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Tottenham Hotspur have moved out of the relegation zone after a crucial win against Aston Villa, boosting their chances of Premier League survival under Roberto De Zerbi.
The team undoubtedly showed more stability and energy in their performance, and there are clear signs of improvement in recent weeks. However, while the result gives them an important lift, Spurs will need consistency to finish the season strongly.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side started the weekend in the Premier League relegation zone, but a key set of results now means they are out of the bottom three. A win away at struggling Aston Villa, combined with West Ham United’s loss at Brentford on Saturday, has given De Zerbi, his players and the fans fresh belief that they can stay in the top flight.
First-half goals from Conor Gallagher and Richarlison secured the win, with boos heard from the home fans at Villa Park, just four days before their team return for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Nottingham Forest. Even a late goal from Emi Buendia did little to change the mood inside the stadium.
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty ImagesTottenham’s clear improvement under De Zerbi
The last time Tottenham won back-to-back Premier League games was at the start of the season, under two managers ago, when Thomas Frank beat Burnley 3-0 and then Manchester City 2-0. And a lot has changed since then, and this current run now feels important for the club’s season.
When De Zerbi arrived just over a month ago, Spurs had not won in the league since December. Confidence in the squad had dropped badly, and rebuilding the squad has been his main focus more than anything else, and he is confident that he would win all their five matches and he is currently on it.
After losing his first game at Sunderland, Spurs showed clear improvement in his second match, where only a late equaliser stopped them beating Brighton. Since then, they have beaten Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 before following it up with this strong and controlled win at Villa Park.
The Lilywhite showed fight, structure and discipline, making this one of their best performances of the season and a clear sign of De Zerbi’s impact in a short time. Spurs are now 17th, a point above West Ham, with three games left to play (Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton).
Tottenham control the game as Villa struggle for rhythm
Villa were frustrated from the start as the home fans grew restless in the first half, with the team looking slow, flat and short of ideas. Unai Emery made seven changes from their Europa League semi-final first leg, clearly showing where his focus lies, but the team never settled into any flow.
They struggled to create chances, rarely threatened in attack and spent long periods passing the ball at the back without purpose. In the first half, Villa had no shots on target and barely got into the Spurs penalty area. In fact, in the first 36 minutes, 45 per cent of their passes came from centre-backs. They did not look like a team fighting for Champions League football.
Villa have now taken just 19 points from 16 league games in 2026, showing a long drop in form, and Emery’s changes did not help matters as they now face a huge game against Forest in the second leg of their semi-final.
Tottenham forwards respond under pressure
Spurs also had their own issues going into the game, with Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke both injured. That left De Zerbi with only three forwards available: Richarlison, Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani.
All three worked extremely hard, pressing Villa constantly and making it difficult for them to build from the back, while also creating danger in attack. Gallagher opened the scoring, and the second goal came from Tel’s cross, which Richarlison finished.
Spurs could have scored more. Tel and Kolo Muani were not perfect and they did not make the right decision, but their performance was still a clear improvement. Kolo Muani in particular stood out, showing effort, strength and determination, and looking much closer to the player Spurs expected when he signed.
What next for Spurs?
At this stage, it looks more like progress than a false dawn under De Zerbi. But there are still doubts and Spurs will need to show consistency, but the recent improvements in energy and results suggest a team moving in the right direction at a crucial point in the season. Tottenham returns to Premier League action at home against Leeds on Monday, May 11.
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