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Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas has suggested that chronic instability at the board level is the driving force behind the club’s current predicament as they face the genuine threat of relegation from the Premier League.

It has certainly been a frustrating few years for Tottenham Hotspur, who have struggled to enjoy any period of sustained success since their Champions League final appearance in 2019.

The club has sacked and hired several managers since that night in Madrid in chase of success, yet they have nothing tangible to show for it aside from their historic Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou last season.

That victory was supposed to serve as a foundation for the Lilywhites to build upon, but their attempts so far have been disastrous.

Andre Villas-Boas blames Tottenham board for Premier League relegation struggle

A change at the top following the departure of Daniel Levy, intended to usher in a new era, has not translated to success on the pitch, with Tottenham now embroiled in a relegation scrap this campaign with five games to go.

Even matters off the pitch have yet to be addressed, with Tottenham still in search of a new sporting director after Fabio Paratici departed earlier this year

Several changes, though, have since taken place in the managerial dugout, with Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor dismissed before the club turned to Roberto De Zerbi to turn things around, as Spurs sit in the bottom three in the Premier League table.

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However, while questions have been asked of the players and the coaching staff, former Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas has turned his attention to those higher up.

Speaking on Sky Sports, the Portuguese coach expressed his disappointment at how such a well-equipped club has faltered, suggesting that the constant turnover in key positions has eroded the professional environment

He said: “It is a shame for such a powerful club, for the transformation they have had in these last few years, and probably one of the greatest stadiums in England and one of the greatest training grounds for sure.

“I think it is most likely linked to all of the instability, lots of changes not only with managers but the sporting director and the management. That impacts on philosophy, on principles, on the way you work in your daily professional life, and unfortunately in these last few years, although they have won the UEFA Cup, things have become more and more unpredictable.

“I just wish them well, I represented them of course for one and a half years, one of them was very impactful for Spurs fans, for me, for Gareth Bale for sure, and I hope they can get out of the situation. It is not looking good of course, but I hope they can come out of the situation.”

Spurs culture concerns raised as Andre Villas-Boas questions leadership

On whether Spurs need a culture change, Villas-Boas expanded on the influence of leadership and the absence of a clear voice at the top, suggesting that direction from above has been lacking in recent years.

He added: “Well it is difficult, I mean culture goes from the top to the bottom, but it is the top that marks that culture normally.

“I think the principles and values of Tottenham were there in the beginning, in the way that they played football and the way you should play, the Tottenham way.

“It has been lost of course in the last few years, also due to this unpredictability in terms of results, but you know the management should be there all the time, that I think is the difficult part.

“Who represents the management, who is really the owner, where is the owner, and it is always difficult to respond… there is always a voice from the top that should go above the manager, and sometimes when you need those words of power they are never there, and people tend to disappear in the worst scenario, so it is a difficult situation, very difficult club, but I wish them well. They have the ability and the talent, so let us hope for the best.”

Tottenham Hotspur face a renewed threat to their Premier League survival hopes following managerial developments at Stamford Bridge, with the prospect of a resurgent London rival potentially complicating the path to safety for Roberto De Zerbi.

Tottenham Hotspur’s fight for survival could well go down to the wire, with five games left to play this season.

Crucial games await Spurs, with clashes against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton still to come after their meeting with Wolves.

Beating Wolves at Molineux could see Tottenham leapfrog West Ham this weekend and move out of the relegation zone if the Hammers fail to secure a result in their own clash, boosting their survival chances.

Chelsea sack Liam Rosenior as Tottenham face London derby pressure

The upcoming game against Leeds United in two weeks affords Spurs the opportunity to secure three points against a direct relegation rival, a victory that would also significantly bolster their chances of staying up.

Beyond that, Tottenham must still find a way to secure six more points if they are to hit the magic 40-point mark that could well guarantee their safety.

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Tim Sherwood believes the game against Chelsea could give Tottenham another shot at a win with the Blues struggling for form.

However, fresh developments at Stamford Bridge suggest that chance could be dented following the sacking of Liam Rosenior.

The Chelsea boss has endured a disappointing last five games, with his side winless and failing to score in that period – a feat not seen in the last 114 years.

His struggles have seen the Blues pull the plug on him, and Calum McFarlane will be the Chelsea interim head coach until June on an interim basis.

Spurs wary of new manager bounce vs Chelsea

Spurs do not take on Chelsea until matchweek 37 and, depending on results in their other fixtures, that game could be pivotal to their survival chances.

We are currently in matchweek 33 and, just like Spurs, Chelsea have something to fight for, with European places still up for grabs.

Bringing in a new manager could spark a turnaround in form for the Blues, and with a game against Tottenham still to come, that is surely bad news.

Spurs themselves have not won at Stamford Bridge since 2018, and with their survival chances hanging in the balance, the upcoming fixture is even more pivotal.

Tottenham Hotspur could receive a significant fitness boost ahead of their crucial meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers as Roberto De Zerbi sees his lengthy injury list begin to shorten at a vital stage of the campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur’s survival hopes were given a boost as West Ham United were held to a goalless draw against Crystal Palace on Monday night.

That result means Spurs, who are in the bottom three, can leapfrog the Hammers this weekend with a win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, should Nuno Espirito Santo’s men draw or lose to Everton.

Roberto De Zerbi will now aim to take full advantage of the Hammers’ slip-up on Monday when his side makes the trip to Molineux.

The Tottenham boss, who has not had much luck on the injury front since joining Spurs, has been given some respite as none of his players has picked up any injuries this week.

Cristian Romero and Mohammed Kudus were sidelined in the space of a few days after De Zerbi took charge of Spurs and are now set to miss the rest of the season.

However, a few players have also made their returns and are once more in contention for the weekend, with Rodrigo Bentancur earning his first start in three months under De Zerbi against Brighton, while Yves Bissouma partnered him in that encounter, having also not featured for a while.

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James Maddison also made the matchday squad for the first time this season as he continues to recover from an ACL injury.

The return of these players means Spurs are set to be without at least five injured stars ahead of their clash with Wolves, with Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Guglielmo Vicario and Cristian Romero all out or doubts for this fixture.

Of course, Vicario could make a comeback this weekend following his hernia surgery, but attention will be on De Zerbi’s injury update.

Spurs handed timely boost as returns offer hope in survival run

This is certainly the right time for Tottenham to have their stars back, as their fate will be decided by how they perform in the run-in.

This weekend offers a rare opportunity for Spurs to put their fate back in their hands, and it is one they cannot afford to waste.

The performance against Brighton offers some confidence that Tottenham might finally get their first win in 2026 here, and should they do so, there will be greater optimism about their chances of beating the drop.

Brighton and Hove Albion full-back Mats Wieffer has now explained that his side made sure to exploit one Tottenham Hotspur weakness when the two sides met on Saturday.

Tottenham Hotspur came remarkably close to securing their first Premier League victory of 2026 during their 15th attempt of the calendar year, but a late lapse in concentration against Brighton ensured the wait for three points continues.

The Lilywhites went in front twice during the encounter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, first through a well-worked opener that saw Xavi Simons find Pedro Porro in the penalty area with a delicate dinked pass.

The Dutchman then turned goalscorer himself later in the second half to restore the lead after Kaoru Mitoma had initially cancelled out the advantage from Porro.

However, the strike from Simons was not enough to secure all three points for the home side, as a late error from Kevin Danso provided Brighton with the opening they required.

Jan Paul van Hecke pounced on the hesitation of the Austrian defender to clear the ball and found Georginio Rutter, who slotted his effort home emphatically to level the scoring.

Mats Wieffer explains how Brighton targeted Tottenham’s weakness

Spurs will certainly be hoping to build on their performance against Brighton this weekend when they face Wolves, whom Tottenham have a shaky record against.

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However, they will also take note of Brighton defender Mats Wieffer, who admitted his side sensed vulnerability late in the game and believed they could find a way back.

Speaking to The Argus, he explained how Brighton maintained pressure and capitalised on Tottenham’s situation.

He said: “I think the 2-1 came out of nowhere but we still had the feeling that we could score because they are not in a really good position at the moment, as everybody knows.

“In the last ten minutes you saw already the 2-2 was a little bit coming. We scored it and, in the end, we had also chances with the corner to get the 3-2. In the end, if it is deserved, I do not know, but we wanted more.”

Spurs mentality questioned by Brighton full-back

Wieffer also pointed to Tottenham’s approach late in the game, suggesting their tendency to drop deep and invite pressure played into Brighton’s hands.

Speaking to The Argus, he added: “You see they are going to drop. They try to be in the 16 (penalty area) so we can play around. Maybe a lack of confidence, a little bit. We kept pressure, pressure, pressure and one ball can fall well and it happened for us to make it 2-2.

“Of course, disappointed [in the dressing room]. We had a couple of good moments, good actions in the first half. Second half as well. But, overall, it was not exactly as we wanted to play, I think.”

Roberto De Zerbi faces a key selection decision as Tottenham Hotspur prepare for a must-win clash against Wolves in the Premier League, and we have now attempted to predict how Spurs could line up against the relegated side.

The only currency Tottenham Hotspur can deal in now is getting wins on the board, with five games left for them to beat the drop.

A solid display last time out against Brighton and Hove Albion serves as good encouragement for Tottenham fans, as they watched their side go toe to toe with the in-form team in the division at the time.

But the next step is building on that performance and securing three points in their next encounter, which is a match-up against already relegated Wolves.

Roberto De Zerbi will need to get his selection right if his side is to snatch a win, and we have now attempted to predict his starting XI for the weekend’s game.

Tottenham predicted XI vs Wolves as Roberto De Zerbi makes selection calls

Goalkeeper – Antonin Kinsky: There is a chance that Guglielmo Vicario could be back in contention for this encounter, having spent over a month sidelined since his hernia surgery, but we do not see De Zerbi changing his shot-stopper in this one.

Right-back – Pedro Porro: The Spaniard has looked sharp going forward under De Zerbi, but the tendency to switch off when defending his back post remains, as he did in the clash against Brighton. However, we do not expect to see any change there at right-back for Tottenham.

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Centre-back – Kevin Danso: The Austrian will be kicking himself after his mistake prevented Tottenham from walking away with all three points against the Seagulls. However, with Wolves up next and Cristian Romero injured, he must move on quickly from the setback.

Centre-back – Micky van de Ven: Romero’s absence for the rest of the season has seen the Dutchman take on the armband, and we expect him to lead the side once more on Saturday.

Left-back – Destiny Udogie: The full-back has been one of the standout performers for Spurs since De Zerbi came in. We saw him hold the width last time out while Simons drifted into central positions. He brings balance to the attack on the left, and we expect him to start here once more.

Pivot midfielder – Yves Bissouma: The Malian was impressive against his former side last weekend, and it was clear that Spurs have been lacking experience in the middle of the park. After such a strong display, we expect De Zerbi to stick with the midfielder.

Pivot midfielder – Rodrigo Bentancur: After three months sidelined, Bentancur was thrown straight into the mix against Brighton and did not flinch, putting in a top display by controlling the midfield and looking after the ball well. We expect him to get back-to-back starts for Tottenham.

Centre-midfielder – Conor Gallagher: The inclusion of both Bissouma and Bentancur meant Gallagher was given a more advanced role. He looked much better in that position, as opposed to his performance against Sunderland. His energy and pressing will be needed once more this weekend.

Right winger – Randal Kolo Muani: While we believe Mathys Tel should come in for Muani against Wolves, we do not believe De Zerbi will make that change. Instead, we expect him to continue with the Frenchman in this one.

Striker – Dominic Solanke: There is no denying that Solanke has been far from his best in recent weeks, but his performance against Brighton showed glimpses of what he can bring to the side. He linked up well with Udogie and Simons on the left, and hopefully, this time, he can find the back of the net.

Roberto De Zerbi has now highlighted a blossoming partnership in the heart of the Tottenham midfield as a primary reason for his side’s improved display against Brighton and Hove Albion.

It is no surprise to see most of the plaudits go to Xavi Simons after Tottenham Hotspur secured a 2-2 draw against an in-form Brighton and Hove Albion side, who sit sixth and are battling for a Champions League spot.

The Dutchman was certainly impressive, with Simons’ performance backed by solid underlying numbers that highlight his influence beyond his goal contributions.

But the entire Tottenham side also impressed, as they restricted Brighton to an xG of 0.82, two big chances and three shots on target. For context, the Seagulls produced far better numbers against Chelsea, recording an xG of 2.14, nine shots on target and five big chances in a 3-0 win.

Roberto De Zerbi hails Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma impact for Spurs

At the heart of that display was a key change in midfield, which saw both Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma reintroduced to the Tottenham XI after months out.

Both Bentancur and Bissouma were excellent in the centre of the pitch against Fabian Hurzeler’s men, controlling the tempo and shielding the back four.

To perform at such a high level after such a long absence highlights the quality both players possess, and Roberto De Zerbi was quick to praise their impact.

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When asked about the return of the Uruguayan international, the manager told the official Tottenham channels that the experience and personality of the two players are vital for the group.

He said, “He had a great game. Like Bissouma, both are very important for us as personalities, as experience. They know, they have a great connection between them.

“We have also Archie Gray, Joao Palhinha, Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall. Lucas played 10 minutes, but he changed the game. We have a lot of good players.”

Spurs attacking approach praised by Roberto De Zerbi

De Zerbi also turned his attention to Tottenham’s attacking display, praising the mindset of his forwards while outlining his plans to improve others in the squad.

Speaking to official Tottenham channels, he added, “I would like all attackers to play like Solanke and Xavi today. They are not arrogant, but they believed in themselves and were clear.

A resilient performance from Tottenham Hotspur against Brighton and Hove Albion has resulted in significant individual recognition, with two key members of the squad earning a place in the latest Premier League Team of the Week.

Tottenham Hotspur’s performance against Brighton and Hove Albion last Saturday, where they secured a 2-2 draw against an in-form side, has seen their players earn plenty of plaudits.

Troy Deeney recognised Xavi Simons’ impressive display against the Seagulls and included him in his Team of the Week column for matchweek 33.

Ashley Williams also handed Simons his flowers when building his own Team of the Week, including the Dutchman alongside several other top performers, including Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Virgil van Dijk.

Tottenham duo Xavi Simons and Pedro Porro named in WhoScored team of the week

WhoScored has now become the latest to hand plaudits to Tottenham players following their performances at the weekend.

Two Spurs stars have now made the publication’s Team of the Week, with Simons once again included in midfield, while Pedro Porro takes a slot at right-back.

The Tottenham pair were even rated higher than Mohamed Salah, Rayan Cherki and Nico O’Reilly, who were rated in the 7 range, while Porro was handed an 8.02 rating and Simons an 8.19 rating.

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Pedro Porro statistics show influence for Spurs despite Kaoru Mitoma goal

It is not difficult to understand why such recognition is being directed towards members of the Spurs squad as the performance on Saturday was exceptionally high.

Simons’ underlying stats against Brighton show just how influential he was against the Seagulls, aside from his two goal contributions.

Porro was also immense, as he grabbed the opener after making a good run into the box and meeting Simons’ dinked ball.

However, the defender was at fault for Brighton’s Mitoma’s equaliser in the first half, as he failed to track the back post. Still, his underlying numbers show that he put in a strong performance for Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur face a defining run of fixtures to preserve their Premier League status, and Tim Sherwood believes a notoriously difficult London derby could finally swing in their favour, given the current state of the opposition.

Tottenham Hotspur still have a couple of big games to come as they fight to stay in the Premier League this season.

In fact, it is fair to say that they have five finals to play, starting with this weekend’s encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

After the trip to Molineux, Tottenham have Aston Villa, Leeds United and Chelsea before they take on Everton on the final day.

Securing at least three wins in their final five games could well see them secure their Premier League status, as they would hit that magic 40-point mark.

Tottenham run-in assessed as Tim Sherwood makes Chelsea claim

Spurs have struggled for most of the season, especially in 2026, where they are winless, making it hard to see where they will pick up points from in their remaining league games.

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A victory against Wolves is crucial if they are to leave the drop zone at the end of this gameweek, but Spurs’ record at Molineux also does not inspire confidence, as they remain without a victory in their last three visits.

However, former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood believes that Spurs could now beat a familiar foe in Chelsea when they meet later this month.

The two sides are set to meet in matchweek 37 at Stamford Bridge, a ground Tottenham have not tasted victory in since 2018.

Speaking on the current situation at the West London club following their defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion, Sherwood expressed his belief to Sky Sports that the current Chelsea manager, Liam Rosenior, is unlikely to keep his job.

He said: “A team playing against a bunch of individuals who have no spirit, no character. They stood in the end… I have just watched them at the end of the game going to the Chelsea fans, half of them have already left the stadium and they left probably 20 minutes ago.

“This game was done and dusted after the second goal went in in the second half. They played five at the back in the first half, it was embarrassing, the amount of room that Brighton had just popped it through them. The second half was a little bit better, at the start of the second half they went with four at the back.

“He will not survive this, Liam Rosenior will not survive this, unfortunately for him.

“I said this at the top of the show when I was talking about Chelsea. It is a real tough job for any manager to go in there and change the environment because these Chelsea fans are used to winning trophies, the biggest trophies in the Premier League with the biggest players.”

Tim Sherwood backs Spurs to beat Chelsea as survival race heats up

Chelsea are without a win in their last five outings, and for the first time in 114 years, they have gone five games without scoring a goal.

Such poor form makes them a side many teams will be eager to face, and Sherwood believes this could be the moment Spurs finally get one over their rivals, highlighting issues with player commitment and mentality.

He added: “They are not playing for their manager and whether it is him, or Pochettino when he was there, Potter when he was there, Enzo Maresca, they have thrown them all under the bus. The players all need to look at themselves, but the club needs to change.

“You are not going to shift the mindset of Chelsea fans with what we are seeing at the moment. It is not encouraging, it is not progressive, it is going backwards in one way.

“It is mind-boggling. The encouraging thing for a Tottenham man is maybe Tottenham could beat them now. I mean, I am looking at that, I am writing that off because that is a fixture you go, ooof, never beaten Chelsea. Oh, they would beat Chelsea after that performance, one hundred per cent.”

Tottenham Hotspur have received some bad short-term news in their quest to stay in the Premier League at the expense of their London rivals, West Ham.

According to Opta’s Supercomputer, Tottenham are the favourites to join Burnley and Wolves in the Championship next season.

The only side that the Lilywhites can realistically catch are the Hammers, with Nottingham Forest and Leeds United both pulling away from the relegation scrap.

With just two points separating the London rivals with five games to go, Spurs fans will also be keeping a close eye on West Ham’s clash against Everton this Saturday, which will be played at the same time as Tottenham’s clash against Wolves.

Blow for Tottenham as Everton will be without their best player against West Ham

Jarrad Branthwaite was in tears as he was stretchered off the pitch during Everton’s 2-1 defeat in the Merseyside Derby on Sunday.

The Daily Mail have now confirmed that scans have revealed that the Everton centre-back now faces a couple of months on the sidelines and may not be back until pre-season.

That means that David Moyes’ men will be without their best defender when they make the trip to the London Stadium this Saturday.

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The good news from a Spurs perspective is that Brathwaite will also not feature against the Lilywhites, who take on the Toffees in their final league game of the season on May 24.

Jack Grealish remains sidelined for Everton, while Beto could also be a doubt for the clash against West Ham after suffering a knock on his head against Liverpool.

Roberto De Zerbi would want Spurs to focus on themselves rather than West Ham

While Tottenham fans will undoubtedly be keeping an eye on what goes on in East London on Saturday, De Zerbi will want his players to focus on getting three points against Wolves.

The Spurs boss declared that his side is capable of winning all of their final five league matches if they play with the same mentality and show the same character they did against Brighton.

Tottenham Hotspur have now settled on their top candidate to become their next sporting director, but they still have work to do to get the official through the door.

Fabio Paratici left Tottenham at the end of the January window, leaving Johan Lange as the club’s only sporting director.

Spurs Web has relayed reports over recent weeks suggesting that Lange is also at risk of losing his job at the North London club this summer on the back of the club’s poor showing this term.

It thus comes as no surprise to hear that Spurs are assessing candidates to become their next sporting director, and one man has now shot to the top of their wishlist.

Over recent weeks, it has been suggested that Spurs have held talks with Sebastian Kehl over their sporting director role, after the German left the same role with Borussia Dortmund last month.

Now, Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg suggests that Kehl has now become the Lilywhites’ number one target to take over as the club’s director.

Plettenberg claims that the 46-year-old’s network, his experience of playing at the highest level, and his management skills mean that Spurs see him as the ideal fit for the role.

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Interestingly, the journalist suggests that the Lilywhites want Kehl to work alongside Lange to rebuild their squad ahead of Roberto De Zerbi’s first full season in charge.

Kehl’s stance revealed following Spurs’ advances

Plettenberg makes it clear that the former Dortmund director’s move to Tottenham is far from imminent at the moment.

The Sky Sports journalist reveals that the German has not yet decided if he wants a quick return to the game or to take some time off after spending nine years at Dortmund, where he was the sporting director for the last four years.

Plettenberg writes on X: “Sebastian Kehl is now the leading candidate for a role as Tottenham’s new director. Spurs’ board want him to rebuild the team alongside Johan Lange. Kehl’s career as a top player, his management skills and his extensive international network are highly valued within the club and during the conversations.

“However, a quick decision does not appear imminent. Sources close to Kehl indicate that the former BVB sporting director has not yet decided whether he wants to return to the game immediately or take some time off first.”