Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has urged his side to maintain balance after their 2-1 victory at Aston Villa on Sunday lifted them out of the Premier League relegation zone. The win, secured by first-half goals from Conor Gallagher and Richarlison, marked back-to-back league triumphs for the first time since August and moved Spurs above West Ham in the table.
De Zerbi's Call for Perspective
Despite the significant step towards safety, De Zerbi emphasised the need for perspective. "I am very happy for the performance, we won a great game against a great Aston Villa," the Italian said. "They had to play Thursday, a very important game for them, but this is always very tough playing against Unai Emery, against this Villa in this stadium."
He praised his team's display both with and without the ball, highlighting their courage and qualities. However, he warned against complacency: "The crucial thing now is keeping our head of what was the situation before the Wolverhampton game. This is the most important memory to keep in our head. In football it is very easy to change, if you lose, you are stupid. If you win, you are a champion. No, you have to find a balance."
Looking Ahead to Leeds
With three games remaining, De Zerbi stressed the importance of continued hard work. "We have to work this week because Leeds is a very tough game. We have to remember in ourselves what we have done in the past." Spurs next host Leeds United, while West Ham face Arsenal, offering a chance to further improve their position.
Emery Defends Team Selection
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery defended his decision to make seven changes from the side that lost to Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-final first leg. Villa produced their worst display of the season, managing only one shot on target—a stoppage-time header from Emiliano Buendia.
"We lost on Thursday and we lost last week against Fulham, different players, different matches," Emery explained. "We analysed a lot of things about the players playing in the starting XI. Maybe it is better to play with the same players but we lost the last two matches. Before the match I knew my challenge, it was to win with some changes, but I believe in the players."
Emery accepted criticism but remained proud of his squad. "Those same players three months ago were winning a lot of matches in a row. Of course sometimes they don't have the performance with individual quality. But I am so proud of them, so, so proud of them, how we are doing the season."
Villa's focus now shifts to Thursday's crucial Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest.
