Roberto De Zerbi had urged his Tottenham players to ignore external distractions, but his own internal thoughts would have been particularly valuable at Villa Park. Following Richarlison’s header in the 25th minute, which extended Spurs’ advantage, De Zerbi, dressed in pristine white high-tops, jubilantly stormed onto the pitch, reminiscent of a character in Mario Kart. He was closely followed by Marcello Quinto, one of the coaches who accompanied him upon his arrival last month.
After achieving their first win of the year at Wolves last weekend, Tottenham has now secured back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since August, returning to the West Midlands. Crucially, this win has elevated Spurs out of the relegation zone, swapping positions with West Ham, who suffered a defeat at Brentford on Saturday. Despite the season nearing its end, Tottenham finally seems to be finding its form.