After 118 days, Tottenham finally secured three points, yet there is no joy to be found.

Written by Han Bing After 118 days, Tottenham fans finally saw their team win a Premier League match again. The 15-game losing streak in the Premier League in 2026 has finally ended. However, for new manager De Zerbi and the Spurs supporters, it's a bittersweet moment. The joy comes from earning three precious points, offering a glimmer of hope; the sorrow stems from key attacker Simons suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, which not only rules him out of the remaining four crucial relegation battles but also means he will miss the World Cup. Under De Zerbi's leadership over three games, Tottenham's performance has gradually improved, but he is deeply frustrated by the mounting injuries—especially to starting players.

Simons is vital to Tottenham's attack. De Zerbi's first point as manager came from Simons' goal and assist against Brighton at home. If luck hadn't turned against them with a last-minute equalizer by Rutter, De Zerbi might have secured his first Spurs win a week earlier. De Zerbi placed Simons on the left flank, where the Dutch international excels, helping him rediscover his attacking spark. Unfortunately, against Wolves, Simons could have shone brighter, but the injury curse struck Tottenham once more. In the first half, Solanke left due to a muscle issue, and in the second half, Simons suffered a season-ending knee ligament tear.

Despite gaining three valuable points, De Zerbi and the entire Tottenham squad likely wish more for the health of their Dutch star. Moreover, the treatment Simons received from the medical staff after his injury quickly sparked new negative controversy amid Tottenham's struggles. Spurs fans fiercely criticized the medical team's "unprofessionalism": when Simons fell clutching his right knee in obvious agony, they asked him to jump to assess the severity. Some fans argued that given Simons' description of his condition, even as a precaution against worse injury, he should have been immediately carried off for further treatment or substituted. Fans noted similar incidents with Kulusevski, Bentancur, and Dragusin: players barely able to stand were asked to perform squat jumps.

With Solanke and Simons injured, Tottenham's current injury list has grown to 11 players. The defense includes starting goalkeeper Vicario, captain Romero, Ben Davies, and left-back Udogie; the midfield and attack feature Sarr, Maddison, Simons, Kulusevski, Odobert, Kudus, and Solanke. Among them, Romero, Ben Davies, Simons, Kulusevski, Odobert, and Kudus are confirmed to be out for the season. Vicario and Udogie are likely to return for the weekend match against Aston Villa, while Maddison, Solanke, and Sarr may be available for the crucial relegation games ahead.

Although Tottenham earned three precious points, relegation rivals West Ham and Nottingham Forest also won, so the relegation situation hasn't improved. Simons' severe injury further dampens external expectations for Tottenham's survival. Opta's supercomputer data shows Tottenham's relegation probability remains high at 58%, far ahead of West Ham (38%). Nottingham Forest (1.89%) and Leeds United (1.17%) are almost assured of safety.

Despite no good news beyond the three points, De Zerbi must rally morale and issued a warning to top relegation rival West Ham: "I believe Tottenham can avoid relegation. We are not 10 points behind West Ham; we are only two points behind."

De Zerbi works hard on the training ground, trying various methods to motivate players. For instance, he shows Muanhi clips of his goals at Frankfurt, using words, even wine or beer. He also shares his own experience: "Before managing Brighton, I didn't win in five games, but after beating Chelsea 4-1, we won three straight. Tottenham just needs one win to turn everything around." De Zerbi even placed Maddison, still recovering, on the bench to leverage his influence in the dressing room to inspire teammates on the field.

However, media and fans are far less optimistic. Tottenham's remaining four matches include tough away games against Aston Villa and Chelsea, while home fixtures against Leeds and Everton are must-win battles. West Ham's last four games, apart from facing title-chasing Arsenal away, include Brentford and Newcastle—both mid-table teams—and Leeds in the final round, likely already safe and lacking full motivation. Nottingham Forest's remaining opponents feature only Newcastle from the lower half, but with a five-point lead over Tottenham, they have ample advantage to manage.

For De Zerbi and Tottenham, the situation has deteriorated to a point where securing three points is paramount, regardless of cost. Of course, that前提是他们真的能够继续拿到3分的前提 is they can actually continue to earn those three points.