Igor Tudor says Tottenham must 'stand up' and accept pressure of relegation battle

Tottenham Hotspur interim head coach Igor Tudor
Tottenham Hotspur interim head coach Igor TudorAction Images via Reuters / Andrew Couldridge

Tottenham interim boss Igor Tudor has spoken to the media ahead of this week's clash with Crystal Palace.

Spurs host Crystal Palace on Thursday night in their third straight derby as Tudor aims to pick up his first win as manager of the North London side, who have not won in 10 top-flight games. 

Tottenham are still the only team without a Premier League win in 2026 and anything less than a win against Palace would see the club creep closer to the relegation zone. 

Another injury

Tudor first spoke on yet another injury for his side who already have the likes of Destiny Udogie and Dejan Kulusevski out. Elsewhere, Wilson Odobert, James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies and Lucas Bergvall are all absent.

Djed Spence is out. Kevin (Danso) came back in the last game. (Udogie and Kulusevski?) No other news. 

“(When will Spence be back?) We hope for the Champions League game.” 

Supporters are crucial

Tottenham are still 16th in the Premier League table with a four-point gap to the drop zone and were lucky that teams below them such as West Ham United and Nottingham Forest have failed to pick up wins over the last week. 

On needing the supporters to pick up the club’s poor form, Tudor said: "Very important. The players feel everything. Every bit of applause and encouragement. The fans can feel that on the pitch and how the energy is spreading." 

Need for points

Finally, he commented on the current situation at the club as they head into the game after four straight losses in the top division. He says his side must start to pick up points or face the inevitable.

"Everyone understands the situation. There is something wrong if you don't understand. My job is to put the pressure away, but their job is to accept the pressure is there.

"So the pressure is everywhere, but you need to love this job. There's real pressure out there. People need to make money for their families and working in jobs like doctors who are doing operations, and they decide about life and death, so that's the real pressure.

"You need to be ready to accept this and stand up. You can do this, don't stay behind. Take responsibility, have the courage to confront these things. This is the best way to do it, the only way to do it.

"I hope we have, and I'm sure, because I saw in the training that we have the players to step up, take responsibility and make us start putting in, first of all good performances, and after also winning points."

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