Tottenham Hotspur faced another setback in the middle of the survival battle.
Tottenham beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in an away Premier League match at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, on the 25th (Korea time). It was their first league win in 2026. It was the moment they broke a long slump.
The problem came after that. The joy of victory did not last long.
Key player Xavi Simmons suffered a serious knee injury during the match and was carried off on a stretcher. For Tottenham, it is effectively the "worst-case scenario." With four games left in the season and their survival at stake, the likelihood of losing their most relied-upon player has grown.
There was a sense of crisis locally as well. According to a report by Britain's Talksport on the 26th, Ricky Sacks, who covers Tottenham news, said, "In the current situation, the only way Tottenham can survive is Simmons." That shows how absolutely dependent they are on him.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi did not hide the situation after the match. "Dominic Solanke has a muscle issue. It doesn't seem to be a major injury," he said, adding, "Simmons has a knee issue. It's different from a muscle injury. We need to monitor it more." He added, "I heard his condition is better than at the start, but knees are always unpredictable," expressing concern.
There were additional injuries in this match as well. Striker Solanke was also substituted out after 40 minutes of the first half. The team continues to suffer losses to its squad.
Tottenham won the match itself. In the 37th minute of the second half, João Palhinha pushed in the winning goal amid a scramble in the box to secure the victory. In the closing moments, goalkeeper Antonín Kinský made a crucial save to preserve the lead.
With this win, Tottenham briefly appeared to climb out of the relegation zone. They rose to 17th on goal difference. But at the same time, West Ham beat Everton 2-1 and the situation reversed. In stoppage time of the second half, Callum Wilson's winning goal dragged Tottenham back into the relegation battle.
Currently the gap in points between Tottenham and West Ham is just two points. Four matches remain. The situation is unpredictable until the end.
Tottenham will face Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton in succession. West Ham also has Brentford, Arsenal, Newcastle and Leeds left.
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