Tottenham Hotspur have slipped into the Premier League relegation zone for the first time this season after a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on Sunday. The loss, their seventh in eight league matches, has left the north London side in the bottom three with six games remaining.
Defender Micky van de Ven admitted the losing run has taken a psychological toll. "Mentally, it's tough. We have been suffering for the last few months when we don't get wins in the Premier League and keep struggling," he told Sky Sports. "We need to get the confidence back."
The result came just days after Roberto De Zerbi was appointed as Tottenham's third manager of the season. The Italian, who previously impressed at Brighton, has asked his players to build from the back and play with confidence. However, Van de Ven acknowledged that implementing a new style takes time they do not have. "Every manager has their own opinion of the game and Roberto wants us to play out more from the back," he said. "We need to do it now."
Van de Ven also admitted it is impossible to ignore results elsewhere, with West Ham and Nottingham Forest both earning points this weekend. "You don't want to look at the other results and just need to win," he said. "There is pressure now as we are in the relegation zone but we need to make sure we get out of this situation."
