Spurs identify positives against Brighton, yet miss out on a crucial victory.
LONDON — The challenges continue to mount for Tottenham Hotspur. They appeared to be on track for their first Premier League victory in 111 days until Georginio Rutter’s equalizer in the 95th minute secured a 2-2 draw for Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, leaving Spurs in the relegation zone.
The final whistle felt somber.
Kevin Danso, whose inability to clear the ball allowed Jan Paul van Hecke to assist Rutter, collapsed to the ground. Pedro Porro also fell to the turf. Xavi Simons, who had given Spurs the lead with a brilliant strike in the 77th minute, seemed close to tears. Dominic Solanke walked off with his head down. Television cameras captured a Spurs supporter in tears, gazing at the pitch in disbelief.
This was yet another crushing setback in a season filled with them. Time is running short for recovery. They must now anxiously watch as Nottingham Forest and West Ham United seek to widen the gap between Spurs and safety in the next 48 hours.
Tottenham’s winless streak has now reached 15 matches. Only Derby County in 2007-08 (18) and Sunderland in 2002-03 (17) have experienced longer winless starts to a calendar year. Both teams were relegated.
This will feel particularly harsh, conceding a lead in stoppage time during both halves to a Brighton side whose relentless effort likely warranted some form of reward based on the overall play.
De Zerbi, as expected, offered a different perspective with a week remaining before they face bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“The players need to heed my words,” he stated. “I am proud of their performance. They must be stronger, focused solely on the Wolverhampton match, and come to the training ground on Monday afternoon with a smile, or else they will leave immediately.”
“I have no time for negative individuals, sad players, or downcast assistants. No. We are fortunate to be working in a prestigious club, a grand stadium. We are competing in the Premier League.”
“We possess the right qualities to win the game [against Wolves], so we must maintain a positive outlook. I do not appreciate individuals who cry or think negatively.”
When the situation calms, there were enough signs here to indicate that Spurs should retain hope. They made efforts to rally support beforehand, with large flags waved by the 61,167-strong crowd, energized by the return of Rodrigo Bentancur for the first time since January 7.
De Zerbi, in his inaugural home match as Spurs manager, also included James Maddison in a matchday squad for the first time in 362 days following an ACL injury, and he took on a supportive role alongside Guglielmo Vicario, who was unable to play due to not being fit. This was another indication of the unity De Zerbi is striving to foster, having taken the players out for dinner earlier in the week and insisting on an early arrival at the stadium on Saturday.
Even when Yves Bissouma and Bentancur were substituted, both remained at the back of the Tottenham dugout with their muddy shirts still on, passionately directing play. Maddison was actively engaged as an unused substitute. Somewhere in the premium seats, Cristian Romero applauded helplessly, having been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury.
The combination of these factors seemed to be effective for a time. Spurs took the lead at a moment when Brighton was clearly gaining momentum, with Simons delivering a cross in the 37th minute that Porro headed past Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
Spurs had not led at halftime in any of their previous 13 league matches, and they could not maintain their advantage here either, as Kaoru Mitoma volleyed in a spectacular goal from a Pascal GroΓ cross.
Just when Spurs needed someone to rise to the occasion, Simons did. In many respects, the 22-year-old symbolizes a disappointing season, but it seemed he had arrived just in time to salvage it.
After Brighton was caught attempting to play out from the back by Lucas Bergvall, who had just come on as a substitute, Simons maneuvered the ball onto his right foot and curled a stunning shot in off the post. It was a moment of pure relief for a player who has struggled for much of the season, a β¬65 million signing from RB Leipzig whom Spurs pursued after unsuccessful attempts to acquire Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze.
He celebrated by removing his shirt and climbing the advertising hoarding in front of the 17,500-seat, single-tier South Stand. It was a celebration fitting for a last-minute winner, but Spurs still had 13 minutes plus stoppage time to contend with.
As the tension escalated, the noise grew, and Brighton pressed forward, Spurs faltered.
Danso should have cleared Yankuba Minteh’s cross into the stands, but instead, he took a touch, allowing Van Hecke the opportunity to intercept and set up Rutter for a well-executed first-time finish.
Despite the disappointing conclusion, this was one of Tottenham’s stronger performances of the season. There are signs of encouragement with key players returning and Simons’ talent emerging.
“I always have faith in the players’ abilities,” De Zerbi remarked. “They played well. I believe we can perform better than today, with more quality and composure, especially in possession. However, at this moment, we need this spirit, this attitude, this mentality, and it is not over yet. We have five more games.”
“It is challenging. Each of us understands it is a tough moment, a difficult situation, but we have five more matches, 15 points, and this team is capable of winning five consecutive games.”
“Now it is hard to accept my words, but if you observe the players and analyze their level, I believe we can win five games in a row. I do not wish to be arrogant, as I am not, especially now, but we possess enough qualities to compete and win matches consecutively.”
Yet again, they conclude another weekend without that pivotal victory. Only five matches remain. How many more setbacks can they endure before relegation becomes a reality?
