Tottenham Hotspur have climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone into 17th place following consecutive victories over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, ending a catastrophic winless run that spanned the entirety of the 2026 calendar year. Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, who recently returned from a three-month hamstring layoff, credit's Roberto De Zerbi’s tactical overhaul and focus on mental resilience for the upturn in form since the Italian signed a five-year contract in April.
Bentancur on the De Zerbi method
Speaking to club media following the 2-1 win at Villa Park, Bentancur, 28, Detailed the shift in training under De Zerbi. "When Roberto came in, he tried to change the energy and the mentality," the midfielder said. "He works really good in the tactical aspect and then, with the ball, he is amazing. We want to win the ball fast and then with the ball Roberto wants to play calm." De Zerbi, who succeeded Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor in the Spurs dugout, inherited a side that had gone 15 matches without a league victory. The Italian coach emphasised that his primary task was to "transfer the confidence to believe in themselves" to a squad that had previously appeared tactically hollow-point and disconnected.
Tactical stability and survival stakes
The return of Bentancur has been pivotal to De Zerbi’s system, which relies on technical composure in the central third to execute a high-pressing, possession-based game. After missing 14 weeks following an injury sustained against Bournemouth in January, Bentancur has provided the stability that was missing during the tenure of his predecessors. This resurgence comes at a critical time for the club; experts suggest a first-ever relegation from the Premier League would result in a revenue loss exceeding £200m, potentially forcing the sale of high-earning assets. Tottenham’s top-flight status now rests on their final three fixtures against Leeds United, Chelsea, and Everton, as they aim to consolidate their slender lead over the bottom three.