Tottenham Chelsea presser keeps survival pressure on Spurs

Tottenham go into the Chelsea trip with the same message coming out of Roberto De Zerbi’s press conference, they are not safe yet. Spurs realistically need just one point from their final two fixtures to avoid relegation, but De Zerbi kept pushing the focus back to the job still left to do. 18th-placed West Ham lost to Newcastle, which left them two points behind Tottenham with an inferior goal difference.

Why De Zerbi is refusing to ease off

De Zerbi was blunt about the situation. “We can't forget one month ago what was the situation. We are not safe yet,” he said. He also wanted a performance built on control as well as edge, saying: “My players have to be ready to play a good game. To play a game with courage, with pride, with work on the pitch and to try to make three points to win the game but we have to keep the balance.”

That is the right tone. Tottenham are close, but the table has not done the work for them yet. When a side is 17th with 38 points from 36 games, the margin for talking like the job is done is tiny. The pressure is still there, and De Zerbi is treating it that way.

Team news keeps the Chelsea trip awkward

The biggest selection issue is in goal. Guglielmo Vicario underwent hernia surgery at the end of March, and De Zerbi was clear that the decision is not automatic despite calling him number one. “No, it is not a difficult decision. It is easy. Vicario is number one but we have to consider the physical condition, the momentum and everything,” he said. Antonín Kinský has made that a real call rather than a formality.

Dominic Solanke is still out too. De Zerbi said: “Solanke is not good yet. Not available. He feels something and I don't want to take the risk for this game. We hope for Sunday he can be available for one part of the game.” James Maddison is back in the picture, but only cautiously. He made his first competitive appearance in 375 days in the 1-1 draw with Leeds, and De Zerbi said he is not ready to play 90 minutes.

The cleanest reading of the press conference is simple. Tottenham are close to the finish line, but the manager is still choosing his XI with the survival race in mind, not with a sense that the hard part is already over.