Football FanCast

Tottenham Hotspur can ill-afford any more stumbles in their fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday evening, Roberto De Zerbi's men actually played well, but they still failed to hold onto their slender advantage and were held to a draw when Georginio Rutter struck past Antonin Kinsky in stoppage time.

How they respond is the question on every Lilywhites fans' mind. Spurs travel to bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers and then Aston Villa next before hosting relegation rivals Leeds United. These next few weeks are clearly crucial.

After so many poor performances - Tottenham last won in the Premier League in December, 15 games ago - it was pleasing to see De Zerbi get some kind of tune out of his players, even if they still failed to secure the win.

How Spurs improved vs Brighton

Chiefly, there was more spirit and initiative about Tottenham's performance. Improvements are still needed, as was painfully clear when the players stood, dejected, and stared into the grass as they failed to secure a priceless victory that would of taken them above Nottingham Forest, who then won on Sunday against Burnley.

This is not the time for rueing missed opportunities, though, with kitchen sink time upon us. De Zerbi will make that known in training, but he will also point toward the progress evident against the Seagulls.

Though the visitors had the lion's share of the ball (58%), the hosts outperformed their xG (1.09 vs 0.82), and

Expected Goals (xG) is a metric designed to measure the probability of a shot resulting in a goal.

The flagging midfield has also seen a facelift, with Rodrigo Bentancur starting and James Maddison on the bench following respective long-term injuries.

However, another player looked to come into his own last time out, and he could help provide a formula to lift the Londoners out of the relegation zone and toward a positive future.

De Zerbi has found a "Poch-era Dele Alli" at Spurs

He's had a tough time since joining Tottenham, but Conor Gallagher played a big role in the point gained at the weekend. As much as it was a big blow, it was a stepping stone toward a win that will surely come in the next few weeks.

It was closer to the all-action style that ENIC Group thought they were paying for when he arrived from Atletico Madrid in a £35m package in January. Throughout the first half and into the second, Tottenham probably carried a greater threat than their opponents, and Gallagher's energy and enthusiasm was a key part in that.

Despite his struggles this season, anonymous at times and typically lacking bite and confidence in key moments, De Zerbi has played Gallagher frequently, suggesting that he very much admires the 26-year-old's skillset. That opinion will not have changed after the Brighton draw.

He does have a lot more to offer. After all, The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke once described him as a “Poch-era Dele Alli” during his days as a Chelsea star.

It's fair to say that Gallagher's performances over the past few months have not been reminiscent of Dele in his Tottenham heyday. However, he showed against Brighton that he can play with more freedom and progressiveness than we've seen.

His previous campaign in the Premier League, at Stamford Bridge in 2023/24, saw him post five goals and seven assists, excelling in a roving midfield role. He created 11 big chances, won 5.7 duels per average each game and succeeded with 68% of his dribbles.

That's Dele-esque, albeit to a lesser standard than when the former England international once wreaked havoc upon Premier League defences.

With Bentancur bringing stability to the midfield, De Zerbi can now urge Gallagher to play with more freedom, breaking away from the pragmatism that is probably holding him back.

Maddison could also play a Christian Eriksen-type playmaking role, allowing Gallagher to dart into the danger area and create without shouldering the burden of chief responsibility.

Is Gallagher Dele reincarnate? No, clearly not. However, an ability to drive forward and combine combative midfield work with slick attacking play is something that has been missing down N17 this season, and if Gallagher uses this platform to kick on, it could prove all the difference.

Radu Dragusin now wants to leave Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window, regardless of whether they are relegated from the Premier League.

Spurs in real danger of relegation after draw against Brighton

Georginio Rutter denied Roberto De Zerbi his first victory as Tottenham manager on Saturday afternoon, with the forward scoring a late equaliser to rescue a point for Brighton, which leaves the north Londoners in serious trouble of being relegated.

In fact, should West Ham United defeat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park this evening, Spurs will be four points adrift of safety, leaving them with a mountain to climb heading into the final five games of the Premier League season.

Should the unthinkable happen, it will be no surprise if De Zerbi's best players are unwilling to stick around for Championship football next season, and Manchester United have recently been handed a boost in their pursuit of a defender.

According to a report from Spotmedia, Dragusin also wants to leave this summer, with the centre-back fed up, having struggled for game time since returning from a long injury lay-off at the end of 2025.

The Romania's agents have already opened talks about a move across the continent, with a number of clubs from Italy and Germany being offered the chance to sign him, off the back of failing to make it off the bench in the last three Premier League matches.

That is despite receiving plaudits from De Zerbi after Cristian Romero was ruled out for the rest of the season due to an injury sustained against Sunderland, with the Italian saying: "We have to be positive - Radu Dragusin and Kevin Danso - they are able to play, to play well, to give us quality with the ball and to be strong in defensive space."

Jamie O'Hara has been less complimentary about the £85k-a-week defender, taking to X to slam him after the 4-1 North London derby defeat against Arsenal in February.

De Zerbi offers unique incentive for winning games

In an effort to boost morale, De Zerbi took his players out for a luxury meal after the defeat against Sunderland, and the 46-year-old has vowed to foot the bill for a dinner every week if there is an uptick in results.

The manager said: "I know we eat very well. The food was amazing and if we win, I am ready to pay every week for one dinner. I am positive, I am ready to fight and I believe to keep Premier League [status]. I believe in my words that I said last week. The focus is to win one game."

Tottenham travel to Molineux next, and they couldn't ask for a better opportunity to get a win on the board, with Rob Edwards' side winning just three games all season.

Tottenham have agreed "everything" with Liverpool star Andy Robertson, according to Fabrizio Romano, with the left-back "set to join" the club this summer if they stay in the Premier League.

Fabrizio Romano shares latest on Robertson and Senesi

The Lilywhites are in grave danger of dropping to the Championship, with just five games remaining to avoid that catastrophic outcome.

There were positive signs to take from Saturday's draw with Brighton however, with Xavi Simons putting in a man of the match display and producing his finest moment in a Tottenham shirt to date.

The club have also started making positive steps to add to their squad in the summer transfer window, with a deal agreed 'in principle' with Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi, who will be a free agent at the end of the season.

Speaking in his latest YouTube video, Romano revealed the deal for Senesi still has some details left to iron out, but the move for Liverpool defender Robertson is much more advanced.

"(Robertson) is set to join Tottenham if they stay up in the Premier League. According to my information, there is already in this case an agreement on everything between Robertson and Tottenham."

Neither player will officially put pen to paper until top flight status is confirmed, says Romano, but it seems Spurs have got their first two signings of the summer lined up without spending a penny.

Where would Robertson rank in Tottenham's top earners?

De Zerbi confident Spurs will stay up

De Zerbi issued a rallying cry to his deflated Tottenham players and insisted they can win their last five Premier League games this season.

Even though Spurs’ players collapsed at full-time against the Seagulls, the Italian claimed to be more confident of survival after he picked up the first point of his reign against old club.

West Ham are a point ahead of Tottenham in 17th ahead of Monday’s trip to Crystal Palace, but De Zerbi backed his squad to win their remaining matches with Wolves, Aston Villa, Leeds, Chelsea and Everton to avoid a first relegation since 1977.

“I always thought and believed in the quality of the players,” he insisted.

“They played a good game, I think we can play better than today with much more quality and more calm, especially when we are in possession, but in this moment we need this spirit, this attitude and this mentality.

“It is not finished yet. We have another five games. It is tough. Every one of us knows it is a tough moment, it is a difficult situation, but we have another five games and 15 points.

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

“Not to be arrogant because I am not arrogant, especially now, but we have the quality enough to fight and win games in a row.”

Manchester United have now been handed the green light to sign Cristian Romero from Tottenham Hotspur and INEOS could even land a cut-price deal.

Man Utd set to battle Real Madrid for Romero

The Red Devils have plenty of reason for optimism these days. Not only are they on course to qualify for the Champions League, they're on course to do so in style.

With doubts emerging over Michael Carrick for the first time in recent weeks, the interim boss picked up a much-needed statement victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, adding to earlier wins against Arsenal and Manchester City in his tenure.

Whether Matheus Cunha's winner was enough to tempt INEOS into handing Carrick the permanent gig remains to be seen. Recent rumours would suggest that they're considering all options, with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann threatening to steal the headlines.

Whoever does take the reins this summer will be backed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who already transformed Man United's frontline with some impressive additions last year.

The tactic last summer seemed to be targeting Premier League talent and it's since brought plenty of success. As a result, the Red Devils aren't set to fix something that's not broken.

According to Caught Offside, Man United have received a green light to sign Romero from Tottenham this summer, with Spurs now willing to sell after initially being keen to keep hold of their skipper.

As things stand, Spurs are one point adrift of safety with five games left to play. Their captain is increasingly unlikely to stick around and has publicly intimated he is open to a move, while their €65m (£57m) price tag will drop further if they go down.

It's not just the Red Devils who are interested in the Tottenham captain however - both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have got the tough tackling defender on their radar.

Romero is Maguire's successor

Just days after Noussair Mazraoui was forced to play centre-back against Chelsea, Man United have set their sights on signing Romero. The Argentine defender would tick plenty of boxes this summer, not least of which the one regarding Premier League expertise.

There's no doubt that Romero would be worth winning the race for either. Whilst Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro are stars for the future, United are still lacking an experienced centre-back at the peak of his powers next to Harry Maguire or Lisandro Martinez amid Matthijs de Ligt's injury issues.

Dubbed "unbelievable" by centre-back partner Micky van de Ven, Romero is certainly one to watch this summer.

He could even take Maguire's place in Man United's best side, given how he's outperformed the England international in several departments this season.

Arsenal are plotting a move for Tottenham Hotspur star Lucas Bergvall, with their north London rivals now in serious danger of being relegated from the Premier League.

Although the Gunners slipped up in the trip to the Etihad Stadium, they are still primed for a very exciting end to the season, having progressed to the Champions League semi-final, while they also continue to lead the way in the Premier League.

Spurs' current plight will no doubt be of great joy to a large section of the fanbase too, with Georginio Rutter bagging a 95th-minute equaliser for Brighton to deny Roberto De Zerbi his first victory on Saturday.

However, there are bigger concerns for Arsenal at the moment, having fallen to a 2-1 defeat against Manchester City on Sunday, in a game that could have huge ramifications on the Premier League title race.

Pep Guardiola's side are now just three points off top spot with a game in hand, and they have the opportunity to overtake the north Londoners by defeating Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday night.

Arteta will be fully focused on making sure his team finally get over the line, after a sticky spell since the EFL Cup final, but planning is going on in the background ahead of the summer transfer window.

Arsenal plotting move for Lucas Bergvall

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now plotting a stunning move for Tottenham star Lucas Bergvall, who ENIC are desperate to keep, given that he is regarded as a key component of the squad.

Should Spurs be willing to cash-in, they are expected to open negotiations at £50m, although there is no pressing need to sell the midfielder, as he remains under contract until the summer of 2031.

Chelsea and Barcelona are also credited with an interest in the 20-year-old, who has been described as having a "first touch like Modric" by The Athletic's JJ Bull.

It has been a torrid season for Spurs, and Bergvall has struggled on the injury front, missing large portions of the campaign, but he has managed to amass one goal and three assists in 20 Premier League appearances.

Arsenal plotting Sol Campbell-style swoop

Of course, very few direct transfers occur between the north London rivals, with Sol Campbell's move to Highbury causing ruptures, but what a move it proved to be, with the defender going on to lift two Premier League titles and three FA Cups.

That said, Bergvall is very inexperienced, often only featuring as a substitute for Spurs this season, whereas Campbell was 26 when he made the shock move to Arsenal.

Arteta is also well-stocked in the middle of the park, with Christian Norgaard barely getting a look-in this season, given that Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi have held down consistent places in the starting XI, so the Spurs star would probably be an unnecessary signing.

Xavi Simons scored in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur for the first time since December in the 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Since the Dutchman had last scored a goal in the top-flight, Spurs sacked Thomas Frank, appointed Igor Tudor, sacked Tudor, appointed Roberto De Zerbi, and lost a game under De Zerbi.

The Lilywhites paid £52m to sign the attacking midfielder from RB Leipzig last summer to bolster Frank's squad, but he only scored one Premier League goal for the Danish coach.

Xavi will know that his output this season has not been good enough for Spurs in the top-flight, given the money that was splashed out on his services last summer.

However, the managerial choices by the club prior to De Zerbi's arrival did not do him any favours, and he can now look to finally kick on in North London.

How Roberto De Zerbi has unlocked Xavi Simons for Spurs

Frank and Tudor's pragmatic styles of management did not suit a mercurial, possession-based, playmaker like Xavi because he needs to be fed the ball between the lines and to have plenty of movement around him.

Playing him as a touchline winger or playing him in midfield and watching long balls fly over his head for 90 minutes was never going to get the best out of the Dutch talent.

De Zerbi has come in, though, and immediately looked to deploy a possession-based system with Xavi coming in off the left to take up central positions and combine with the other attackers in the team, allowing his technical ability to shine through.

The Netherlands international scored a stunning goal from distance and assisted Pedro Porro with a delightful pass in the 2-2 draw with Brighton, as Spurs benefitted from getting him on the ball in central areas, which is a credit to De Zerbi and his coaching.

Spurs already have another Xavi Simons in the making

Having seen how quickly the Italian head coach has got Xavi firing in North London, the former Brighton boss should unleash one of the club's academy talents.

Luca Williams-Barnett has been in sublime form for the club at academy level and could help to fire the first-team to safety in the Premier League as Xavi 2.0 in the remaining five matches.

The England U18 international has produced 13 goals and seven assists in 16 appearances for Spurs in the U21 Premier League and the UEFA Youth League so far this season.

He has made the bench for the first-team on six occasions in the Premier League, without coming on, which shows that he has been under consideration by previous head coaches at Spurs.

De Zerbi must, now, unleash the 17-year-old whiz in the final games of this season in the top-flight because his form at youth level suggests that he could have the spark that the Lilywhites need to avoid the drop.

Williams-Barnett also scored 20 goals and provided 12 assists in 23 academy games in the 2024/25 campaign for Spurs at U18 and U21 level, which shows that his exceptional form in front of goal this term is not a flash in the pan.

The England youth international has consistently shown that he can impact matches at youth level with goals and assists on a regular basis, and he has taken that form over to England camps.

Williams-Barnett scored two goals and created three 'big chances' in four starts at the U17 World Cup for England last year, whilst he has also scored two goals in three caps for England at U18 level.

Like Xavi, the English youngster is a technically brilliant attacking midfielder who thrives with the ball at his feet in pockets of space, driving at the defence to score and create goals for his team.

That suggests that he would also thrive in De Zerbi's current Spurs set-up in the same way that Xavi did against Brighton, which is why Williams-Barnett should be given a chance in the first-team in the coming weeks.

The teenage sensation's ability to score and create goals could be priceless for Spurs if he can make the step up to senior football, as he could provide contributions that ultimately keep the team in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur central defender Kevin Danso will be kicking himself after his error cost his side the win against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday evening.

The Austria international took a touch in the box, instead of immediately clearing the ball, and lost possession, which directly led to Georginio Rutter's late equaliser.

That result means that Spurs remain in the bottom three in the Premier League heading into the last five matches of the 2025/26 campaign.

Despite the end result being a negative and frustrating one for the Lilywhites, drawing at home, there were positives for Roberto De Zerbi to take from the match.

The performance by the home team was far superior to the one that was put on display against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in his first game in charge.

How Spurs improved from Sunderland to Brighton

In De Zerbi's first game against the Black Cats, Spurs lost 1-0 and created less than 1 xG (0.82) across the 90 minutes on Wearside, taking just 11 shots.

They also allowed Sunderland to create 1.33 xG worth of chances against them, as the defence struggled to deal with Brian Brobbey, but they restricted Brighton to 0.82 xG. Unfortunately, the Seagulls were incredibly clinical.

De Zerbi's in possession style of play was more evident in the draw with Brighton as the team looked to build out from the back to create chances with football played on the floor, rather than hopeful punts up the pitch.

Xavi Simons scored a brilliant goal to put Spurs 2-1 up in the game and deserves credit for his impact for the Lilywhites, but he was far from the only player who helped make a difference from the defeat to Sunderland to the clash on Saturday.

Several Spurs players played a key role in the team's big improvement in performance from the loss to Sunderland to the draw with Brighton, which bodes well ahead of the remaining five matches.

Tottenham may have unearthed their new Mousa Dembele

After struggling at the Stadium of Light and being criticised for his performance, one Tottenham star is now emerging as De Zerbi's own version of Mousa Dembele, who was a powerful dribbler and workhorse during his time at the club.

After the loss to Sunderland, pundit and former Spurs midfielder Jamie O'Hara went to X to hand Conor Gallagher a 2/10 rating for his performance in the middle of the park.

The England international lost four of his seven duels, committing two fouls, and did not create any 'big chances' for his teammates in that loss to the Black Cats, which shows that he was too weak off the ball and did not do much with the ball at his feet to make up for it.

Gallagher, signed from Atletico Madrid for £34m in January, bounced back from that disappointing performance against Sunderland to look like the new Dembele for Spurs in midfield against Brighton.

His work on the ball was much improved in comparison to the previous weekend, as evidenced by his three completed dribbles and 'big chance' created. Dembele was famous for his ability to dribble past opposition players during his time at the club, and Gallagher is looking to follow in his footsteps.

It may not have been the result that Spurs wanted, as they failed to claim all three points, but seeing players like Gallagher and Xavi produce impressive performances should give supporters hope that all is not lost.

The English central midfielder looked right up for the battle against Brighton, winning seven of his nine duels, and came close to scoring by closing down the opposition goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen.

Gallagher has not hit the ground running in North London after arriving in the winter, but he joined in difficult circumstances amidst poor team form and several managerial changes.

Hopefully, the former Chelsea star can hit some form under De Zerbi and play a crucial role in keeping Spurs in the Premier League in the remaining five matches of this season.

The 26-year-old talent's performance against Brighton shows that he can be a Dembele-like operator in the middle of the park for Spurs, and De Zerbi needs him to maintain that level for the rest of the campaign to get the team over the line.

They were so, so, agonisingly, close. Tottenham Hotspur could not see themselves over the line though, having to settle for a point in the Premier League after Brighton & Hove Albion's late equaliser.

Georginio Rutter broke hearts across north London, with the dropped points meaning that Spurs remain beneath the dotted line and without a league win in 2026, across 15 matches all told.

We really are approaching kitchen sink time, and while the players have embraced Roberto De Zerbi's tactics and vision, they need to return to winning ways sharpish.

Next up, doomed Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. It's a must win, and De Zerbi needs his team to give 110%. Therefore, Randal Kolo Muani cannot start.

Why Kolo Muani is finished at Spurs

Let's put it plainly: Tottenham are in a relegation dogfight. In regard to probabilities, they are among the favourites to go down.

To combat this bleak and incredible situation, they need fighters. De Zerbi needs his players to match his intensity and his fire. Xavi Simons showed this against Brighton, to be sure, but the likes of Kolo Muani did not.

Spurs signed Kolo Muani on loan from Paris Saint-Germain last summer. He arrived with a weight of expectation, but the France international has failed to inspire confidence throughout the term.

De Zerbi started him on Saturday and last week for the 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, but he's surely got to return to the bench next time out, even with the club shorn of offensive depth.

It's safe to assume that the Lilywhites will not be requesting conditions for a permanent transfer this summer. In fact, Kolo Muani isn't the only one whose Tottenham career looks to be over after the latest setback.

The Spurs talent whose N17 career is now finished

Destiny Udogie has had a tough time over the past couple of years, injured regularly since the first season of the two-term Ange Postecoglou era.

Against Brighton, it showed, and as he exited the field with an injury scare, it's beginning to look like the 23-year-old's days at the club are numbered.

Udogie struggled against the south coast side, unable to complete either of his two crosses and failing to create a single chance or even attempt a dribble.

He did win five of his seven ground battles, in fairness, but missed all four of his headed challenges. Moreover, he was culpable for a few mistakes that thankfully did not result in something damaging for the home side.

The harsh truth is that Udogie's repeated setbacks have prevented him from becoming the player he was touted to be when he first arrived in the Premier League. Such expectation, and understandably so, he was a powerful, rip-roaring talent after arriving from Udinese in a £15m deal.

Now, Udogie is struggling, and with Souza signed in January and ENIC Group looking to sign Andy Robertson on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season, it looks like he may be among the offloaded come summer.

The Italy international was withdrawn, limping, after 76 minutes. Post-match murmurings have allayed fears of a lengthy blow, but fans have seen their fears heightened regarding his fitness levels once again.

In truth, it might not matter. If Udogie is fit for the final stretch, he will play, but like Kolo Muani, he has no future in north London beyond the summer transfer window.

Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeneß has revealed they rejected the chance to sign Tottenham star Xavi Simons.

Simons scores screamer after De Zerbi vote of confidence

Roberto De Zerbi challenged Simons to be a difference-maker in the club’s bid to avoid relegation, and the Dutch international responded with a screamer in the draw with Brighton on Saturday.

It has been a difficult maiden campaign for Xavi after he struggled to gain the trust of Thomas Frank before he was quickly discarded by Igor Tudor during a disastrous seven-match spell, but the 22-year-old is one of the only creative players fit and available to De Zerbi.

A tally of five goals and six assists across 40 appearances is still below par, but Xavi produced a man-of-the-match display against Atletico Madrid and stunned fans with an incredible finish against the Seagulls.

De Zerbi said: “Xavi has a big personality on the pitch and I want him to play with his personality.

“I don’t want to change nothing with my players, especially in this part. Character, personality and I think he can be important for us in this moment. I don’t know if for 30 minutes or 20 minutes, but I have this opinion about him.”

Pushed on what Xavi needs to do to become a top Premier League player, De Zerbi explained: “He has to score, he has to make assists and to run without the ball. Stop. It’s enough.

“I am talking with him a lot of times. I was a player and I played in that position. I know before he speaks with me, that he can feel what he needs, like confidence.

“I know he can make some mistakes but right now, we need the quality from him.”

Bayern Munich rejected Xavi deal for more pie

Hoeneß told a podcast (via Sport Witness) in Germany this week that Bayern manager Vincent Kompany was desperate to sign Simons last summer before Tottenham did.

The Belgian pleaded with the club's ownership, saying 'we need Xavi' repeatedly, but was quickly dismissed according to Hoeneß.

“I had ordered an apple pie, or rather, it was already on the table, and I said, ‘Vince, you can have another piece of apple pie, but you’re not getting Xavi."

The Bayern board member says the Belgian was told to instead focus on utilising the young players already at the club, and he has certainly done that, with the likes of Lennart Karl, Michael Olise and Jamal Musiala leading the Bavarians into the last four of the Champions League.

Spurs eventually splashed out £52m on the playmaker, and given so far he's failed to shine under two different managers, Bayern's quick dismissal certainly suggests the Lilywhites board jumped the gun and overpaid.

For Simons, he may be left wondering what might have been if Hoeneß hadn't been quite so fond of the apple pie, but now has a chance to follow up on Saturday's magic and prove his doubters wrong.

Tottenham Hotspur have not helped themselves in the Premier League this season, but the relegation-threatened Londoners will rue their dropped points against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday evening.

Oftentimes, you make your own luck in football, but it does feel like this side have been hard done by over the past several months. It was a devastating last-minute blow, Georginio Rutter popping up in the 95th-minute to silence Spurs supporters.

Both Brighton goals, scored right at the end of each half, might have been avoidable, but the Lilywhites' embedded defensive dysfunctions and individual errors prevented Roberto De Zerbi from securing for the club their first Premier League win of 2026.

At the death, Kevin Danso was at fault.

Spurs miss Cristian Romero vs Brighton

It was a spirited effort from this Tottenham team, and no mistake. However, Tottenham succumbed to late pressure from the Seagulls, with Danso consoled by his peers after failing to deal with the danger before the unmarked Rutter lashed past Antonin Kinsky.

it wasn't just that instance, though. Kaoru Mitoma's wonder strike was sublime, no question, but why were the surging visitors not closed down in the build-up?

Tottenham have been ravaged by injuries throughout the season, but the season-ending knee injury sustained by Cristian Romero during last week's defeat to Sunderland could prove the costliest of them all, with the aggressive captain's defending certainly missed against the Seagulls.

Tottenham have an ostensibly favourable run of fixtures up ahead. They need to win at Wolves next weekend, for sure. They will have to do so without their Argentine skipper, and on the basis of the evidence against Brighton, that job is going to be tough indeed.

However, De Zerbi does have options at his disposal, and with Rodrigo Bentancur fit again, another Lilywhites man has to move to the bench after a torrid evening in the Premier League.

The Spurs flop who must be dropped

Conor Gallagher has received a lot of stick since joining Tottenham from Atletico Madrid in January, but he pressed aggressively and fought like a player who really cared. He warrants a place in this starting 11.

The same cannot be said for Yves Bissouma, and while the 29-year-old number six is expected to leave this summer when his contract expires, you can't help but wonder why this did not happen several years ago? After all, it was considered in 2024, toward the end of Ange Postecoglou's frantic first season in charge.

The Malian started brightly and withered away as the game deepened. In fairness to him, he lacks match fitness, but too many performances have left much to be desired, and it's pretty obvious that change is now needed.

After all, Bissouma failed to protect his backline until he was hooked for Archie Gray (why did he not start?) in the 57th minute, unable to win any of his four ground duels before that point.

Against his former side, Bissouma flattered to deceive. How often have we actually seen the erratic midfielder produce a top-class performance?

The experienced, tough-tackling midfielder doesn't offer enough protection, and his suspensions and injuries have hindered and stemmed his hopes of fluency. The most frustrating part is that he has it within him to be an elite player.

His struggles are emblematic of the deep and dark issues at the club, a microcosm of long, interminable recruitment failures that have left Spurs on the edge of a precipice.

For De Zerbi, there are positives to take here, but there's no question that time is running out for this imperilled Tottenham team, and if they are to turn things around and preserve their precious Premier League status, Bissouma needs to be dropped.