Palhinha’s late goal against Wolves handed Tottenham their first Premier League win in 2026.
Tottenham ground out a precious 1-0 win at Molineux against already relegated Wolves, with Joao Palhinha’s 82nd-minute goal finally delivering the first Premier League victory of 2026 that this club has been desperately chasing. The afternoon was far from pretty, and further injury blows to Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons cast a shadow over the celebrations, but three points in a relegation battle are three points regardless of how they arrive. West Ham’s win over Everton means the gap remains the same, but Tottenham have at least proven they can win when it matters.
Winners
Joao Palhinha: Came off the bench in the 63rd minute and changed the game entirely. With just 13 touches, he won aerial duels, completed 86 per cent of his passes, and produced the moment of decisive quality that had eluded everyone else on the pitch for over 80 minutes. His goal was exactly what a side on the edge of the abyss needed, and his overall cameo was a masterclass in impact substitution. The question of whether he should be starting ahead of others is one De Zerbi can no longer avoid.
Djed Spence: Quietly produced one of his better performances of the season, contributing effectively in both directions and demonstrating the kind of energy and commitment that De Zerbi demands from his fullbacks. In a match that lacked genuine quality for long periods, Spence’s application stood out.
Losers
Randal Kolo Muani: A woeful first half that gave De Zerbi absolutely no choice but to withdraw him at the interval. Failed to create a single chance, managed just one shot that was not on target, was dispossessed twice and completed only 71 per cent of his passes against a relegated side with nothing to play for. The bar for acceptable performance in a relegation battle is not high. Kolo Muani did not clear it.
Tottenham’s Injury Situation: Losing both Solanke and Simons in the same match is a brutal blow for a squad already operating at skeletal capacity. Simons in particular had been one of the few consistent sources of creativity and quality in recent weeks, and his absence for the remaining four fixtures against Aston Villa, Leeds, Chelsea, and Everton would represent a deeply damaging loss at the worst possible time. De Zerbi must now prepare for the final stretch of the season with even fewer options than before, and that is a genuinely alarming prospect.