Tottenham clinch crucial win against Wolves to help survival push
By BBC, April 25, 2026Joao Palhinha’s late strike earned Tottenham their first Premier League win since December, 2025, but failed to ease their relegation fears.
West Ham’s dramatic 2-1 win over Everton left Spurs two points from safety, third from bottom, with four games remaining.
Roberto de Zerbi’s side looked like climbing out of the drop zone after substitute Palhinha prodded in from close range at Molineux, only for Callum Wilson’s strike to earn the Hammers an injury-time victory in their match.
Kinsky save
The drama was not restricted to the London Stadium, as Antonin Kinsky produced a brilliant last-gasp save to keep out Joao Gomes’ free kick.
Spurs, who are trying to avoid a first top flight relegation since 1977, also lost Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons to injury.
The nerves from the visitors were obvious as they looked for a first top-flight win since December but they still dominated a forgettable first half, although desperately lacked quality.
They had little to build on at the break and Simons wasted a good chance when he fired over after skipping past Matt Doherty before he was carried off with a knee injury.
Jose Sa’s fine stop denied Rodrigo Bentancur but Palhinha forced in the winner with seven minutes left and Kinsky’s injury-time save from Joao Gomes sealed victory.
First half
In the first half, there was little quality, urgency and courage on show but Spurs managed to grind out their first win under Roberto de Zerbi just as it looked like all was lost.
Nottingham Forest’s thumping 5-0 win at Sunderland on Friday piled the pressure on De Zerbi’s side, leaving them eight points behind one of their relegation rivals.
West Ham’s win dampens the mood
West Ham’s thrilling finish against Everton, where the Hammers conceded late before Callum Wilson’s injury-time winner, also put Spurs fans through an emotional rollercoaster.
Before Joao Palhinha prodded in from close range, Spurs looked set to finish the day four points from safety with four games left.
Not long after, following Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s leveller for Everton, they were out of the bottom three, only to drop back in with the late drama at the London Stadium.
There will be more twists in the final four games, Spurs’ fixtures against Aston Villa, Leeds, Chelsea, and Everton, but Tottenham are clinging on.
They were poor and struggled to break down an already relegated Wolves side and relied on a scrappy goal from a corner, but that was all they needed.
Tottenham kept going, but they will need more bravery if they are going to save themselves.