation battle, the Croatian tactician is highly unlikely to remain in the job beyond the season, no matter the outcome.

Pochettino’s contract with the United States only runs until the end of this year’s World Cup, and the Argentine has recently revealed he is ‘open to everything’ when discussing his next role.

Pochettino Open to Tottenham Return

Jacobs, speaking exclusively on GIVEMESPORT’s YouTube channel, revealed that Pochettino would be open to a Tottenham return even in the event of relegation, although affording his wage could prove difficult at that point:

“The good news for Tottenham fans is that, I’m told, Pochettino is open to returning, and would not necessarily be put off even if Spurs got relegated to the Championship.

“But if they were a Championship club, they’ve obviously got to be able to still afford Maurizio Pochettino’s wage, which wouldn’t necessarily drop significantly.”

Pochettino initially took charge of Tottenham in 2014 and led the club to the 2019 Champions League final.

Spurs also finished second in the Premier League under the Argentine in 2016/17 – their highest top-flight position in over 50 years.

The north London club’s lowest finish under Pochettino was sixth in the 2014/15 season, his first year in charge.

Pochettino’s Career After Tottenham

Pochettino was relieved of his duties at Tottenham in November 2019 after winning just five of his first 17 games of the season.

The 'world-class' 54-year-old returned to management in January 2021, when he took charge of Paris Saint-Germain, winning the Ligue 1 title and the French Cup during his 18-month stint at Parc des Princes.

Pochettino oversaw an even shorter tenure at Chelsea, managing the club for just 51 games during the 2023/24 season and winning 27 times.

The Argentine took charge of the United States in September 2024 and has won 14 of his 22 matches so far, including a 2-1 defeat to Mexico in the Gold Cup final in July last year.

Should Tottenham Re-Hire Pochettino?

Amid Spurs’ interest in re-hiring Pochettino, we asked ChatGPT whether the Argentine would be a good fit for the club in the current circumstances:

Tottenham could sign their own version of Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze in the summer transfer window, as an update on their search for a sporting director has emerged.

Fabio Paratici was heavily involved in Spurs' recruitment last summer and in January, but the club confirmed that he would be departing in February to join Fiorentina.

Tottenham are now in the hunt for a new sporting director to arrive in the near future, as they'll be hoping to plan ahead for an important summer transfer window.

After such a disappointing season for the north London club, it looks set to be a crucial summer window, providing they stay in the Premier League.

Avoiding relegation is the number one aim as it stands, but they'll be hoping to have one eye on recruitment for the summer.

Tottenham Could Raid Championship With Freedman

According to a report from The Telegraph, Tottenham are now working on bringing in a new sporting director following Paratici's departure last month.

Former Crystal Palace man Dougie Freedman is believed to be a target for the role, despite only joining Saudi Arabian side Al-Diriyah last year.

If Freedman does arrive through the door, we could see a shift in Tottenham's recruitment strategy. During his time at Palace, Freedman had plenty of joy in buying from the Championship.

Freedman brought in Eze, Michael Olise, and Adam Wharton from England's second tier, selling the former two for a significant profit.

That could see Spurs sign their own Eze from the Championship in the summer, bringing in a young talent for a reasonable fee who goes on to flourish.

Eze, Olise, and Wharton all became some of the most sought-after players in Europe after just a short period at Selhurst Park, and there's no doubt Tottenham would be in a different league position if either of the three were at the club.

Tottenham Linked With Championship Star

One Championship star Tottenham have been linked with in recent months is Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney. The north London club were reportedly exploring a move in the January transfer window, so he could be one they look to target in the summer under Freedman.

There is a host of talent in the Championship season after season, and only certain clubs tend to take risks on them. Palace were certainly one of them under Freedman, and it will be interesting to see if he continues his recruitment strategy if he does land the role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur players are set for a double cut in pay this summer if they are relegated from the Premier League, GIVEMESPORT understands.

The Athletic's David Ornstein revealed on Monday that the Spurs stars would see their wages cut in half if the club are relegated to the Championship at the end of the season.

But that is not the only wage cut that would be coming their way if the drop to the second tier of English football is confirmed.

Spurs are perilously close to the bottom three in the Premier League after a second successive poor season of domestic football. Interim head coach Igor Tudor has failed to turn around the club's fortunes after replacing the sacked Thomas Frank.

Igor Tudor Has Not Changed Anything At Tottenham

They have failed to win either of his two games in charge, losing 4-1 to north London rivals Arsenal before being beaten 2-1 by Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

Tottenham have not won a single game in the league in 2026, losing six and drawing four of their ten matches in the top flight since the turn of the year.

Their form leaves them just four points above the bottom three in the Premier League and knowing that by the time they play against Crystal Palace on Thursday night, they could be as little as one point above the drop zone, with West Ham and Nottingham Forest both playing before them on Wednesday night.

Tottenham Facing Up to Life In The Championship

Were the unthinkable to happen and Spurs drop out of England's top flight for the first time since 1977, the players will not only be in for a rude awakening when it comes to the EFL Championship and the volume of games and the stadiums they will have to travel to, but they will have to do so on a hugely reduced salary too.

GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs revealed in his newsletter - which you can sign up to receive here - that Spurs players would be getting another wage cut on top of the relegation clause cut - for failing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season.

He said: "In addition [to the relegation clause], there are reductions in wages if Tottenham don't get Champions League football. That's obviously not going to happen next season via them qualifying through the league, but in theory is still a possibility if they go all the way and win the Champions League this season."

Tottenham Face Major Overhaul In The Summer

As Ben points out, Spurs are still in this year's Champions League and could go on and win it to qualify for next season's competition, but with Atletico Madrid standing in their way in the last 16 and the form they are in, it would take something close to a miracle for that to happen.

A huge squad overhaul would be required if Tottenham were to be relegated from the Premier League, with a number of high-profile players unlikely to stick around on massively reduced wages as well as the prospect of playing Championship football next season.

Tottenham have been heavily linked with a move to appoint Mauricio Pochettino in the summer in what would be a fairytale return for the Argentine, and he could be exactly what they need to save one of their struggling stars.

Spurs will be in the market for a new manager at the end of the 2025/2026 season, with current boss Igor Tudor only appointed on a deal until the summer.

Tottenham opted to appoint a new manager on a short-term deal, giving them time to find a permanent and longer-term replacement heading into the 2026/2027 campaign.

A host of managers are already being linked with the soon-to-be vacant role, and one name that keeps popping up is Tottenham's former boss Pochettino, who is a key target for the club according to GMS sources, but currently with the USA national team heading into the World Cup.

Tottenham Star Struggling Since Signing

One player who is particularly struggling at the moment is midfielder Conor Gallagher. The England international signed for Spurs during the January transfer window, but he's failed to make the impact expected of him.

Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor suggested that Gallagher is a 'shadow of his former self' since joining the capital club, while he's also been widely criticised by other pundits and Spurs supporters.

The Englishman was labelled as 'woeful' and given a 3/10 rating by Football London correspondent Alasdair Gold after his latest display at Fulham.

It's safe to say it's not worked out for Gallagher at Spurs so far, but it wasn't an easy club to come into and make an impact.

The north London outfit are struggling with Gallagher, but they were also struggling before his arrival, and he's certainly not the only one to blame for their poor form this season.

Spurs needed a midfielder in January, but so far, Gallagher hasn't proven to be the answer.

Pochettino Can Fix Gallagher

One man who could help fix Gallagher is Pochettino. The former Spurs boss implements a high-energy, heavy pressing system, something which would suit Gallagher's style of play.

The former Chelsea midfielder is known for his work rate in midfield, and Pochettino will know him well from during their time spent at Stamford Bridge together.

When at Chelsea, Pochettino even said Gallagher was 'priceless' to his team, praising his commitment.

"He is a player with a great commitment to the team. He is always trying to compensate in every situation, in offensive and defensive situations. It's priceless to have a player like him. He is in the starting XI nearly every game and one of the captains. For me, he is the type of player that the club need to have."

Pochettino even said he's 'one of the captains', something he will have had a say in, so there's no doubt the Argentine could be the one to help save Gallagher.

Games are coming thick and fast for Tottenham Hotspur, which may not be a good thing given the plight they find themselves in at the bottom of the Premier League table.

A 2-1 defeat to Fulham on Sunday extended Spurs' winless run in the top flight to ten games, meaning they have still yet to pick up three points in the Premier League in 2026.

Igot Tudor has had a rough start to life as the Tottenham head coach with back-to-back defeats since replacing Thomas Frank in N17 and the injury list has refused to do him any favours since arriving in north London.

Two Steps Forward One Step Back For Tottenham

Spurs did welcome back Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso to the matchday squad for the game with Fulham, with Porro thrown straight into the starting lineup, but Tudor also lost Djed Spence.

Tottenham take on Crystal Palace on Thursday night, playing last again out of the teams in the relegation battle, knowing they could be closer to the bottom three than ever before at this stage of the season in Premier League history by the time they kick-off.

Will Tudor have any more players to call upon for the clash? GIVEMESPORT takes a look at the latest injury news from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Djed Spence Chances Of Returning To The Squad

Spence was a surprise absence from the squad for the game against Fulham, meaning two players may have returned, but another was put on the treatment table.

All Tudor had to say about Spence's omission was that "it's an injury - he has some problems with soreness". It is hoped that the Englishman is not suffering with anything long-term and that he will be available to take on the Eagles on Thursday night.

There may be some good news on the Dejan Kulusevski front too, with Tudor dropping a cryptic message about the Swede - who has yet to play this season - last week.

Tudor said: "Fantastic player, fantastic guy. Difficult moment. He's had really big problems, as you know, here. But he's positive. And also the doctors are positive. So we'll see, next week, how it's going."

It is a positive that Tudor will be checking in on Kulusevski's recovery this week and there are hopes the Swede will be back in action before the season ends.

Destiny Udogie Closing In On Spurs Return

Thursday's game may just be too soon for left-back Destiny Udogie to return, although there is an outside chance the Italian could make the squad.

We are now into week four of former boss Thomas Frank's assessment that it would be "four or five weeks" that Udogie would be missing.

It is more likely that the Liverpool game on March 15 will be his return date, but if Spurs think he's ready he would definitely be an important player to welcome back on Thursday night.

Lucas Bergvall is not far away from a return to action following surgery on his ankle injury, but it is likely to be another month before we see him again. After the March international break is the likely date for his return to action. Reports in Sweden have said that his rehabilitation is 'going in the right direction'.

That will be the same for Mohammed Kudus following his hamstring injury.

Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison and Wilson Odobert all remain long-term injuries and may not be seen again this season.

Tottenham want to offer centre-back Micky van de Ven a new five-year deal, but the Dutch defender doesn't want to enter contract talks, according to Sports Boom.

Van de Ven has been one of the few consistent performers for Spurs over the last few years in what has been an incredibly difficult and unsuccessful period for the north London club.

Tottenham are battling towards the relegation zone in the Premier League for the second campaign in a row, and they are yet to win in 2026.

A host of Tottenham's squad have underperformed, but Van de Ven is one of a few who can hold their head high.

The Dutch centre-back is one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and with Spurs struggling at the moment, a host of clubs will be lining up to prise him away.

Van De Ven Makes Tottenham Contract Decision

According to a report from Sports Boom, Van de Ven has turned down contract talks with Tottenham due to having his head turned by interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The former Wolfsburg man isn't interested in discussing a new deal with Spurs, despite them being willing to offer him a new five-year contract.

If Van de Ven, described as 'world-class' by former midfielder Jamie O'Hara, does push for an exit in the summer transfer window, it's believed that Spurs will demand a fee in the region of £100m to allow him to depart.

Van de Ven, unfortunately for Tottenham, sees his future away from north London, and with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid showing an interest, it could be an interesting summer window.

Tottenham's Stance Might Depend on One Factor

Unfortunately for Spurs, they now face the serious threat of being relegated from the Premier League this season. They are yet to win in 2026 and currently sit just four points above the drop zone.

If the worst does happen and Igor Tudor's side to drop down to the Championship, there's no doubt their stance on Van de Ven will soften.

Demanding £100m for a player in the Championship won't be easy, so Spurs might have to lower their asking price. There's no doubt the Dutch centre-back willl be pushing for a departure if they are relegated, and it will be incredibly difficult for them to keep him at the club.

How Much is Van de Ven Worth?

GIVEMESPORT asked ChatGPT how much Van de Ven is worth in today's market.

Top-line valuation: ~£90–£110 million — Spurs are reportedly demanding around £100 m+ for him if they were to sell, reflecting elite centre-back status and strong interest.

Analyst range: Independent market aggregators place his likely value at €80–€115 m (~£70–£100 m) given age, contract and performance.

Conservative benchmark: Transfer statistical sites (e.g., Transfermarkt or FotMob) currently list him closer to €65–€67 m (~£55–£58 m).

Upside factors: Youth (24), pace/defensive impact, contract until 2029 and European suitors could push price above £100 m.

It would be foolish to suggest that anyone in the Tottenham Hotspur squad is undroppable at the moment, given their current plight in the Premier League, but interim head coach Igor Tudor might just have found two players who come close to it.

Spurs remain winless in 2026 following defeat to Fulham on Sunday afternoon. It is now ten games in the current calendar year and Tottenham have drawn four and lost six of those matches.

Crucially for the Lilywhites, all the teams around them at the bottom of the table lost over the weekend, meaning they remain four points clear of the relegation zone with ten games to play.

Is Igor Tudor Capable Of Turning Tottenham's Fortunes Around?

The question is, however, where is the next win going to come from?

Tottenham play host to Crystal Palace on Thursday night in the last game of the midweek action, so all of the other relegation-threatened teams have the chance to pile the pressure on Tudor's team.

The Spurs players look bereft of confidence and bereft of any ideas, with Tudor's arrival doing little to change the feeling around the club. It also does not look like the Croatian has made any impact whatsoever in his short time in charge.

The big problem Tottenham have is that the players will not be used to nor have been expecting a relegation battle and getting them up for the fight - different to any other - is going to be difficult.

Mathys Tel Deserves More Game Time

But Sunday's defeat to Fulham did highlight there are a few players up for that particular fight.

Mathys Tel has been a frustrated character for much of the season, struggling to nail down a regular place in the starting XI under Thomas Frank and not being involved from the start in Tudor's first two matches either.

The Frenchman does, however, have a knack of delivering when called upon. He often seems to show more urgency and more desire to get forward than teammates and gets at his man on the wing - something which has and will always get supporters off their seats and in full voice. It was his dart forward that set the team in motion for the goal they scored on Sunday.

Then you need only look at the man who scored it.

Richarlison Has Shown He Has The Stomach For The Fight

Richarlison is always up for a fight - physical or metaphorical. He may not be the prolific goalscorer the team wanted or needed, but he always works hard and never backs down from a battle - just look at him trying to wrestle the ball off Calvin Bassey in the aftermath of scoring to try and get the game going again.

Tottenham need committed battlers who will give their all for the shirt and get the team on the front foot. Richarlison and Tel showed in 32 minutes they should be the ones Tudor calls upon in the final few weeks of the season. Randal Kolo Muani and the unfortunate Conor Gallagher, who appears to have been asked to play a very unfamiliar advanced wider role under Tudor, should be the ones to drop out.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was mocked in a post by the Premier League's official X account overnight on Sunday, before it was deleted on Monday morning.

Igor Tudor suffered back-to-back defeats at the start of his Tottenham reign as they were beaten 2-1 by Fulham in another disappointing performance at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

The Croat had a week to work on the training ground with his players following the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal, but it was more of the same against Marco Silva's men with Spurs now going 10 Premier League matches without a win for the first time since 1994.

They will look to end this run and pick up their first league win in 2026 when they host Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday night.

While Vicario wasn't to blame in the Fulham defeat, one moment was picked out by the Premier League in sarcastic fashion.

Vicario Action Mocked in Premier League Post

It was noted on Sunday that Tudor was seen to be particularly unimpressed when Vicario kicked the ball straight out of play from a free-kick he was hitting upfield.

Then, overnight on Sunday the official Premier League X account decided to have its say on the same action, posting it with the mesaage 'just how the play was drawn up' and putting two captions over the video - 'an interesting free-kick from Vicario' and 'whoops'.

It was a post that was called 'weird' by Football London's Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold on Monday morning, before it was deleted.

Vicario Could be on His Way Out of Tottenham in Summer

According to reports last week, Tottenham chiefs have already decided to sell Vicario this summer regardless of who their next manager is.

GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed that former boss Mauricio Pochettino and Robert De Zerbi are viewed as the preferred candidates ahead of the summer.

But neither may get a say in the future of the Italy international, who joined the north Londoners from Empoli in 2023.

It was also reported earlier in the month by GIVEMESPORT senior reporter Fabrizio Romano that the 29-year-old is 'fully open' to joining Inter Milan in the summer, with Yann Sommer likely to leave the San Siro when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Vicario is said to be keen on a return to his homeland, having never really convinced during his time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What Are Vicario's Premier League Stats?

GIVEMESPORT asked ChatGPT to summarise Vicario's Premier League stats for Tottenham:

Premier League Career (Tottenham)