adminLes Ferdinand Baffled by What Tottenham Star Did When They Were Beating Brighton
On Saturday evening in London, Tottenham Hotspur twice let the lead slip, settling for a 2-2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion. Former striker Les Ferdinand admitted he was left confused by something Xavi Simons did during the second half.
Spurs seemed destined for their first Premier League win of 2026 after going ahead twice against Roberto De Zerbi’s former club, with Xavi Simons finding the net in the 77th minute. But they couldn’t hold on for a victory that would have lifted them out of the relegation zone. Georginio Rutter’s equalizer in the 95th minute crushed the home side.
Depending on other results this weekend—namely Nottingham Forest vs. Burnley and West Ham vs. Crystal Palace—De Zerbi’s team could end up four points from safety by the time they face last-place Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux next Saturday.
With only five matches left, Tottenham are desperate for a win, and their trip to Wolves—who have lost 22 of 33 league games this season—offers a golden opportunity. There were encouraging signs against Brighton, but also some puzzling moments.
Les Ferdinand baffled by Simons’ celebration
On a tense night at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Simons marked his brilliant goal by taking off his shirt while celebrating.
That decision confused Sky Sports pundit Ferdinand, who turned to fellow pundit Michael Dawson during the broadcast and said he felt it was the wrong move. Ferdinand explained: “It was a great second goal by Xavi Simons, but the celebrations…
I looked at Daws and said, ‘78 minutes, there’s still a long way to go.’ You need concentration.”
While an emotional reaction is understandable, Tottenham haven’t won a league game in 2026 for good reason. With 13 minutes plus stoppage time still to play after the goal, the celebration seemed somewhat reckless. That proved costly, as Brighton drove a dagger into the hosts’ hearts. Now Spurs must regroup quickly ahead of the Molineux clash.
Simons made a difference despite the blip
Apart from that minor blemish, Simons delivered an outstanding performance, significantly boosting Tottenham’s attacking threat with his creativity and finishing. He ended the match with a goal and an assist, though cramp late on hampered his ability to help his teammates in the final moments.
The 22-year-old Dutchman has struggled to lock down a regular starting role under either Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor since joining Spurs last summer, but this match suggested he could be the key to keeping the club in the Premier League.
After coming off the bench in De Zerbi’s first match in charge at Sunderland, Simons was back in the starting XI against Brighton—and now he needs to keep his place for the final five games. If he does, Tottenham will have their best chance of scoring goals and avoiding relegation to the Championship.
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