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Match of the Day - 2025/26 Highlights: Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion Highlights  BBC

Tottenham remain in the bottom three and are denied their first Premier League victory since December as Georginio Rutter scores a late equaliser for Brighton as the two sides draw 2-2 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

MATCH REPORT: Tottenham 2-2 Brighton

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler says his side is capable of playing better despite being happy with the effort his team showed during their 2-2 draw with Tottenham.

MATCH REPORT: Tottenham 2-2 Brighton

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi believes his side deserved to win, as Spurs were denied their first win in the league since December after conceding a late equaliser to draw 2-2 with Brighton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

MATCH REPORT: Tottenham 2-2 Brighton

Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi has made four changes after overseeing a 1-0 loss to Sunderland in his first game in charge.

For his first home match as Spurs boss, De Zerbi hands midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur his first start since undergoing surgery on his hamstring in January.

Kevin Danso replaces the injured Cristian Romero in defence, while Yves Bissouma and Xavi Simons also come in for Archie Gray and Richarlison.

Another huge boost for Spurs is the return of James Maddison to the squad for the first time this season, after he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season.

Tottenham XI: Kinsky, Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie, Bissouma, Gallagher, Bentancur, Kolo Muani, Solanke, Simons.

Subs: Austin, Dragusin, Palhinha, Richarlison, Maddison, Tel, Gray, Bergvall, Spence.

There are no changes for in-form Brighton.

Fabian Hurzeler's side have won five of their past six in the league as they make a late surge for European football, and the German names the same 11 that started in the 2-0 win over Burnley, with Danny Welbeck leading the line.

Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Wieffer, Van Hecke, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Ayari, Gross, Gomez, Hinshelwood, Minteh, Welbeck.

Subs: Steele, Igor, Rutter, Baleba, Kostoulas, Mitoma, De Cuyper, O'Riley, Veltman.

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Tottenham 0-0 Brighton

Dominic Solanke backs into Jan Paul van Hecke as he waits for the ball to drop out of the sky but the referee says no foul.

Tottenham get forward and a good block prevents the ball from Destiny Udogie on the left-hand side reaching Solanke in the six-yard box.

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Tottenham 0-0 Brighton

After a bit of a rocky patch in the middle of the season Brighton are enjoying a really good run of form and will go sixth in the Premier League with victory today.

The Seagulls have won their last three away league matches - they’ve never won four in a row in the top-flight. They have also kept a clean sheet in all three wins.

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Tottenham v Brighton (17:30 BST)

Well, quite, Ed.

I was just going to say will that give this side a boost? Does that line-up already look a bit more positive because of their presence?

When I watched Spurs last week I was a bit concerned by their attitudes at full-time. They all looked utterly despondent but they do still have six games to save themselves and the attitude probably needs to improve as much as the performance.

Dinner on De Zerbi

Tottenham v Brighton (17:30 BST)

Roberto de Zerbi has said his new side do not need coaching but instead said he can be a "big brother, father" figure for his players.

"They don't need a coach - they are good guys and I am sorry for them,” the Italian said.

In an attempt to boost morale and get to know them he took the squad out for dinner this week.

Whether that will be enough for his side to start picking up points, who knows. But De Zerbi said if they win today he will pick up the bill more often.

"I don't know if we win the game for [this] dinner, but we ate very well. The food was amazing and if we win I am ready to pay every week one dinner," he said.

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Tottenham v Brighton (17:30 BST)

The Spurs fans have been given flags to wave for this evening's fixture.

In recent weeks we've seen supporters flock to the exits long before the final whistle is blown so this could be an attempt to galvanise the crowd in some way.

We've also had a rousing speech from the stadium announcer and a highlights reel is being shown on the big screen.

It's a concerted effort to get the crowd up for this.

Has Romero played his last game for Spurs?

Tottenham v Brighton (17:30 BST)

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero left the Stadium of Light pitch in tears last weekend and is set to miss the remainder of the season with injury.

But something suggested the tears were not just because of the injury but perhaps because he knew he had played his last game for the club.

Perhaps it was also that he knew he would not be able to help the club in this crucial part of the season but, if rumours are to be believed, Spurs are planning a complete overhaul of the squad even if they achieve Premier League survival.

Is Romero a big miss? And what would his legacy be if this was the end of his Spurs career?

'Trying to keep unbeaten run going'

FT: Newcastle 1-2 Bournemouth

Bournemouth

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola speaking to Sky sports: "Very pleased, I think we played really well. We enjoyed playing it. At 1-1 the game changes which was expected but we showed composure to keep playing and 2-1 is a lovely goal and we deserved it.

"This is a very difficult place to come as an away team. They are so fast in the last line that you can lose those races but overall we have defended really well.

On how far Bournemouth can go this season: "We are in a good place and arriving at an important part of the season. We are trying to keep this unbeaten run [going] as long as we can because the players have shown me they will take no days off. We tried to continue playing, keep the ball and I think that's the way the second goal has arrived."

Hello again

Tottenham v Brighton (17:30 BST)

Familiar faces for Roberto de Zerbi this afternoon as his first home match in charge of Tottenham comes against his former club Brighton.

The Italian was in charge of the Seagulls from 2022-24.

The two sides could not be on more different paths right now. Spurs have lost 10 of their 16 league games to date at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and four consecutively in recent weeks.

Brighton head to the capital having won two of their last four away league games against Spurs, including a 4-1 victory last season and are looking up the table with the aim of European football.

'Spurs still missing fight'

Tottenham v Brighton (17:30 BST)

Steph Houghton

Former England captain on BBC Radio 5 Live

I'm not so convinced at this moment in time. That's not what Spurs fans want to hear, but to the eye you could see there were general changes, but they are still missing that little bit of fight and that battle and mentality to get back into a game. It doesn't look promising.

De Zerbi spoke about being a father figure, acting like they are his sons and getting more belief and confidence into them. Without that, it's so hard to be in a relegation battle.

'It's looking good'

FT: Leeds 3-0 Wolves

Leeds United

Leeds goalscorer James Justin, speaking to Sky Sports on if this feels like a defining week: "Yeah definitely. It's crunch time. We put two good wins back-to-back for the first time this season. What a time to do it. It gives us a bit of a buffer and it's looking good."

On a fast start: "We knew we couldn't wait for the crowd to pick us up, we had to pick the crowd up. After the win the other night we knew the expectation was to come back home and win again. We had to put our foot on the gas from minute one.

On his acrobatic goal: "When the ball was in the air I just thought why not? I had no idea where it was going but luckily it went in so I'm really happy."

On if it feels like this is enough for safety: "It's not over until it's over. We're on a good points total but until we are mathematically safe we will still work hard until the end."

After Spurs lost to Sunderland in his first match in charge, Roberto de Zerbi said his players need a father figure, not a coach. He is trying to build their confidence but maybe that means he is not coaching them the way he wants to.

It's a bit of a head-scratcher, but then Tottenham's entire season has not made much sense. When you look at their team and their bench, they have got some incredible players.

Somehow, though, Spurs are still waiting for their first Premier League win of the year after playing 14 league games already in 2026. Looking at the table, they will need three wins, or at least two, from their final six games if they are going to climb out of the relegation zone and stay up.

They really should not be in this position but I am not sure they have got the stomach to get out of it now they are.

I just don't think they will get one of those wins against Brighton, who have come into a bit of form.

The Seagulls are on a run of three successive victories and have five wins in their past six games. I can see things going wrong for De Zerbi against his old club, so I am backing Brighton to nick the points here.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

Spurs close to unwanted home record

If their situation wasn't already serious enough, a morale-sapping weekend of results brought into even sharper focus just how much trouble Tottenham are in.

West Ham's crushing victory over Wolves, Nottingham Forest's battling point against Aston Villa and Leeds United's historic triumph at Old Trafford were sandwiched by a toothless defeat for Spurs at Sunderland in which they also lost captain Cristian Romero for the season.

There were only limited signs of a "new manager bounce" for Roberto de Zerbi in his first match in charge. He's since had another week on the training ground to try to instil some belief in his fragile squad. "I can be a big brother, father, they don't need a coach," he said of his plans to lift spirits.

The only one of Spurs' last 13 managers to lose their opening home game was his much-maligned predecessor Igor Tudor. Their home form remains an ongoing issue and if they are beaten again on Saturday, the Lilywhites will equal their club record of five successive home league losses set in February 1994.

So dismal have their performances been in front of their own fans that their tally of 10 home points is just one more than Brighton have picked up in their last three league matches alone.

Overall, Tottenham's winless streak in the league of 14 matches - dating back to 28 December - is just two shy of the longest such run in their history of 16 set between December 1934 and April 1935.

They also remain one of only two top-flight sides yet to win a match after failing behind along with Wolves.

De Zerbi confirmed that Argentina centre-back Cristian Romero is out for season and said: "I am really sorry for him, for his injury. Romero, first of all, loves Tottenham, and the people have to know his suffering."

Goakeeper Guglielmo Vicario remains out: "I am looking forward to working with him. He is another important player for us with big experience and a big personality. We are waiting for him."

Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is available to play, although De Zerbi does not know if he will start, while Yves Bissouma is "100%" ready to play.

The Spurs boss said he does not want to "push" England forward James Maddison, who has not played since suffering a torn ACL in pre-season

On Maddison's return: "It's better to lose [Maddison] for one game more than to take a risk for another injury."

On taking the team out for a meal: "I don't know if we win the game for [this] dinner, but we ate very well. The food was amazing and if we win I am ready to pay every week one dinner."

On facing former club Brighton: "I love Brighton, I love my former players and all people working in this club. Fabian [Hurzeler] is working very well and is credit for what they are doing."

De Zerbi said he has not decided who will captain the side in Romero's absence, but added: "I would like all players to feel they could be a captain. We can't cry, we have to push and be stronger to come out of this situation."

The conclusion of the 2026 winter transfer window was a quiet affair for Premier League clubs.

There were no headline-grabbing, big-money deals and none of the customary deadline-day drama. It was, in fact, rather dull.

That is, apart from one quietly curious deal: James Wilson's loan move from Heart of Midlothian to Tottenham Hotspur.

Eyebrows were raised when the talented striker decided to trade top-flight football in favour of playing for Spurs' under-21 side, becoming the latest young Scottish player to decide his prospects elsewhere were brighter than at home.

The relegation-threatened Premier League club won a tug-of-war with rivals Arsenal for the 19-year-old, and have the option to make the move permanent in the summer.

Wilson has scored four goals in seven Premier League 2 appearances, and has twice been an unused substitute for Spurs in the Premier League.

"I've loved it, it's been really good," Wilson said after scoring in Spurs U21s' 1-0 win against Wolves on Friday.

"I have settled in really quickly. The boys in the changing room have been amazing. The coaches have been really good with me. I've had loads of chats and individual meetings with Wayne Burnett [U21s manager].

"I've settled in well at home, that's been quite easy [because] the club helped with that. All in all I can have no complaints, it's been a really easy transition for me."

Meanwhile, the Hearts team he left behind are one point clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership as they look to win a first top-flight title in 66 years. Did Wilson make the right call to leave?

After progressing through the Hearts academy, Wilson signed his first professional contract in the summer of 2023 and made his first-team debut during 2023-24.

In March 2025 he made his senior Scotland debut at 18 years and 17 days old, becoming the youngest player to do so.

Wilson featured in Hearts' opening three Scottish Premiership matches this season, but managed just seven minutes across the 21 league games that followed.

In total, he scored eight goals in 45 appearances for Hearts.

"I couldn't guarantee him minutes, such is the way it's been," said Hearts boss Derek McInnes.

"I told him and his agent that our preference was to stay, fight for his place, be part of something. But his head was turned with the Tottenham thing."

Arsenal were keen to sign the teenager on what would have effectively been a trial basis, but were usurped by Spurs' loan-to-buy offer.

"I don't think it's the right move for him. Ultimately, it's academy football and I think he's better than that. But it was something James wanted to do," McInnes said.