‘Not finished yet’ – De Zerbi drops defiant statement as relegation fears engulf Tottenham post-Brighton draw

Tottenham Hotspur conceded a goal deep into stoppage time, forcing them to settle for a 2-2 draw at home against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Roberto De Zerbi is still searching for his first win as Tottenham’s head coach after a frustrating Saturday evening stalemate with Brighton.

The result felt more like a loss than a hard-earned point, given how Spurs surrendered the equalizer in the dying moments.

They appeared destined for their first Premier League victory of 2026 until Georginio Rutter struck in the 95th minute to snatch a vital draw for the visitors.

Kevin Danso collapsed to the ground after his hesitant clearance allowed Jan Paul van Hecke to intercept and set up Rutter, who unleashed a left-footed shot past a helpless Antonin Kinsky.

Earlier, Pedro Porro had opened the scoring for Spurs, only for substitute Kaoru Mitoma to level the match just before halftime. Xavi Simons then restored Tottenham’s lead with 13 minutes remaining, thanks to a magnificent curling effort that ricocheted off the post and into the net.

However, the home side was denied a first league win in 111 days, robbing De Zerbi of a dream start to his home tenure. The result also left De Zerbi’s team still mired in the relegation zone.

De Zerbi optimistic Tottenham can win final five games and survive

Despite the 95th-minute heartbreak, a resilient De Zerbi insisted that the improved performance proved Tottenham can avoid relegation. The 46-year-old even suggested his side could beat Wolves, Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea, and Everton in their remaining matches.

“I have always believed in the quality of these players. They played well, but I think they can do even better with more composure and precision, especially when we have the ball,” De Zerbi said in his post-match press conference (via Football London).

“Right now, this is the attitude we need. It’s not over—it’s tough, but we have five games left. Everyone knows it’s a difficult moment, but this team is capable of winning five in a row.”

Tottenham players must trust in themselves

Undoubtedly, Tottenham put in a positive performance. Facing an in-form Brighton was never easy, but credit to the players for fighting back and nearly securing all three points through Simons’ stunning strike. Spurs were literally minutes away from victory before Danso’s costly hesitation on the ball led to punishment.

A win would have lifted De Zerbi’s side to 16th place and possibly sparked a revival. As it stands, Tottenham still have a chance to pull off a great escape, but they must regroup and go again next weekend against already-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers.

As for De Zerbi’s comments, his confidence in his players remains absolute—he believes they can win the last five games to give themselves a realistic shot at Premier League survival.