Daily Mail

Roberto De Zerbi is closing in on becoming the new Tottenham boss, but an incident from three years ago when he was Brighton manager almost scuppered his chances.

Back in April 2023 during a Premier League match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium between Spurs and Brighton, De Zerbi was involved in a furious touchline row with Cristian Stellini, the hosts' interim head coach at the time.

Their original clash came pre-match before a skirmish involving both benches early in the second half led to the two Italian coaches being handed red cards.

Daily Mail Sport understands that when Thomas Frank was sacked in February, there were sources at Spurs making it clear they were not interested in De Zerbi in the slightest, and for multiple reasons.

One of these was the fact they were put off by his notoriety as an incendiary character as laid bare by that visit of his Brighton team three years ago.

On that occasion, De Zerbi’s finger jabbing and jibes sparked a row with Stellini as tension bubbled at the pre-match handshake after comments in the build-up to the game.

De Zerbi is thought to have taken offence to Stellini saying Brighton's good form was a result of him simply carrying on the good work of his predecessor Graham Potter.

Potter had left the club the previous September to join Chelsea.

'They came from a good [manager] with Graham Potter for a long time,' Stellini said. 'I think Roberto De Zerbi has found a good solution to play with this style because with Potter the players know themselves very well.

'This is a great opportunity because when players play for a long time with each other it is easier.'

De Zerbi later said: 'Yes (I felt disrespected). It's a personal situation. I told him what was my opinion, my idea, not bad words, only my opinion.

'I'm used to always respecting everyone inside and outside of the pitch. I don't like it when people don't respect me.

'But there are normal situations in football. It's personal things. I always respect everyone, especially the coaches. I can answer for me, not for him.'

Following the melee in the second period, both De Zerbi and Stellini were then dismissed, although the Spurs boss was keen to play down the carnage and clash post-match.

'Sometimes when we speak Italian people seem aggressive,' he told Sky Sports. 'We were not aggressive. I don't want to speak about other managers.

'This is only the second game I'm a head coach. I want to respect every manager. What happened on the pitch, stays on the pitch.'

On his sending off, he added: 'I didn't say anything. I tried to keep calm. I am the head coach and have to respect the decision. Our team used the situation to create energy, that's because it helped us.'

Spurs won the game 2-1, but three years later De Zerbi is now set to be in the opposite dugout despite those initial concerns from the club's hierarchy.

Let’s not pretend the late swerve for Roberto De Zerbi is any sort of triumph for Tottenham’s incredible powers of persuasion.

Yes, they have convinced the Italian to take charge now when he was reluctant. He had made it clear he would prefer to start his next job in pre-season, a time when it is invariably more sensible to start than with the fuse lit on a season in meltdown.

Something has changed his mind. And if it isn’t simply the result of a month recharging his batteries or an attractive salary set to propel him into the bracket of top earning coaches in world football, it will probably have something to do with the recruitment demands and the power at his disposal with the situation as it is.

From the Spurs angle, though, the appointment represents a seismic U-turn for a head coach they have chosen to overlook at various points during the last 12 months.

They opted for Thomas Frank last summer ahead of De Zerbi, who was then at Marseille but no less approachable than the Brentford boss.

They then stuck with Frank when Fabio Paratici, the Italian sporting director who left Spurs for Fiorentina at the start of February, lobbied internally for a change of head coach before Christmas, and was apparently confident of prising De Zerbi out of the French club.

Then they overlooked him again when appointing Igor Tudor in February although by this time De Zerbi had parted with Marseille and was already talking about the need to take a break.

Most pertinently, when Tudor arrived to replace Frank, there were sources at Spurs making it clear they were not interested in De Zerbi in the slightest, and for two reasons.

Firstly, they were put off by his notoriety as an incendiary character as laid bare by the visit of his Brighton team to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium three years ago.

It was an occasion when De Zerbi’s finger jabbing and jibes sparked a row with interim Spurs boss Cristian Stellini which ended in an unseemly touchline skirmish involving both benches and red cards for the two Italian coaches.

Secondly, and more recently, there were people at Spurs very uncomfortable with De Zerbi’s part in helping Mason Greenwood to restore his reputation at Marseille after the striker left Manchester United in disgrace despite charges of attempted rape and assault being dropped.

When they were together in France, De Zerbi described Greenwood as ‘a good guy’ who ‘paid a heavy price’.

Last week, three Spurs fan groups - Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach - registered their opposition to the idea the Italian might soon be bringing those views to their club, claiming his comments had raised ‘serious questions about judgment and leadership’.

If Spurs have abandoned their morals while slamming on the handbrake and screeching off in a different direction it is a decision, no doubt, fuelled by sheer desperation.

'Those are my principles and if you don’t like them, well, I have others,' as Groucho Marx said.

Needs-must. The ignominy of relegation beckons. They will slide into the Premier League’s bottom three if West Ham beat Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday week, two days before they play again at Sunderland.

What are a few principles compared to the millions that will be lost if they end up in the Championship? Really, who cares about the moral high ground just so long as it’s not the relegation swamp?

So, De Zerbi it is. Another hire carrying the fingerprints of Paratici, who appears no less influential at Spurs today than he did before his exit on February 5, nor during his 30-month worldwide ban for his part in financial irregularities during his time at Juventus.

His lingering influence will invite further scrutiny upon the leadership team of chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange, who have fired and hired two head coaches in less than two months since Paratici left London and failed to come up with a candidate they might call their own.

None of this bodes particularly well for the future of Spurs under the regime installed since chairman Daniel Levy was ousted in September.

Lange’s position looks particularly vulnerable as Spurs step up their search for a successor to Paratici.

Lange, a Dane closely aligned with Frank, is a sporting director with his eyes most closely trained on data and emerging talent while Paratici, who had the same title during his latest spell at Spurs, was prized for his network of contacts and a knack for closing a deal.

There will be changes as the club restructure and reinforce their executive tier in the months ahead.

In the short term, however, De Zerbi certainly will boost their chances of survival. And when push comes to shove that is what the bulk of supporters care most about.

He is a strong leader, who takes no nonsense from his players.

Unlike Frank, the style of football he likes to play is unashamedly expansive and aggressive. Unlike Tudor, he should be tuned in to the demands of the Premier League.

He spent the best part of two seasons at Brighton, replacing Graham Potter and finishing sixth, and leading the club’s inaugural European campaign before leaving in May 2024 amid tensions over recruitment.

De Zerbi’s Brighton were quick, fearless and exciting to watch. Seldom boring, which should appeal in N17.

Although Brighton, like Brentford, are one of those modern clubs so well run that it is often difficult to figure out exactly what part of the success is down to the head coach and how much down to the data and algorithms of Tony Bloom and Matthew Benham driving recruitment and performance.

De Zerbi though has enough on his CV to support his ability. Success in Italy and Ukraine, and a good year at Marseille, finishing last season as runners-up, 19 points behind European champions Paris Saint-Germain.

So, leave your morals at the door as Spurs shift from the plan for another Tudoresque interim towards a long-term appointment.

The dream return for Mauricio Pochettino, who remains committed to the United States until after this summer’s World Cup, will have to be shelved yet again.

At least the Spurs crowd will have someone to sing for if they find it all goes awry once again under De Zerbi.

Tottenham want Roberto De Zerbi to take over as their manager immediately and are making moves to convince the former Marseille and Brighton boss to save them from relegation.

De Zerbi is the North London club's No 1 target as they look to avoid relegation disaster amid a torrid season in which Tudor and Thomas Frank have been dismissed as head coach.

Former Brighton boss De Zerbi has been available since his exit from Marseille in February and was understood to have been reluctant to take the Spurs job immediately, preferring to join the club in the summer.

However, the 46-year-old is now open to joining Tottenham as soon as possible.

Tottenham risk upsetting their fanbase should they appoint De Zerbi, with supporters launching a 'No To De Zerbi' campaign on Friday night owing to his backing of former Man United star Mason Greenwood.

De Zerbi brought Greenwood to Marseille, prompting backlash from the French fanbase owing to the 24-year-old's arrest on suspicion of rape, assault and coercive and controlling behaviour in 2024. The CPS later dropped the charges against him.

In his capacity as head coach, De Zerbi defended his player in the wake of his move to the French Riviera, with an attitude which the supporters groups have described as 'downplaying the seriousness of violence against women and girls'.

Choosing De Zerbi, Women of the Lane said in their statement, 'raises serious questions about judgement and leadership.'

'Clubs signal their values through the decisions they make,' the statement read. 'Who they appoint matters. The manager sets the tone, every day, for what is expected, what is tolerated, and how people are treated.

'At a time when Spurs needs to rebuild, that culture matters as much as anything on the pitch.

'For many in our community, this is difficult to reconcile with the club's stated commitments to respect, safety and inclusion. This is not an appointment Tottenham Hotspur should make. It introduces unnecessary cultural risk without a clear, proven track record to justify it.'

Proud Lilywhites added that the club has the responsibility to 'shape how people feel, who feels welcome, and what behaviour is seen as acceptable' with the manager playing 'a huge role' in that culture.

'When someone in that position publicly defends a player like Mason Greenwood, and frames it in a way that downplays the seriousness of what happened, it matters, not just in isolation but in what it signals,' the statement continued. 'We are proud of the progress that's been made in making football more inclusive and welcoming.

'That progress matters, and it cannot be compromised or treated as secondary. We are not asking for perfection. We are asking for accountability, transparency, and leadership that reflects the values this club claims to stand for.

'All together, always. That has to mean something. No to De Zerbi.'

Spurs Reach's statement added: 'Comments previously attributed to Roberto De Zerbi, including public remarks defending and contextualising Mason Greenwood following serious allegations have been widely criticised for appearing to minimise the gravity of violence against women.

'Regardless of intent, framing of this nature risks normalising harmful attitudes, diminishing the experiences of survivors, and sending a deeply concerning message about what is tolerated within the game.'

De Zerbi stoked controversy in November 2025 as Greenwood prepared for his first match on English soil since leaving Man United as a loanee two seasons earlier by saying that his player was a 'good guy' who had paid a 'heavy price' for the domestic abuse allegations.

'He's a good guy, he paid a heavy price for what happened, a very heavy price,' De Zerbi said. 'He has found the right environment for him.

'We have lent him a hand and given him affection. He's a little bit introverted but I know him and his family. It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described in England.'

Tottenham are trying to convince Roberto De Zerbi to become their new manager before the end of the season after sacking Igor Tudor - with one contender appearing to rule himself out as the club consider a sensational move for Glenn Hoddle.

Spurs are searching for their fourth head coach in 295 days after Tudor's exit and De Zerbi, who has been linked with the Manchester United job, is among the top candidates.

The Italian, 46, has drawn objections from some sections of supporters for his role in rebuilding Mason Greenwood's reputation at Marseille and is keen to wait until the summer.

But Spurs are attempting to persuade the ex-Brighton and Marseille manager to take the job now, and it remains a possibility.

One contender who appears to have already ruled themselves out of consideration is former Monaco boss Adi Hutter.

Speaking to Sky Sports Austria, he said: 'In the last few days and weeks, I have been increasingly linked with various clubs.

'However, as I already said immediately after my time at Monaco, I fundamentally want to work as a head coach again at the beginning of the new season at the earliest. My stance on this topic has not changed since then.'

Tottenham are looking for someone to take over immediately and be in position for their game against Sunderland on Sunday - and could turn to Hoddle in what would be a remarkable move.

Hoddle, 68, has not managed for nearly 20 years, but Spurs have spent a week exploring options since the punishing defeat by Nottingham Forest deepened relegation fears.

Sean Dyche leads the betting but has distanced himself from the role.

Chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange will be wary of options from the same mould as Tudor, who was unfamiliar with the club or English football, although there had been contact with Hutter.

Austrian Hutter, 56, has coached the likes of Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Monchengladbach, while he left Monaco last year after two years in charge.

Under Tudor, who had previously been in charge of Juventus, Spurs picked up only one point from five Premier League games since replacing Thomas Frank and crashed out of the Champions League.

Hoddle has made clear he is willing to help, as have others who managed the club in the past, including Tim Sherwood and Harry Redknapp.

Others with a Spurs background and more recent coaching experience including Chris Hughton and Ryan Mason are out of work and have been linked.

Spurs are also reluctant to commit to a new boss on a long-term deal because they want to select from an open field in the summer, which would include former favourite Mauricio Pochettino, who is committed to the United States until after the World Cup.

Hoddle is recognised as one the greatest Spurs players of all time and managed them for two and a half years from March 2001.

He has not managed since leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2006, although he was briefly part of Redknapp's coaching team at Queens Park Rangers.

Since leaving QPR in 2015, he has spent most of his time in football working on TV as a co-commentator and pundit on TNT Sports and suffered a heart attack in 2018.

Igor Tudor’s time at Tottenham is over after just 44 days and the search for a fourth head coach in the last 12 months is under way.

Interim assistant Bruno Saltor will take care of training in the days ahead and Spurs, having confirmed Tudor’s exit on Sunday intend to have a new boss in place by the time the full squad returns from international duty later this week.

Tudor was appointed as interim head coach on Valentine’s Day to replace Thomas Frank who was sacked three days earlier, but Spurs have taken only one point from his five Premier League games in charge and crashed out of the Champions League.

They scored nine goals in those seven games and conceded 20.

His short tenure started badly with a 4-1 home defeat against Arsenal after which Tudor confessed the problems were far worse than he had anticipated, because of the injury pile-up and its impact on physical condition and morale.

Then came a poor performance in a defeat at Fulham and a first-half shambles in what was a key home fixture against Crystal Palace.

Spurs took the lead through Dominic Solanke in the 34th minute only to collapse when vice captain Micky van de Ven was sent off four minutes later for a foul that conceded a penalty.

Palace equalised from the spot and quickly scored two more before half time as 10-man Spurs hit the self-destruct button, something which has become a worrying trend during this high-stress period of the season.

Something similar happened in the opening 15 minutes of the first leg of the Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid.

Tudor selected Antonin Kinsky in goal to give Guglielmo Vicario a break but Kinsky made two costly slips in the opening 15 minutes and was substituted with Spurs 3-0 down.

Spurs went 4-0 down before they rallied and lost 5-2, a deficit too big to turn around despite victory in the second leg.

That will go down Tudor’s only win and it is ironic that it was inspired by two Xavi Simons goals.

Simons has been the only creative spark since the turn of the year but was used sparingly by Tudor after contributing little from a position wide on the left in a 4-4-2 formation at Fulham.

The Atletico dead-rubber win together with a late equaliser in the previous game, a 1-1 draw at Liverpool, offered some hope but it vanished against Nottingham Forest.

Like the Palace game, the Forest showdown was billed as must-win in the survival fight. As against Palace, there was a big build up and Spurs flickered with promise but ultimately went under and conceded another three goals at home.

They have been far too easy to score against and Tudor, like Frank and other predecessors, has been unable to strike the perfect balance between protecting one goal while threatening the other with this group of players.

The problems at Spurs run deeper than the head coach, nevertheless the Forest defeat would prove the final act of the short Tudor era in N17.

It ended with profound personal sadness as the 47-year-old Croatian was informed of the death of his father Mario straight after the final whistle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

There was great sympathy from all connected with the club as he left London but his spell in charge has been short and sour and will be remembered with no great fondness.

Players railed against Tudor’s surly brand of passive aggression, which spilled into his media duties where he had a habit of tutting disapprovingly at questions he didn’t like and glaring at inquisitors.

Fans, like everyone else, have been bemused by wild deviations in his tactical plans from a back three to a back four, with one, two or three up front, players out of position and expensive signings such as Simons and Conor Gallagher regularly cast aside.

His trusted assistant Ivan Javorcic ran into work permit complications and was unable to join him at Spurs.

Maybe the last six weeks would have been different with Javorcic at his side but as it turned out there was nothing Tudor could do to arrest the slide in the short time available.

Spurs remain deep in a rut of relegation form. They have not won any of their last 13 Premier League games, taking only five points from 39 available in 2026. They sit on 30 points, with bitter rivals West Ham are 18th on 29 points - with both teams having seven games left.

Their first game back is a trip to Sunderland (April 12) before ending the month with a home match against Brighton (April 18) and then travelling to Wolves (April 25).

Their May begins with a trip to Champions League chasing Aston Villa (May 2) before a home encounter with Leeds (May 9). They then make the short trip across to west London to face bitter rivals Chelsea (May 17) before ending the season at home to Everton (May 24).

With seven games to play, the only priority is to stay up. An escape they will attempt without Tudor.

If Tottenham were to get relegated it would be the first time they have dropped down from the top flight since 1977.

Goalkeeping coach Tomislav Rogic and fitness coach Riccardo Ragnacci leave with him. The end of an error, some might say.

The battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League looks like going down to the wire, with Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham and West Ham fearing for their future in the top flight.

With Wolves and Burnley looking cut adrift, it is looking like a dogfight between four teams to avoid finishing 18th.

On Sunday, Nottingham Forest rose to the occasion by beating Tottenham 3-0 in their relegation six-pointer, breathing life into their survival bid. The result plunged Spurs into further turmoil, with the prospect of unexpected relegation growing ever more likely for one of the Premier League's ever presents.

Tottenham are only a point above West Ham, who currently lie the wrong side of the dotted line despite improving in recent months. Leeds are four points above the drop, but are by no means out of the woods.

There promises to be plenty of dramatic twists and turns in the final seven matchweeks of the season in the relegation fight.

Daily Mail Sport has attempted to predict how the battle could play out.

Leeds - 33 points

Would Leeds fans have accepted this position at the start of the campaign?

Daniel Farke's side are currently four points above the drop, with two teams between themselves and the bottom three.

There are growing concerns though, having picked up four points from their last six matches - the second lowest tally in the division.

Those four points have all come from draws, with Leeds scoring just three goals across those matches but only conceding five.

On paper Leeds look to have a favourable fixture list, with Farke's side playing all of the current bottom four in their last seven matches.

If Leeds go down from here, they will only have themselves to blame.

Biggest banker - Burnley - Leeds home form would be good enough to put them 13th in the table. Three points against the Clarets will feel like a must, particularly as they will want to keep daylight between themselves and the bottom three a week before travelling to Tottenham.

Write off - Man United - Leeds are 12 league games without an away win and are yet to win at Old Trafford in the Premier League era.

Banana skin - Tottenham - At time of writing Spurs have won two league matches at home and Leeds have won just one away. So this match could be a coin flip. Leeds will hope to already have put distance between themselves and the drop, but defeat in North London could see them dragged back in.

Nottingham Forest - 32 points

Forest's monumental 3-0 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday will have fans buoyant about their chances of beating the drop going into the international break.

The result came at the end of a positive week, with Forest also progressing to the Europa League quarter-finals.

Forest's fixtures immediately after the international break could prove key to their survival, ahead of a tough looking conclusion.

Forest's home matches on paper could deliver points, but they have scored a league low 13 goals in front of their own fans so far this season.

Biggest banker - Burnley - Vitor Pereira's side will have a home match against the struggling Clarets circled for three points.

Write off - Man United - Forest will be hoping the Red Devils have already secured Champions League qualification by the penultimate game of the season. However, you can bet Man United and Michael Carrick will want a final flourish in front of their home fans.

Banana skin - Burnley - Anything but three points against Burnley would set nerves jangling, particularly with difficult looking away matches against Chelsea and Man United coming up in May.

Tottenham - 30 points

The mood is bleak at Tottenham heading into a three-week break following that dismal defeat in their six-pointer with Forest.

Spurs remain without a league win in 2026, picking up just five points so far this year. Will Igor Tudor even be in charge by the time Spurs face Sunderland on April 12?

It is hard to make a case for Spurs at this stage, with fans potentially hoping another change in the dugout and more players returning from injury could rescue the club.

On paper, there look to be some opportunities for Spurs to pick up points still, but the club is in its worst form in 91 years having gone 13 league games without a win.

With Tottenham's home form remaining dreadful, picking up unexpected points on the road may be vital. Spurs fans may hope Aston Villa progress in the Europa League, as their match at Villa Park would be sandwiched between a two-legged semi-final.

Victories over Wolves and Leeds feel essential.

Biggest banker - Leeds - Tottenham may have the worst home record in the league, but Leeds have only beaten Wolves away so far this season. Victory over Leeds is a must if Spurs are to stay up - but they have already lost to relegation rivals West Ham and Forest at home.

Write off - Chelsea - Spurs have won just one at Stamford Bridge since 1990 and it would be staggering if this team was the one to earn a second. With the match being their penultimate game of the campaign, Spurs fans will already be fearing the possibility that Chelsea could send them down.

Banana skin - Wolves - Tottenham fans will have identified Wolves and Leeds as their best bets for wins for the remainder of the campaign. But Wolves have improved considerably as the season has gone on and Tottenham have lost their last three at Molineux.

West Ham - 29 points

The Hammers looked destined for the drop back in January, but their upturn in form under Nuno Espirito Santo has given real hope of survival.

The problem is that despite the improvement, West Ham remain in the bottom three heading to the final weeks of the season.

There will be an immediate chance to jump out of the bottom three with West Ham playing Wolves on a Friday night on April 10.

West Ham will also look to the next match against Crystal Palace as an opportunity, with their London rivals having won just three home matches in the league this season.

The Hammers' goal difference is the worst out of the four sides and that could ultimately prove crucial.

Biggest banker - Wolves - Victory over Wolves would lift West Ham out of the bottom three and plunge Tottenham into the relegation zone before their match at Sunderland. It could prove a massive psychological blow.

Write off - Arsenal - West Ham will probably hope Arsenal have the title wrapped up by this point and have their eyes on other prizes. But on paper, this should be three points for the Gunners.

Banana skin - Leeds - West Ham fans will be dreading it coming down to the final day of the season and it remains possible this could be a shoot-out to avoid the drop.

Tottenham will avoid dropping into the Championship this season despite their significant Premier League relegation fears, according to Opta's supercomputer.

Spurs suffered a dismal 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest on Sunday to increase concerns about the club facing the drop for the first time since 1977, with Igor Tudor's side now in 17th place and just one point clear of West Ham in 18th.

Tottenham's last league win came against Crystal Palace on December 28, 13 games ago, and they have taken only one point from Tudor's five top-flight matches in charge.

However, according to Opta, Spurs - who have lost six of their past seven games - will avoid relegation by one point, with West Ham the team the data backs to take the final relegation spot alongside Burnley and Wolves.

The model gives Tottenham a 27.10 per cent chance of relegation, compared to 57.48 per cent for West Ham.

Nottingham Forest's position has been significantly boosted by Sunday's triumph in North London, with Vitor Pereira's side only given an 8.74 per cent likelihood of returning to the Championship for the first time since 2022.

Elsewhere, Leeds face a 6.80 per cent chance of going down to the second tier, with Crystal Palace the only other team in the running, according to Opta - although a disastrous capitulation for Oliver Glasner's men is only measured at 0.05 per cent.

Wolves have a 99.94 per cent chance, meaning their relegation is all but certain as per the data, with Burnley's verdict similarly damning at 99.89 per cent.

In their final seven games, Spurs face trips to Sunderland, Wolves, Aston Villa and Chelsea, with their three home matches coming against Brighton, Leeds and Everton.

The Opta model has also given a predicted points total, with Wolves expected to finish bottom of the Premier League on 25 points, one point behind Burnley on 26.

West Ham are predicted to amass 37 points, with Tottenham on 38, Forest on 41, Leeds on 42 and Palace on 48.

Speaking after Sunday's humbling defeat, Bruno Saltor, Tottenham's assistant coach who was filling in for Tudor, tried to remain upbeat despite the challenging situation.

'Every mistake right now is going against us, every detail is going against us and it affects the players as well,' he said.

'You can see how much they are fighting. We are in a difficult situation, everyone knows. In the first half we were the better team and we need to be consistent with that.

'We were 1-0 down and wanted to be a little more aggressive with players coming back from injuries. It didn't work as planned but it was our intention.

'It hurts us, it is painful, really painful, but the fans were outstanding today – from before the game until the end of the game.'

Saltor continued: 'We need to carry on because we care, we care for Spurs, we are family and want to get out of this situation.

'I am 100 per cent sure we can get through this situation.'

Spurs do have a three-week break before their next fixture and Tudor, if he remains in the role, will hope to welcome back the likes of Mohamed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur from injury over the international break.

Meanwhile, the supercomputer also predicted that Arsenal will win the title, while it backed Man City, Man United, Aston Villa and Liverpool to make up the top five.

Re-live Daily Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Newcastle welcomed Sunderland to St James' Park in the Premier League and Tottenham hosted Nottingham Forest in huge relegation six-pointer.

Tottenham boss Igor Tudor did not fulfil his post-match media duties on Sunday due to a family bereavement.

Spurs suffered a humiliating 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest to increase their relegation fears - and the Croatian has now picked up just one point in five Premier League games.

The loss also put further scrutiny on Tudor's future, but he was unable to talk about his side's latest setback.

Football.London reported that Tudor had been informed of an immediate family bereavement following the game, meaning that his assistant Bruno Saltor spoke to the media instead.

Saltor explained: 'Personal matters, family matters and I am stepping in as it is not the right time for him [Tudor] to speak.'

Saltor went on to be questioned on a variety of topics, including Tottenham's battle against relegation.

'Every mistake right now is going against us, every detail is going against us and it affects the players as well,' he said.

'You can see how much they are fighting. We are in a difficult situation, everyone knows. In the first half we were the better team and we need to be consistent with that.

'We were 1-0 down and wanted to be a little more aggressive with players coming back from injuries. It didn't work as planned but it was our intention.

'It hurts us, it is painful, really painful, but the fans were outstanding today – from before the game until the end of the game.'

Saltor continued: 'We need to carry on because we care, we care for Spurs, we are family and want to get out of this situation.

'I am 100 per cent sure we can get through this situation.'

Tottenham had begun the game brightly but they were unable to recover after Igor Jesus' opener on the stroke of half-time.

Morgan Gibbs-White, a summer transfer target for Spurs, made it 2-0 to Forest midway through the second half before substitute Taiwo Awoniyi added the gloss to the victory late on.

The defeat left Tottenham just one point clear of West Ham, who occupy 18th place, although their battle for survival was boosted by the Hammers losing 2-0 to Aston Villa on Sunday.

In their final seven games, Spurs face trips to Sunderland, Wolves, Aston Villa and Chelsea, with their three home matches coming against Brighton, Leeds and Everton.

Meanwhile, since Tudor replaced Thomas Frank last month, Tottenham have scored just four Premier League goals and conceded 13 across five matches.

They were also beaten 7-5 on aggregate by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last-16.

Spurs do have a three-week break before their next fixture and Tudor, if he remains in the role, will hope to welcome back the likes of Mohamed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur from injury over the international break.

There was a moment towards the end here, after Tottenham had supplied yet more evidence of their inadequacies for this league and that stadium, when the corner filled by Nottingham Forest fans burst into song.

It was catchy and got to the heart of a point that had been lost on no one: ‘Morgan Gibbs-White, he stayed because you’re s***e.’

If anyone from Spurs had the appetite to mount a counterargument, then this was not the day for it. Not the season, either.

They are dismal. They are gutless. They are a club that has operated with sheer cowardice at an institutional level across multiple transfer windows and, right now, as this campaign enters its championship rounds, they are close to entering the Championship itself.

For a while that has seemed unthinkable. Possible but improbable. Too big. But they aren’t and this was the sort of match that proved it. The sort that could not be lost and the sort they have lost over and again, a tortured echo of the home game against Crystal Palace three weeks ago.

When the pressure is on, they crumble; when they need to step up, they fall. A second leg against Atletico Madrid when the tie is over? They can turn it on. But not when it counts against a side with some fight in them.

Tottenham 0-3 Nottingham Forest: MATCH FACTS

Tottenham (4-4-2): Vicario 6; Spence 6 (Bergvall 46, 5.5), Danso 6, Romero 6.5, Van de Ven 6 (Udogie 46, 5); Porro 5, Gray 7 (Gallagher 84), Sarr 6, Tel 6.5 (Kolo Muani 67); Richarlison 5.5 (Simons 67), Solanke 5.5.

Subs not used: Kinsky, Dragusin, Souza, Palhinha, Gallagher.

Booked: Udogie

Manager: Igor Tudor 5

Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels 7; Aina 6, Milenkovic 8, Murillo 7, Williams 7.5; Sangare 7 Anderson 7.5; Hutchinson 6.5 (Ndoye 80), Gibbs-White 7, Jesus 7 (Awoniyi 70, 7); Hudson-Odoi 6.5 (Yates 70, 6.5).

Subs not used: Ortega, Morato, Dominguez, Netz, Bakwa, McAtee.

Booked: Sangare

Manager: Vitor Pereira 6.5

Referee: Michael Oliver 7

Will it cost Igor Tudor his job? That remains to be seen.

In any case, he departed the stadium soon after this match because of a family situation. That provided some perspective. It’s only a ball game.

But it is also a ball game that doesn’t seem to suit Tottenham at present. Nor does this kind of battle, admitted with some honesty by Tudor’s assistant, Bruno Saltor, who gave a damning assessment of how a strong first half gave way to an abject capitulation: ‘We were unable to deal with the weight of the game.’

That is more of an indictment than he may have meant but the truth of it was unmistakable. For that, more credit goes to Forest and Vitor Pereira, who are facing identical pressures but emerged with three goals and a clean sheet. Not bad from a side that has not scored so many in a single league game since December. That was against Tottenham, too, by the way.

The details of this repeat could be told in Spurs’ shortcomings, because we can say the same thing about each of the goals scored by Igor Jesus, Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi - no marking. No busted guts. No chase. No clue. Forest were their opposite in every way.

Pareira’s take was telling on that front: ‘I asked them before the game how deeply they wanted to be in the Premier League next season. How much can you sacrifice of yourselves to achieve it?

‘If we want a lot, we need to do a lot. This is the spirit I want when they come back from international duty.’

Fair play, they delivered on his brief, while Tottenham merely reaped what has been sewn long-term by those members of the Lewis family involved the running of the club.

The fact it was Gibbs-White who killed this game was poignant – Spurs had effectively signed him in the summer but wouldn’t throw in the extra few quid to make it certain and so that Forest chant really resonated.

Spurs fans? They mostly stayed to the end and can take no blame for the mood here. It was immense, from the moment a pre-match protest was abandoned in favour of blue and white smoke bombs and a message of unified support. They created a superb atmosphere and that fed into a frantic game.

For a time, Tottenham had the better of the chaos. Archie Gray, excellent in midweek, was strong again here - he created the first opening by pinging a 50-yard dart from right to left, pitching Mathys Tel against Ola Aina. Tel skinned the full back and had his shot blocked.

Across the half, Richarlison would go on to head wide, Jesus glanced against his own bar, and Tel had further success in his duel with Aina. But they weren’t making it count. Over and again, we have made that observation, and just as often we have seen Spurs pay for their deficiencies.

So it came to pass here. Forest had offered only moderate threats, and nothing to stress Guglielmo Vicario and his hernia pain, but with 45 played that changed on both fronts. First, Igor forced Vicario into nudging over the bar and from the subsequent Williams’ delivery, Tudor was failed by poor marking, with Jesus allowed a free header. The bloke didn’t even need to jump for it.

Naturally, we might ask why none of the grappling was penalised, but it wasn’t isolated to any one side. They fouled each other and the easiest call from Michael Oliver was evidently to punish none of it. Clearly, it’s an area of the game that officials need to address.

As for Tottenham, their fix is infinitely more complicated. Tel hit the bar as they chased a quick retaliation, before Tudor took matters into his own hands at the break, hooking both Micky Van de Ven and Djed Spence in the hope that new full-backs might be the answer. It succeeded only highlighting that the decision to use Van de Ven at left-back was daft in the first place. Add it to the list.

The defensive weaknesses continued into the second half, signalled when Williams was gifted a free header, saved well by Vicario, before the killer strike of Forest’s second goal. Callum Hudson-Odoi made it with an easy skip around Pedro Porro and Tel permitted the space for Gibbs-White by paying no attention to his run. The strike was decent but Vicario should have saved it.

Forest are fighting to the end. Forest have given themselves a solid chance. Tottenham can say neither of those things.