Tottenham Hotspur were held to a 1-1 draw by Leeds United at home, deepening their relegation fears. Manager Roberto De Zerbi insisted after the match that his side would fight until the final minute in their upcoming must-win clash against Everton.
The stalemate at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium left fans frustrated. Mathys Tel’s stunning long-range strike had briefly given Spurs their first league home win since December 6 and a chance to move four points clear of 18th-placed West Ham. However, the young Frenchman’s reckless challenge on Ethan Ampadu conceded a penalty, which Dominic Calvert-Lewin calmly converted to snatch a point for the visitors.
De Zerbi, who replaced Igor Tudor last month and saw his side lose their opener to Sunderland before taking eight points from the next four games, urged perspective on their recent form. “Fifteen days ago we were in a much tougher spot. Don’t forget we’ve taken eight points from four games,” he said. He also shifted pressure onto rivals, pointing out that “Leeds haven’t lost since March 3 at home, and West Ham still have to play them at their place. I think they’ll approach it with the same fight and quality they showed today — they’ve been excellent this season.”
Tottenham face a trip to Chelsea and a home game against Everton in their final two matches, while West Ham travel to Newcastle and host Leeds. A slim two-point lead leaves everything uncertain. De Zerbi dismissed any notion of a home-ground curse and praised Tel after embracing him. “A young player with a big heart. He scored a key goal but also made a mistake. He hasn’t played many senior games, so we have to accept it — I’m proud of him.” When asked about James Maddison’s late penalty appeal, the Italian declined to comment.
