Antonin Kinsky says Roberto de Zerbi has lifted Tottenham spirits as club fight to avoid relegation

LONDON – Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky said the arrival of Roberto de Zerbi has instilled a positive mindset, as the club battle to avoid relegation from the English Premier League this season.

The 46-year-old Italian became the club’s third manager of the season when he joined Spurs in late March on a long-term contract, replacing Igor Tudor and taking over a team who were already sliding towards the danger zone.

Spurs are 18th in the Premier League table on 34 points, with four matches remaining for them this season. They travel to fifth-placed Aston Villa on May 3.

“By the way he (de Zerbi) speaks, what you read and what you hear from him is that he believes in us and that is a big message that he gives us overall – that the quality is there in the squad,” Kinsky said in an interview with Sky Sports on May 1.

“It’s just not to speak about it but to show it. With the combination, with the style that he wants to play, I think our squad fits to that so I believe this is going to work. Now we have four points from three games, there is four left and I hope and I believe that this is the right way.”

Spurs ended a 16-game winless run in the league by beating already-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers last week, with Kinsky producing a crucial late save from Joao Gomes’ free kick to secure all three points.

“It’s very precious. If we wouldn’t bring three points from there, of course it would be much more difficult now,” the 23-year-old Czech said about the 1-0 victory over Wolves at Molineux.

“We are not closer, but at least we didn’t get further (away). So the difference is still just two points.”

De Zerbi, meanwhile, is keen to silence the negativity in his players’ heads.

Despite their win over Wolves, the team faced a major setback when attacking midfielder Xavi Simons tore a knee ligament, ruling him out for the season.

“Listen, I want to be clear one time. The most important challenge now is to silence the voice inside of us, inside of the players, inside the staff, the fans,” he told reporters on May 1.

“This voice produces negative thoughts and the voice says: ‘We are unlucky, we have too many injuries. We lost Xavi Simons and he was in the last two games one of the most important players for us. Our medical staff is not good enough, the pitch of the stadium is not good... winning two or three games in a row is impossible because we hadn’t won a game in 2026’.

“I think it’s all negative things and it’s rubbish. We have to be positive.”

One positive development for Spurs arrived on May 2 when West Ham United, who are one rung and two points above them, lost 3-0 to hosts Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

A first-half own goal by Konstantinos Mavropanos, as well as second-half goals from Igor Thiago (penalty) and Mikkel Damsgaard helped the Bees rise to sixth, strengthening their bid for European football next season.

This also means that Spurs will climb out of the relegation zone if they beat Villa on May 3.

Brighton & Hove Albion, meanwhile, slipped from sixth to seventh after losing 3-1 to Newcastle United, who moved to 13th thanks to goals from William Osula (12th), Dan Burn (24th) and Harvey Barnes (stoppage time) at St James’ Park. Jack Hinshelwood (61st) replied for the Seagulls. REUTERS