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Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane has provided an update on the fitness of two of his key players ahead of his side’s London derby against Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs know that a point at Stamford Bridge will likely be enough to keep them up after West Ham United fell to a defeat at St James’ Park on Sunday.

While Chelsea have not won a league game for well over two months, they will be motivated to hand their rivals a big blow and salvage some pride after a difficult season.

Tottenham have been boosted by the return of Guglielmo Vicario, but seven of their senior men remain out of action.

Romeo Lavia and Levi Colwill are touch-and-go for Chelsea vs Tottenham

Romeo Lavia missed the FA Cup final against Manchester City due to a knock, but Calum McFarlane suggested that the midfielder was only left out as a precaution.

He told Football.London: “Romeo picked up a slight knock in the build-up to the game. Nothing major. But with Romeo, I didn’t want to take that risk. He didn’t want to take that risk. I thought he was brilliant in the games that he did play, in the same way Levi did. But you just have to be careful with players like that.”

Meanwhile, McFarlane said about Colwill on Monday: “We need to be careful with Levi. He’s obviously off the back of a very serious injury and has performed well in those two games. We’ll see how he looks today, how he reports, and we’ll make a decision on that.”

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Chelsea does not have any other major injury worries apart from the midfielder and the centre-back, with Jamie Gittens being the only other senior player currently on the treatment table.

De Zerbi shuts down talk of Spurs wake-up call

While his side may now be in the driver’s seat to stay up at West Ham’s expense, De Zerbi has made it clear that he is not counting the chickens before they hatch.

When asked on Monday if the Lilywhites’ flirting with relegation this season has proven to be a real wake-up call, the Tottenham boss noted that his side is not safe just yet.

De Zerbi remarked that no point comes easily in the Premier League and that his players need to show fight to get over the line.

Tottenham head to Chelsea on Tuesday night knowing a win or a draw will secure their Premier League survival. The record at Stamford Bridge is grim. The players on this list haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory this season either, but they could still make the difference when it matters most for Spurs.

One win in 33 Premier League meetings at Stamford Bridge. That stat follows Tottenham around like a bad smell, hauled out every time this fixture comes around, and with good reason. The last time Spurs won there in the league, Mauricio Pochettino was in the dugout, and Harry Kane was 24. April 2018, a 3-1 win. It feels like a different club entirely.

There is a reason this side is where they are. It is not bad luck, not a conspiracy, not a run of fixtures. It is a squad that has spent most of this season looking like it has no idea what it is doing.

Eight points from the last four matches under De Zerbi represent genuine progress, but six from the 17 before that tells you what the baseline actually looks like. Chelsea are winless in seven, which is the main reason there is any hope at all.

So let’s be honest about who Tottenham are relying on. These four need to have good nights. They haven’t always managed that this season. But here’s why Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge might be different.

Let’s start with the uncomfortable truth: Conor Gallagher was signed for £35 million in January and spent the first two months at Spurs looking like a player who’d lost his way entirely.

Some of the performances were hard to watch. His passing accuracy dropped to 74 per cent in one home defeat to Fulham; he lost the ball 12 times and won one ground duel. Fans were calling him the worst signing in the club’s history before he’d been there four months.

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He joined from Atletico Madrid, looking to reignite a career that had stalled under Diego Simeone, and for a long stretch, it looked like the move had made things worse. A midfielder who can’t find his feet in a struggling side is not a reassuring thing to go to Stamford Bridge with.

But then De Zerbi arrived, and Gallagher finally looked like himself again. His performance in the 2-1 win at Aston Villa was something different altogether: press triggers, recovery runs, a goal scored and a midfield bossed. De Zerbi said afterwards: “When Gallagher plays like this we play with 12 players,” “because you can find him as a striker, as a midfielder, as a full-back, everywhere on the pitch.”

The worry is that Villa were rotating heavily and had nothing to play for. Chelsea, even in freefall, are a different test. Caicedo and Fernandez will not give him the space he had at Villa Park. But Gallagher knows that midfield. He knows where the gaps open up and when to press.

Going back to Stamford Bridge with something to prove is either the worst possible scenario for him, or exactly the kind of moment that drags a performance out of a player who has been searching for one all season.

Mathys Tel went 18 league games without a goal before his curler against Leeds. Then, 24 minutes after scoring it, he attempted an overhead kick inside his own box, caught Ethan Ampadu in the face, and gave away the penalty that cost Spurs two points they absolutely could not afford to drop. Jamie Carragher called it two ridiculous decisions. It is hard to argue.

That is the Tel problem in miniature. The talent is obvious, and it has been from the start. The judgement is not there yet, and at 21 in a relegation fight, that gap between potential and reliability is a real source of anxiety.

He has four league goals this season. Four. In and out of the side, never quite nailing down a consistent role, drifting in and out of games. In a side this desperate for goals, that return has not been enough.

Here is the case for him anyway: Chelsea have not kept a clean sheet since October, and their backline has been leaking goals in every Premier League game since. Tel’s pace in behind is the kind of thing that rattles a defence that is already low on confidence. He doesn’t need to be smart. He needs to run and shoot and trust his instincts.

The question is whether those instincts take him towards goal or towards his own penalty area.

Richarlison is Tottenham’s top scorer this season. Ten Premier League goals. That is a decent return in the abstract. In the context of a side that has spent most of the campaign looking utterly toothless in attack, it is the main reason Richarlison is not getting more credit. He has been carrying the goal threat almost entirely on his own, and nobody seems especially grateful.

The honest version of his season: inconsistent, in and out of form, part of a collective attack that has been poor. The goals are real, but the performances around them have been patchy. His link-up play goes missing, he can vanish from games, and there have been stretches where even he looked like a player unsure what system he was supposed to be playing in.

He scored in the Villa win. He grabbed the assist at Wolves that led directly to Palhinha’s winner. Two consecutive goal contributions in the biggest games of the season. And the thing about Richarlison is that he has done this before: he kept Everton up in 2022 with goals when it mattered and when nobody expected him to deliver. He is not a pretty player to watch, but ugly goals at Stamford Bridge count the same as beautiful ones.

Solanke’s hamstring injury almost certainly rules him out, which means Richarlison leads the line, whether you’re confident in him or not. Chelsea’s defence has been a mess for months. This is the kind of game he either disappears in completely or pops up with the goal that nobody saw coming.

The case for Micky van de Ven starts with the brutal reality of what sits alongside him. Cristian Romero is out for the season. Kevin Danso has been decent but hardly imposing. The rest of the defensive unit has spent most of the campaign looking shaky at best and catastrophic at worst. Van de Ven has been the one constant: fit all season, playing nearly every minute, and carrying a back four that has given him very little help.

That is also the tension. Because the defensive record is what it is, regardless. Tottenham have been leaking goals all season, and a Chelsea attack built around players who rotate and probe and exploit gaps in behind is exactly the kind of thing that has caused problems all year. Cole Palmer drops into pockets. Joao Pedro spins in behind. Cucurella overlaps on the left. Van de Ven cannot do all of it on his own.

What he can do is make Chelsea work for everything. His pace is genuinely exceptional for a centre-back, and he carries the ball out calmly from the back, which De Zerbi needs in his system. He has been one of the few Spurs players this season who looks like he actually belongs at this level. That matters, at Stamford Bridge, on a night like this.

Chelsea might have the statistical edge. The record says they probably should win. But this Spurs side has ground out results at Wolves and Villa when the pressure was at its highest.

If Van de Ven holds the line, Gallagher finds the version of himself that De Zerbi keeps insisting is in there, Tel stays on the right side of reckless, and Richarlison does what he did at Villa: Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge could be something worth remembering. It just won’t be comfortable getting there.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters have once again voiced their frustration with Premier League officiating after another controversial VAR decision during Arsenal’s win against Burnley.

The officiating in the Premier League has constantly come under heavy criticism this season, given the inconsistencies in major decisions.

For Tottenham Hotspur, it does feel as though they have regularly been on the receiving end of those inconsistencies.

Many fans will quickly point to the Randal Kolo Muani push on Gabriel in the north London derby, which was ruled a foul, while a similar push on Cristian Romero several weeks before the Arsenal game was deemed acceptable.

Spurs have also been on the receiving end of official apologies this season, with the Brian Brobbey challenge on Romero, which later sidelined the defender, eventually judged to have been reckless, with the Sunderland player deemed fortunate not to have received a second booking.

Last weekend against Leeds United, James Maddison was brought down in the box by Lucas Nmecha, only for the penalty appeals to be waved away. That decision clearly left Maddison furious, feeling he had been fouled, but VAR did not intervene.

Tottenham fans react to Kai Havertz VAR decision in Arsenal win against Burnley

The inconsistencies continued into the penultimate gameweek of the season, this time involving Arsenal.

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Kai Havertz, during the Gunners’ clash against Burnley, put in a reckless challenge with his studs showing into the back of Ugochukwu’s calf.

However, after a VAR check, the incident was not deemed violent or reckless enough for a red card, allowing Havertz to remain on the pitch.

Ironically, earlier in the season, Xavi Simons made a not too dissimilar challenge on Virgil van Dijk and was sent off almost immediately. The similarities between the incidents have now sparked frustration among Tottenham supporters online.

Writing on X, one Tottenham fan questioned: “Why was Xavi Simons sent off and not Kai Havertz? @FA_PGMOL”

Another supporter hinted at perceived bias, writing: “If you look really closely, you can see Kai Havertz is wearing an Arsenal jersey.”

One fan stated: “Simple… Arsenal are the chosen ones to win the Premier League. This is blatant match fixing. VAR review and no red card. Football is finished.”

Another supporter added: “Just another example of the corruption and favouritism towards Woolwich.”

Calls for consistency also emerged, with one fan writing: “Consistency is all we ask for. If one gets sent off then the other needs to be as well or neither go off. Incompetent refs making huge errors every single game at this point.”

One more Tottenham supporter added: “If Romero had done that he would be suspended for six seasons.”

The complaints continued, with another fan posting: “Make it make sense? A full-on lunge from Havertz too.”

Spurs fans are right to question refereeing inconsistencies in the Premier League

Arsenal are now on course to win the Premier League, and that will be confirmed should Manchester City drop points against Bournemouth.

However, there is no denying the Gunners have benefited from several favourable decisions this season. Thus far, Arsenal have not received a single red card, while opposition sides are still waiting for a penalty to be awarded against them in the league.

In their game against Brighton, there was also a clear penalty incident that many believed should have been given, only for it to be waved away by the officials. In typical PGMOL fashion, a statement was later issued admitting a penalty should have been awarded.

The inconsistencies in officiating continue to frustrate supporters, especially when similar incidents appear to produce completely different outcomes from one week to the next.

Tottenham Hotspur are facing a new challenger in their pursuit of Andy Robertson, according to the latest update on the Liverpool left-back’s future.

Tottenham failed with a move to land Roberson in January, but reports indicate that the Lilywhites have done some groundwork to secure the left-back on a free transfer when his contract runs out in June.

In fact, some journalists have said that the Liverpool full-back has already verbally agreed to sign for Spurs as long as they avoid relegation from the Premier League.

However, it has now emerged that another European giant has turned their attention to the experienced full-back, potentially giving the Lilywhites a headache.

Juventus ready to challenge Tottenham for Andy Robertson

The Times have now revealed that Juventus are the latest club to enter the race to sign Robertson on a free transfer.

The outlet says Spurs are expected to ‘resurrect their interest’ in the 32-year-old once they secure their place in the top-flight, but they now face a challenge from the Bianconeri.

The Serie A giants are working on a deal to land Alisson Becker, and they want Robertson to line up alongside the Brazilian goalkeeper for them next season.

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However, while relaying this information from The Times, TEAMtalk say that, according to their sources, the Scotsman is ‘almost certain to join Tottenham’ when his Liverpool deal runs out.

Other clubs also want to beat Spurs to Robertson

Over the last couple of weeks, it has emerged that Atletico Madrid are also ready to challenge Spurs for Robertson this summer.

Some sources have said that the Tottenham target has also held talks with Celtic, with the 32-year-old having grown up as a Bhoys supporter and having come through the Glasgow club’s academy.

Toby Alderweireld has reflected on the Battle of the Bridge a decade ago as Tottenham Hotspur face another big clash at Stamford Bridge tomorrow.

Chelsea fans would have liked nothing more than to be the ones to relegate Tottenham, but that can no longer happen after West Ham’s loss at St James’ Park on Sunday.

Spurs now only need a point to all but guarantee their place in the Premier League next season, and they will want to seal their survival in West London rather than letting the relegation battle go into the final day of the season.

The game has echoes of the ‘Battle of the Bridge’ back in 2016, where Spurs travelled to Chelsea needing a win to keep their title hopes alive, only for the home side to hold them to a 2-2 draw.

Toby Alderweireld admits Tottenham’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea is ‘craziest game’ he has played

Alderweireld, who was a key part of the Spurs side that was beaten to the title by Leicester City back in 2015-16, admitted that he never experienced a game like the London derby at Stamford Bridge that season.

The Belgian admitted that it was evident right from the start of the game that neither side was going to shy away from the battle.

Alderweireld told The Times about the ‘Battle of the Bridge’: “I was the only one who didn’t get a yellow!” Alderweireld says. “I think it was the craziest game I ever played. Foul, foul, the game always standing still and the yellow cards. You could feel the game from the first duel, the first foul, it’s like ‘Oh that was a nasty one’. Straight away.”

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“The pressure had been building for a couple of weeks and all the attention meant everyone was so fired up. At that time, we were always above Arsenal, so for me that was not really the rivalry, it was much more Chelsea. With VAR you wouldn’t get a game like that now. Maybe I’m a nostalgic guy, but that was the beauty of no VAR.”

Alderweireld believes Spurs can win at Chelsea tomorrow

The Lilywhites will be taking on a Chelsea side which has not won a league match for two and a half months.

Alderweireld insists that Roberto De Zerbi’s men are capable of making it three wins from three away games on Tuesday and securing their spot in the top-flight.

He added: “Of course, Spurs can win. They have the situation in their own hands, so that’s positive, and this is not the best Chelsea team. They definitely have a chance.”

Tottenham Hotspur have a stock of incredibly talented young players coming up through their ranks right now. Here’s how they fared across their loan spells across the football leagues.

Kota Takai has the unfortunate displeasure of opening this list as the Tottenham Hotspur player with the worst loan of the season. Arriving from Japan in the summer of 2025, Takai was a much hyped young centre-back with the thought that he could make a first-team impact. But Takai developed plantar fasciitis in the early stages of the season, which meant he made only one matchday squad before being shipped out on loan to Bundesliga’s Hamburger SV in January. Since then, Takai has only played 339 minutes across 8 appearances and has put in poorly rated performances in all three of his starts for the German club. It’s only natural that a teenager 10.000 kilometres from home takes some time to adjust to new playing conditions, but Kota Takai clearly still has some adjusting to do and likely needs another loan next season before we see him get his first Tottenham minutes.

If one were only to consider the first half of this season, Min-Hyeok Yang would certainly be higher up this list. His first half of the season loan spell at Portsmouth was a fairly successful one, scoring three goals and assisting one, in 15 appearances. The club clearly had a lot of faith in Yang to make the step up as for the second half of the season, he was placed into championship-contending Coventry City. And sadly, there is no positive way to spin Yang’s spell at Coventry. The South Korean winger was effectively frozen out of the squad after making 3 off the bench early on. Yang has shown flashes of brilliance and still has bundles of potential to break through as a first-team player, but he’ll likely have to prove it on another loan spell because this one didn’t move him forward very much.

Unfortunately, it looks like the Alejo Veliz experiment at Tottenham Hotspur is all but over. Following loans to Sevilla and Espanyol, his loan back to his Argentine home club Rosario Central before the start of this season makes it unlikely Veliz will ever wear a Tottenham shirt again. He is contracted to Tottenham until 2029, but the club are unlikely to recoup their initial 13 million investment.

With the talent available to George Abbott, he really should be higher up on this list. But George Abbott had to navigate the heaps of natural ability he has, all while dealing with one injury setback after another. His incredibly promising loan to Wycombe Wanderers was cut short by a quad injury, which resurfaced again after joining League One’s Mansfield Town in February, meaning that Abbott had very limited game time all season long.

Manor Solomon is one of those players who, come the end of the season, still have a chance to get a look in from whoever is in the Spurs dugout, especially in the scenario if Tottenham fail to avoid relegation. Solomon has had 2 loans where he performed adequately, at Villareal and at Fabio Paratici’s Fiorentina, and while he probably isn’t of the quality required to start for Tottenham in the Premier League, they are sure to make a profit on Solomon if any sale is sanctioned.

Alfie Dorrington is one of the few remaining Tottenham loanees whose seasons still aren’t over. After spending a year on loan at Aberdeen, Dorrington moved to League Two’s Salford and helped them secure a promotion play-off spot. Dorrington made the first XI five times for Salford and came off the bench another five times. With Salford in the promotion play-off final, Alfie has a chance to secure a second trophy in two years after winning the Scottish FA Cup with Aberdeen last year. While Dorrington probably isn’t of the quality necessary to play for Spurs in the long-term, he’s our academy graduate, and any eventual sale can be marked as pure profit in the PSR books.

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Dane Scarlett is another one of those players who’ve enjoyed a more-or-less positive loan that probably hasn’t moved the needle in terms of becoming an established first-team player at Tottenham. Scarlett’s loan to the Scottish Premiership saw him make 6 starts in 13 appearances, most recently scoring the winning goal against Mikey Moore’s Rangers. But the 22-year-old probably has his last chance to impress over the summer if Tottenham remain in the Premier League. The picture looks completely different if Spurs are relegated. Dane is an academy player with Championship experience, and his services could still be called upon if Tottenham make the drop.

Damola Ajayi, who already wrote his name in the Tottenham history books by being one of the three academy youngsters scoring a goal during last season’s Europa League match against Elfsborg, had one of the more baffling seasons as far as Tottenham loanees go. Despite a fairly successful first half of the season spell with Doncaster in League One, with 2 goals in 19 appearances, Ajayi actually made a step down to League Two’s Bromley, where the young midfielder struggled for consistent minutes, only playing 360 of them across 11 appearances. Damola Ajayi surely gained valuable experience from his loans, but will likely have to prove himself elsewhere next season.

Oliver Irow’s impressive season with Tottenham’s U19 and U21 teams earned him a first move to senior football. The 20-year-old winger got some good minutes under his belt at Mansfield, scoring 4 goals in 17 appearances. His efforts helped secure a historic 10th-place finish for Mansfield, and the loan spell without a doubt is a great first step in a blossoming career.

Yusuf Akhamrich had a truly breakout first half of the season with Tottenham’s U21, establishing himself as one of the more exciting academy prospects, which got him his first chance at senior football via a loan to League Two Bristol Rovers. The winger played consistently across Bristol’s remaining season, chipping in with 6 goals and one assist across 19 appearances. His solid season will, without a doubt, earn a loan to a club higher in the football pyramid, where hopefully he can continue his development.

Ashley Philips managed to complete his second full-season loan to Stoke City, establishing himself as a competent Championship defender with more than 3000 minutes across 40 appearances over the course of this campaign. Although Stoke themselves played a decidedly average season, finishing in 17th place, Ashley Philips really came into his own and was rewarded for his efforts with a Championship Young Player of the Year nomination. If Tottenham were to be relegated, Philips would certainly be one of those players Spurs could start building around in the long term.

Jamie Donley had an important season for his senior career, which could have been even better if not for his injury issues. Despite getting relatively little gametime during his time at Stoke, he showed glimpses of a truly great attacking player at Oxford, especially when linking up with his ex-academy teammate Will Lankshear. Donley, of course, also made his international debut for Northern Ireland, featuring in four World Cup qualifiers and scoring a goal in one of them. If Tottenham can secure another Championship loan for Donley, we could hopefully see him involved with the first team soon.

Alfie Devine simply refuses to do anything but thrive in men’s football. The 21-year-old midfielder recorded 8 goals, 6 assists, and 36 starts in 45 appearances. Alfie seems to be comfortable at every level of football he’s had to play in so far, from his spell in the Belgian league to now in the Championship. The 4.5 million buy option Preston secured in the loan agreement with Tottenham seems like an absolute steal right now, and reports emerged that Preston are in fact trying to agree a payment structure with Spurs that would allow Preston to complete their biggest ever transfer. Honestly, Alfie Devine should probably look to step up from the Championship and hope for a loan move to one of the Premier League clubs. At times this season, Alfie Devine would’ve walked into the Spurs midfield, and losing as talented a player for a fee this small would be a big blow.

Will Lankshear is another player whose loan spell showed that they’re ready to take the next decisive steps in their professional football careers. Will completed a season-long loan to Oxford United, and even though Oxford didn’t manage to avoid relegation from the Championship, Lankshear continued to prove his mettle by scoring 11 goals and 2 assists across 44 appearances this season. Consistent game time for a top Championship side or a lower Premier League side is the next natural step for the development of the young striker.

It’s fair to say Spurs fans had high expectations of Mikey Moore ever since he broke through at Tottenham in the 23/24 season. His first loan move was supposed to put the teenager in a challenging environment and perhaps even temper some unrealistic expectations. After all, a step-up from U21 football to playing for one of the Old Firm clubs in Scotland is a fairly steep one. But if anything, the expectations are even higher now because Mikey Moore passed the test with flying colours, especially with how difficult his first few months at Ibrox had been. Under Russel Martin, Mikey had limited playing time and was often forced to play in positions he wasn’t used to.

A few poor performances early on, coupled with how generally poor Rangers were under Martin, meant that Mikey Moore had to endure a very tough first 3 months in Glasgow. But Mikey bode his time and was eventually rewarded when arriving manager Danny Rohl started playing him in his preferred position on the right wing. Since then, Mikey Moore put in a stunner of a season with 7 goals and three assists on top of consistently good performances, won the Scottish Premiership’s Young Player of the Season Award, and became a much-loved figure around the Ibrox. Hopefully, his time with Rangers will be enough to start getting consistent minutes at Tottenham, and we should all expect Mikey to be involved in the first team come next season.

During his time with Hamburg, Luka Vuskovic quickly went from a relatively unknown but talented young defender to one of the most in-demand centre-back prospects in European football. Probably not in the wildest of dreams did Tottenham expect Vuskovic to finish his season as a world-class talent of the highest calibre.

From reports of immediately becoming a leader and important voice in the Hamburg dressing room, through multiple Rookie of the Month awards, to being in contention for the Bundesliga’s Young Player of the Year award, all justified by a truly incredible season on the pitch, which helped the newly promoted Hamburger to secure a 14th-place finish in the league.

Vuskovic has all the right attributes to be an elite defender, and he more than makes up for his relative lack of pace with his expert anticipation, physicality, ability in the box, and even an eye for a spectacular finish.

Tottenham Hotspur may be sweating over the future of Alfie Devine after the attacking midfielder enjoyed a breakout season on loan at Preston North End.

This season was billed as a make-or-break one for Devine’s future at Tottenham, and the 21-year-old has certainly silenced his critics, showcasing why many at Hotspur Way rate him so highly.

The Spurs academy graduate made the number 10 spot at Preston his own, registering 14 goal contributions in the Championship.

Devine has already been scouted by some big clubs ahead of the summer, and Tottenham have now received an update which may make them nervous.

Preston North End expected to exercise option to purchase Alfie Devine from Tottenham

Preston have a £4.5m option to buy the Tottenham youngster permanently this summer, but it had been suggested that they do not have the financial means to activate the clause.

However, journalist Alan Nixon has revealed on his Patreon that the Championship club have now changed their mind.

He claims that Preston are now hoping to activate the purchase option for Devine, which would make the 21-year-old their club record signing.

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It is revealed that Paul Heckingbottom’s side want to agree on a payment plan with Tottenham that allows them to spread the fee across three or four years.

Alasdair Gold suggests Spurs may regret adding Devine purchase option

This update comes just over a week after Alasdair Gold suggested that Tottenham may come to regret handing Preston an option to buy the attacking midfielder.

The journalist opined that Devine could be worth three times the clause, which is why it would be a no-brainer for the Championship club to activate it.

Gold said on his YouTube channel on May 9: “Preston have got an option to buy him, thought to be around 4.5 million, which a lot of people are saying is quite steep. Look, if I’m Preston, I don’t want Devine to go because I do genuinely think he’s got so much talent.

“I’d love Roberto De Zerbi to have a look at him before he makes any decision. If I’m Preston, I’m probably thinking, can we stretch to £4.5 million, because he’s instantly probably worth more than that? It’s quite low for him. I think he will go for triple that.”

Roberto De Zerbi has offered a candid insight into Mathys Tel’s reaction after his costly mistake for Tottenham against Leeds United.

There will definitely be a feeling of ‘what if’ among Tottenham Hotspur supporters as they continue their fight for survival.

One of the biggest what-ifs of this gameweek has already gone Spurs’ way after Newcastle United beat West Ham United and handed Tottenham a golden opportunity to secure their survival with a single point against Chelsea.

However, many fans will be thinking, what if Mathys Tel had never attempted that overhead kick in the box against Leeds last time out? Of course, things would have looked different for Spurs, who would have been safe by now.

Roberto De Zerbi reveals Mathys Tel’s reaction after Tottenham mistake

Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi has now opened up on Tel after the forward’s mistake in the Leeds United game.

Speaking to football.london, he revealed exactly how the wide man has reacted to the costly error, offering a positive assessment of his mentality in the aftermath.

He said: “Great reaction. Very mature guy, maybe more so outside the pitch than on it because he has not played that many games. He is a lovely guy, strong character and in the future he can play better and better and become a great player for us.”

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Spurs need Tel to play with confidence at this stage of the season

Spurs still need Mathys Tel in their fight to stay in the Premier League, and they need him playing with confidence if he is to make a real impact.

We have seen what a confident Tel looks like out wide for Spurs, as he offers a genuine attacking threat for Tottenham in advanced areas.

Against Leeds, while his error turned three points into one, he was the one who had initially put Spurs ahead after slotting in a lovely curler.

Such is the quality of the forward, and De Zerbi will be hoping to see that version of the Frenchman against Chelsea.

Roberto De Zerbi has spoken about his confidence in his Tottenham Hotspur side ahead of their crucial trip to Chelsea, with focus firmly fixed on finishing the job in their Premier League survival push.

The last thing Tottenham Hotspur needs at this stage of their season is to be complacent, as their work is far from done in the fight for Premier League survival.

Of course, there is no denying that the latest West Ham United slip-up, where the Hammers lost 3-1 to Newcastle United, does give Spurs a little room for error, but they must avoid thinking that way.

Up next is a massive London derby with Chelsea set to take on Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.

For Spurs, any result aside from defeat and they are safe, but the Blues will not want to have the Lilywhites celebrating survival on their own turf and will only look to compound Spurs’ misery.

Tottenham Roberto De Zerbi on confidence in Spurs side ahead of Chelsea clash

Roberto De Zerbi is well aware of what is at stake for Tottenham coming into the Chelsea game, and he will be hoping his players are up to the task.

Interim Chelsea boss Calum McFarlane is also aware of how significant this match is and has sent a warning message to Spurs in advance as he looks to galvanise his own players.

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Spurs do have De Zerbi to thank for the recent upturn in results. Before his appointment, Tottenham were plummeting down the table fast, but after eight points from his last four games, some belief has been restored in N17.

De Zerbi has now made it clear ahead of the Chelsea game that he is confident in his players, while also stressing the importance of maintaining focus and intensity at this stage of the season.

When reflecting on recent results and the standards he expects from his squad going forward, he told football.London: “We did not deserve to lose the first game at Sunderland but we made eight points from the next four and we deserved to get more points.

“But we cannot remember how things were a month ago. To get one point is tough, because all teams fight on the pitch. I want to see the right spirit, character and courage on the pitch.”

Spurs urged to stay focused as De Zerbi keeps Chelsea message simple

De Zerbi also warned Tottenham against being carried away or looking too far ahead, insisting the focus must remain firmly on the task in front of them.

According to the Spurs boss, attention must stay on the two remaining games and securing the points needed to complete their objective, rather than revisiting wider issues from the season.

He addressed the importance of focus and energy management, making it clear there is no room for distraction at this stage. When asked if the relegation scare was a wake-up call for Tottenham, De Zerbi was keen not to promote any complacency.

He added, “No, listen, one thing at a time. Now we need to play two games. We need to make other points to achieve our target and then have the right time to talk about the problems we have had, but it is not time right now and to lose energy over it.”

Toby Alderweireld has revealed where the current Tottenham Hotspur squad should have finished in the Premier League this season if they had played to their potential.

Just a few weeks ago, Tottenham were the favourites to get relegated, and it was difficult to see how the Lilywhites could muster up the points they needed to stay up.

However, back-to-back away wins at Wolves and Aston Villa, along with a poor string of results for West Ham, have now completely changed the complexion of the relegation battle.

Roberto De Zebri’s men are now in the driving seat to stay in the Premier League, needing just a point in their final two league games to avoid joining Burnley and Wolves in the Championship next term.

Toby Alderweireld claims Tottenham should be finishing mid-table

While De Zerbi has undoubtedly turned around the club’s fortunes since taking over, Alderweireld believes that his former club should never have been in this position to begin with.

The 37-year-old suggested that the Lilywhites should not have dropped below midtable, given the quality they have at their disposal.

When asked about Spurs’ situation this season, the Belgian told The Times: “I don’t want to kill them, and I don’t want to put pressure on them, but no one, not just in a small period but in a full season, has played well, and that’s not something that can happen at Spurs. You can have one or two bad games, but not a whole season.

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“This is a squad to be around mid-table in the league, not relegation for sure, but if you compare this squad to the squad we had, there is a big difference.”

Alderweireld does not accept pressure as an excuse for Spurs’ performances

De Zerbi has suggested that the fear of relegation has been the big problem at Spurs over recent months, making it clear that his priority has been to change the players’ mentality.

Some pundits have even suggested that Tottenham are struggling to cope with the pressure of their fans when they play at home, but Alderweireld insists that it cannot be an excuse.

When asked if the Lilywhites have not coped well enough with the pressure this season, the former Spurs centre-back said: “There is pressure but that’s the job, when you play for a big club — there is pressure.

“Everyone wants to play for a big club and when they get there, they need to accept they play with pressure. It’s impossible to play for a big club and not play with pressure. OK, Eden Hazard, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, maybe they don’t feel pressure, I don’t know, but normal people, they feel pressure. You have to handle it.”