João Palhinha struck in the 82nd minute to give Tottenham Hotspur a vital 1-0 victory at Wolves, securing their first Premier League win of 2026 and lifting them temporarily out of the relegation zone. West Ham’s late win over Everton later dropped Spurs back to 18th, but Roberto De Zerbi’s first victory as manager ended a run of 15 league games without a win and prevented the club from equalling the unwanted record of 16 set in 1934-35.
The Portugal midfielder slid in to score after Richarlison’s scuffed shot from a Pedro Porro corner fell kindly, with former Spurs defender Matt Doherty playing him onside. Spurs were not superior for much of the encounter, but they showed resilience to claim four points from their last two games, following the late equaliser against Brighton.
De Zerbi has encouraged his players to focus on their Champions League performance, where they finished fourth, rather than their league struggles. He again named James Maddison, still recovering from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, on the bench for morale. Injuries to Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons left Spurs with 11 absentees, making next Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa a daunting prospect.
Wolves, already relegated, competed strongly and nearly snatched a point when Antonin Kinsky produced a superb fingertip save from João Gomes’s 25-yard free-kick in the 98th minute. De Zerbi praised the goalkeeper, saying his display was crucial after a difficult Champions League outing against Atlético Madrid under Igor Tudor.
Wolves head coach Rob Edwards said the team had given everything despite their relegation, and acknowledged interest in João Gomes, who showed his quality in tight spaces. Edwards described the midfielder as a phenomenal player whose commitment remains unaffected by transfer speculation.
