Roberto De Zerbi expressed greater satisfaction with Tottenham's performance than the three points after a vital win at Aston Villa lifted them above the relegation zone. The victory, secured by first-half goals from Conor Gallagher and Richarlison, marked Spurs' first consecutive league wins since August. De Zerbi, who became the club's third head coach of the season last month, emphasised the importance of belief over points.
“I’m really pleased with the performance with the ball, without the ball,” De Zerbi said. “Without the ball we showed great courage and with the ball great qualities … I’m happy for this type of performance more than three points. OK, we have one point more than West Ham but the most important thing was to play a great game, to believe more and more in ourselves.”
Spurs now sit a point above West Ham and two behind Nottingham Forest, who have a game in hand at Chelsea. With three matches remaining, De Zerbi's side host Leeds next Monday in a crucial fixture. The Italian praised Gallagher, saying “when he plays well, we play with 12 players,” while the England midfielder hailed De Zerbi's impact as “only the start”.
Unai Emery, who made seven changes from Villa's Europa League defeat, defended his rotation despite a lacklustre display. “I knew my challenge: to win with some changes, but I believe in the players,” he said. Villa face Nottingham Forest in the return leg on Thursday, trailing 1-0 from the first match.
