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After Newcastle United dismantled Tottenham Hotspur rivals West Ham United 3-1 on Sunday in the Premier League, all the Lilywhites need to ensure Premier League survival is a solitary point against either Chelsea or Everton to close the final two matches of this nightmare of a 2025/26 season. Then it will be all over and Roberto De Zerbi will have done his job in the short term of keeping Spurs alive so he can enact his long term goals of getting them back to being a contender again.

Easier said than done, sure, but De Zerbi has already successfully done the hard job of getting Spurs to believe again and getting the underperforming players in the squad to rebound. Rodrigo Bentancur and Micky van de Ven are back to being key players for Spurs, and even new signing Joao Palhinha is working himself back into the good graces. And Pedro Porro has been much, much better under De Zerbi as well.

But by far the biggest success story under the guidance of the former Brighton manager is the incredibly fine work done in the center of midfield by Conor Gallagher, the former Crystal Palace and Chelsea standout.

Conor Gallagher is ready for Chelsea

Loved by Mauricio Pochettino but not by his own fans, Gallagher was jettisoned by the Blues to Atletico Madrid so that Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo could create the axis behind Premier League Player of the Season candidate Cole Palmer in the middle of Stamford Bridge.

Gallagher was quite poor for Atleti, and he was even worse for Tottenham Hotspur when he arrived this winter transfer window, looking like a monumental waste of time and money. But against the odds, Roberto De Zerbi believed in him despite many wondering if he even fit the Italian manager's tactical ideas, and he has turned the hard working England international back into a bulldog.

So on Tuesday night when Tottenham take on Chelsea with Premier League survival on the line for De Zerbi's men and European football on the table for a squad that is soon to be Xabi Alonso's to rule, there is more than just revenge for Spurs as a team after the Blues embarrassed them 1-0 earlier this season.

Conor Gallagher has a chance to deliver cruel insult to Chelsea injury in a Spurs victory if he shines again in a Tottenham win. He has been the team's best player since De Zerbi's arrival, combining with Rodrigo Bentancur to dominate the midfield in very different ways. And with James Maddison as a 10 and Palhinha in the mix as well, Spurs have options. The change in narrative around Gallagher has been a huge story for Tottenham of late, and he can go mainstream on Tuesday night with another monster class to exact revenge on Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur require just a point from their remaining two games to stay in the Premier League, but news of Xabi Alonso's agreement to join Chelsea doesn't bod well for the Lilywhites ahead of their trip to Stamford Bridge.

Once again, Spurs were aided by Newcastle United at a critical juncture. After helping our Champions League hopes by beating Arsenal on the penultimate matchday four years ago, the Magpies recorded a 3-1 victory over our sole relegation rivals to embolden our survival hopes.

West Ham's wretched start on Tyneside left them with too much to do, even if Nuno Espírito Santo's substitution facilitated a recovery. Their defeat has eased the pressure on Spurs ahead of Tuesday's trip to west London, but the innate pessimist within all of us will be prevalent until safety is confirmed.

This nightmare isn't over just yet.

Xabi Alonso's Chelsea move likely to work against Tottenham on Tuesday

Liverpool's dire Premier League title defence and the scrutiny Arne Slot continues to find himself under meant there was an expectation that the Reds would make their move for Alonso at the end of the season.

However, the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have shown few signs of adhering to fan pressure and sacking the Dutchman, who'll once again be heavily backed this summer and lead Liverpool into 2026/27.

That opened the door for alternative Alonso suitors, and Chelsea moved with impressive efficiency to strike a deal with the highly-regarded Spaniard. He joins on a four-year contract, with early reports suggesting the former midfielder will be afforded more authority at Stamford Bridge compared to his predecessors.

While his time at Real Madrid was brief, there's no denying just how good a coach Alonso is. It's some coup for Chelsea, who will end the season without silverware after losing Saturday's FA Cup final.

They sunk to new lows with Liam Rosenior at the helm, and are merely aiming to get through a bitterly disappointing campaign before resetting with Alonso. News of the Spaniard's arrival arrives ahead of trip to Stamford Bridge, so expect the hosts to perform with an extra spring in their step, buoyed by a suddenly optimistic home crowd that remains desperate to see us go down.

This is a bad Chelsea team, but I wouldn't expect them to appear so incompetent midweek. Plus, we tend to succumb at the Bridge no matter the quality of the hosts. Do I need to remind you that we've won just one Premier League game there since the competition's inception?

Fortunately, a scrappy, ugly point will do.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters watched as Newcastle United got the job done against rivals West Ham United, taking them down 3-1 thanks to two goals from young player William Osula. The Hammers are now two points behind Tottenham in the final spot to go down to the EFL Championship with the fates of Burnley and Wolves already sealed.

So now, with Newcastle walking away with a big win over West Ham, the ball is in Spurs court to skate to safety in the Premier League relegation battle. All they need now to guarantee their safety is a solitary point against Chelsea and Everton in these final two games of the 2025/26 season.

That's it. One solitary point, as Roberto De Zerbi has gotten Spurs to believe in themselves again and on the verge of safety. But Chelsea are a tough opponent with a lot on the line themselves as they welcome Xabi Alonso to the fold, and they need all the points they can get in order to stay in some sort of European football.

Tottenham are so close to safety

For Tottenham Hotspur, the strategy to get the point they need against Chelsea and rest easy against Everton is simple. Defend space and win the battle off the ball. Chelsea have the superior players, though they are not good enough to dominate teams in the Premier League. Tottenham are not going to win the possession game against the Blues when comparing these two midfields, but they can't play like cowards like they did under Thomas Frank.

What Spurs need to do is make sure they are compact centrally so that the best players on Chelsea, who have the quickness and technical ability to manufacture shooting opportunities from nothing, don't have those pockets of space they need to interchange and score.

Spurs need to be compact defensively, safe in possession, and progress to avoid absorbing pressure in their half for long periods but without taking unnecessary risks on the ball. Poor passes through the middle of the pitch, for example, are ripe for the Chelsea midfielders and attackers to pick off and turn into easy scoring opportunities.

What Tottenham need to do in order to get a point is simple but not necessarily easy. They need to be smart, disciplined, fundamentally sound, and brave without being pig headed. They shouldn't play for a draw, but Tottenham do not need to risk it all either. Roberto De Zerbi needs to play his usual brand of football in this relegation fight with more of a focus on constant defensive rotations and togetherness, and Spurs can do this.

While young Tottenham Hotspur standout Mikey Moore has made it clear that his future is in the hands of the Lilywhites and that he would be excited to move back to North London and be a big factor for his parent club, the Rangers faithful have fallen fully head over heels for the 18 year old winger and attacking midfielder.

And who at N17 could blame them. Moore has been a real character for Rangers in terms of his work rate, bravery, and knack for leading the way in the attack for Rangers with important goals and assists. Just this weekend, Moore potentially closed his Rangers career with an assist, having scored in yet another Old Firm Derby against Celtic just days before.

After a rough start to life in Glasgow, Mikey Moore blossomed under manager Danny Rohl, who found the best way to maximize the skills of a player who already shone brightly in his first days of action with Tottenham Hotspur - and in the Europa League, no less.

Rangers fell in love with Mikey Moore

Rohl and Rangers have not given up hope on keeping the teenage sensation from England beyond the 2025/26 campaign. In a press conference after the 5-2 win over Falkirk in the final game of the 2025/26 Scottish Premier Leauge season, Rohl stated that the club will do everything they can to make sure they keep Moore around.

The Rangers head coach said of Moore, via talkSPORT's Robert Calcutt, "We are very clear as a club (with) what we want but there are still three parties, and we are just one of them. "Mikey, I think he fits really well here, I totally believe we can bring him to the next level as well. He has his position, I think also the relationship with Tuur (Rommens) and Mikey next year could be a strong left side as well. But we have to do a lot of things right now, and this is our job to do."

It sounds like Rangers are really counting on Moore being there as part of Rohl's game plan in the 2026/27 season on that left hand side, but, well, Tottenham need him badly, too. They have Mathys Tel as a young standout on the left wing, but they have little else besides him, especially if they move Wilson Odobert to right wing more often after he actually played better there than on the left after Mohammed Kudus's season ending injury (and before his own). Moore can be a big part of the picture - and maybe even the solution for Spurs. So Rangers have a lot of work to do indeed.

Tottenham Hotspur have already begun to turn it around under Roberto De Zerbi, who has Spurs on an undefeated streak to snap their winless streak. And he has rebuilt a midfield that was totally lifeless and getting walked all over by other teams, leaning heavily on veteran players who have immediately rebounded to what is close to their best level.

Conor Gallagher is a huge asset and not a massive liability like before. Joao Palhinha is making Spurs rethink his future again, in a more positive light. And best of all, Rodrigo Bentancur is back to his best, pulling the strings in the Tottenham midfield while De Zerbi thinks of his plan for the future for the biggest gem of them all, Archie Gray.

But as Tottenham do their best to ward off relegation before the 2025/26 season closes, they are keeping one eye peeled on what they need this summer to help the long term sporting project they are paying Roberto De Zerbi handsomely to lead. And everyone knows Spurs still need more technical quality and playmaking in that midfield.

Nicolo Fagioli is on Spurs radar

Even before De Zerbi, Spurs were looking at Serie A for star players and have found quite a few over the years in the likes of Destiny Udogie, Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, and, of course, captain Cristian Romero.

Now, according to Corriere dello Sport's Francesco Gensini, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Fiorentina center midfielder Nicolo Fagioli, who would be the next in a long line of former Juventus players to join the Lilywhites if this deal were to go through in the summer.

And it is a very achievable deal. Fagioli only just moved permanently from the Bianconeri to the Viola, and he was great in his first season on a horrible team. Fagioli averaged two key passes per game, nearly two tackles per game, contributed to five goals, and completed 90 percent of his passes in a fabulous season in the Italian top flight.

With better coaching from De Zerbi, the young gem whom Cristiano Ronaldo once enjoyed playing with and praised highly behind the scenes could blossom. De Zerbi loves players who have that dog in them and yet have the delicate technical quality to playmake and pull the strings, and Fagioli is like a slightly older Archie Gray and a more refined and brave Bentancur. Fagioli is a name to watch, and with Fabio Paratici at Fiorentina, Spurs have an in-road to make a deal.

Tottenham Hotspur are more focused on finishing the last two games of the 2025/26 Premier League season strong than who they are going to sign in the summer transfer window, but any good club needs to plan early for the transfer market lest they end up falling dangerously behind the curve - and that is doubly so for a club that is coming off an embarrassing season.

According to Give Me Sport transfer insider Ben Jacobs, there are four big areas where Tottenham could be making signings this summer. Jacobs says that while Micky van de Ven looks poised to stay, fellow center back Cristian Romero is more out than in, and it is likely Spurs will be signing a new starting central defender to take over for the Argentinian and captain.

Meanwhile, a new center midfielder to replace Joao Palhinha, who could end up going back to Bayern Munich despite Roberto De Zerbi taking a liking to the Portuguese international, is one possibility. Another is a new winger to compete with the young stable of Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Wilson Odobert, and returning loan standout Mikey Moore of Rangers fame.

Tottenham need a new striker

The final signing and perhaps the most important for Tottenham Hotspur to upgrade their most pressing need as an organization, goals, is a new No. 9. Jacobs says that Richarlison is still generating interest from Saudi Pro League clubs in 2026, and the other main striker on the books permanently (Randal Kolo Muani is on loan from PSG, and nobody expects that to be continued), Dominic Solanke, is also generating interest from Saudi Arabia.

So if Tottenham were to sell one or both strikers, they would definitely need an upgrade up top. Therefore, center back and striker to replace departures look like two moves that are strongly expected to happen, while midfield and winger are other areas Spurs could use to upgrade, especially depending on how things shake out in the summer transfer window.

Winger should not be overlooked despite the promise of Odobert, Moore, and Tel. Tottenham were after Savinho in the last summer transfer window but could not get Manchester City to agree to his sale with Rodrygo Goes not leaving Real Madrid, and then in both the summer and winter windows, Spurs badly whiffed and missed out on Ademola Lookman, who has since gone on to be a real difference maker for Atletico Madrid in La Liga.

Tottenham Hotspur have two more games left in the 2025/26 Premier League season against Chelsea and Everton, and these are two tough matchups to ensure their survival over West Ham United, whom they hold a measly two point advantage over after drawing Leeds United on Monday Night Football - the same Leeds who could decide both West Ham's and Tottenham's fate on the last day of the season when they face the Hammers.

As Tottenham fight tooth and nail to stay up, they have already been hard at work on the transfer market, and one of the signings they have in the bag, if they are to stay up in the Premier League, is reportedly center back Marcos Senesi.

Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, it is official that Senesi will leave AFC Bournemouth this summer transfer window and hit the free agent waters, where Tottenham Hotspur or another interested party can sign the player for free. Spurs are not the only big Premier League club interested in one of the top center backs of the 2025/26 season, but they have reportedly agreed to terms to sign him if they remain in the Premier League.

Marcos Senesi is a step closer to Spurs

Although, as Fab says, Senesi hitting free agency was never really in doubt, this is official confirmation that the Argentinian international is available and potentially one step away from joining Spurs.

But for Spurs fans, Marcos Senesi being available isn't something they are celebrating. At 29, Senesi has no resale value or future value, and while he is good at winning possession, that's the only thing he could do to potentially replace Cristian Romero if the captain and World Cup winner (and Europa League winner) were to leave this summer.

For Tottenham fans, the priority should be keeping Romero over letting him go. Even though Luka Vuskovic could step in and do an even better job than Romero, the veteran's ability on the ball and Premier League experience would be missed, and he is going to be so much better in a new direction under manager Roberto De Zerbi than he looked under the woeful Thomas Frank.

At the wages Senesi would get as a free agent, he could be a bad signing in the making. There are other options out there at center back, and Tottenham fans don't want to see the cash grabbing front office use Senesi being a free agent as an excuse not to actually be ambitious in the window.

Tottenham Hotspur suddenly have a goalkeeper dilemma thanks to the return of Guglielmo Vicario from hernia surgery, but Roberto De Zerbi must stick with Antonín Kinsky between the posts.

Spurs have just two games to preserve their Premier League status. We are in control of our own fate, but few feel comfortable heading into Tuesday night's clash with Chelsea, and not merely because of our woeful Premier League record at Stamford Bridge.

Much rests on Sunday's encounter between Newcastle United and West Ham United. Reassuringly, Eddie Howe has asserted the significance of this fixture for the hosts, who can improbably qualify for Europe but will want to finish above rivals Sunderland, and the Magpies have previously done us a massive favour at a similar juncture before.

A win for West Ham would see them usurp the Lilywhites in the table, placing immense pressure on our trip to west London a little over 48 hours later. Anything but three points for the Irons on Tyneside should allow us to breathe easier, with a rare victory at the Bridge securing our safety.

A fraught, nerve-shredding week is upon us, folks, and we can only hope the significance of the situation doesn't distort De Zerbi's thinking. There's no need to make a change at the goalkeeper position.

Kinsky should not lose his spot despite Vicario's injury return

Vicario has a tendency to berate to compensate for his own misgivings, but I appreciate his character and believe his woeful statistical campaign is largely a result of the hernia he carried for much of it.

The Italian is a chaotic shot-stopper who's capable of the spectacular, but he's been one-upped by his back-up in recent weeks.

Kinsky has recovered from his Madrid nightmare remarkably well. His string of impressive performances, culminating in an outstanding save from Sean Longstaff on Monday night against Leeds United, is a testament to his character, and although Spurs will be in the market for a goalkeeper this summer, Kinsky may well start 2026/27 as our No. 1.

Vicario is moving on, with Scudetto holders Inter Milan interested. The time is right for a return home, with the former Empoli man capable of re-emerging as an exciting, somewhat reliable goalkeeper should he fully recover from his most recent fitness setback.

It seemed as if Vicario was done for the season, given Kinsky's level of performances and his consistent place in 'normal' clothing on the substitutes bench. However, pictures have emerged of Vicario back in training ahead of Tuesday's game, raising fears that De Zerbi could make a goalkeeper switch he simply doesn't need to make.

Kinsky is far better suited to what the Italian wants from his man between the posts than the often unsteady Vicario, who's more easily flummoxed when dealing with the high ball and cannot be trusted to adhere to De Zerbi's demands in possession. He also hasn't played in almost two months.

It's a massive call that could decide Tottenham's fate. I trust De Zerbi to make the right one.

It is all on the line on Tuesday night for Tottenham Hotspur when they take on Chelsea in the Premier League, and regardless of what happens between Newcastle United and West Ham United on Sunday, Spurs need a positive response against a Blues side that embarrassed them earlier in the 2025/26 Premier League campaign under Thomas Frank.

Here are five players Roberto De Zerbi absolutely has to start on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge if he wants to get all the points against one of Spurs biggest rivals.

GK Antonin Kinsky

It looks like Guglielmo Vicario is about to come back from his hernia repair, but that should not matter one bit. Antonin Kinsky has been the better keeper these past few weeks and put on his best performance to date against Leeds United. De Zerbi cannot bench this guy.

CB Micky van de Ven

Micky van de Ven has really risen to the occasion under De Zerbi, shedding a few months of terrible football to return to form as the center back Tottenham needed. To complete saving his reputation, Van de Ven needs to keep playing well, but he is the best they have right now, no doubt.

RB Pedro Porro

Pedro Porro is another top player who is back to living up to his billing with Roberto De Zerbi in charge. He has quietly been one of the team's best players since the Italian manager took over, and with no other alternative at right back, he may be the most obvious starter of them all.

CM Rodrigo Bentancur

Conor Gallagher and Joao Palhinha have been impressing lately, but Rodrigo Bentancur has been the real glue guy in midfield, to the point where Tottenham Hotspur fans aren't even pining about the promising Archie Gray sitting on the bench. Bentancur has been Spurs best player over the past few weeks since De Zerbi taking charge, totally undoing the narrative he was writing about himself in the first half of the season under Thomas Frank.

LW Mathys Tel

Although Luka Vuskovic has been the main breakout star and the best center back in European football this season at Hamburg, the other Tottenham Hotspur loanees have also been highly impressive in the 2025/26 season. Vuskovic has now overshadowed him, but before the new campaign started, winger and attacking midfielder Mikey Moore was the biggest gem in the Spurs ranks whom the fans were most keen to see getting regular playing time.

It took Moore some time to get started, and there were even a few Rangers fans who thought his loan was a dud early in the season. But a change to a more competent manager unlocked Moore, who has truly shown his level under the biggest spotlight and in the biggest games, scoring in multiple Old Firm Derbies for Rangers vs. Celtic as THE standout player on the pitch.

His quality, work rate, clutch factor, one on one ability, and bravery on the ball have earned him huge admirers among Rangers fans, and Tottenham Hotspur supporters are definitely excited to see him back in a Lilywhite kit after he already flashed his potential in North London during his debut season in the 2024/25 campaign under Ange Postecoglou.

Mikey Moore is ready to return to Spurs

But because Rangers fans have been pining for him and Tottenham were struggling badly over the last couple of months, there were rumblings that maybe Mikey Moore may not be back at N17 for the 2026/27 season.

Clearly, that's not the case. Speaking at the most recent Rangers press conference, Moore wowed everyone with a very mature showing that made him sound like a 30 year old captain and leader, and he made it 100 percent certain that he sees his future at Tottenham.

Moore said, via Daily Hotspur, "There is a new manager at Spurs at the moment. Obviously, I am a Spurs player, so I will go back and continue to work hard."

It sounds like in the same way Conor Gallagher, Micky van de Ven, and the current senior players at Tottenham have been galvanized by Roberto De Zerbi taking charge of the club, Moore has been bit by the bug and is excitd about being a Spur next season, invoking the new manager specifically, too.

Now, even before De Zebri, Moore was showing that he was still a Spur, but this confirms it. And although Spurs are getting closer to Premier League safety, nothing is guaranteed, so the best part of this quote is that Moore did not cage it with any mention of staying up in the Premier League or a "What if?" scenario. He is Tottenham through and through.