Tottenham Hotspur finally tasted victory for the first time in the new year, edging out a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Saturday.

In a match defined by desperation and grit, Joao Palhinha proved to be the hero, sliding home an 82nd-minute winner after a scuffed effort from Richarlison fell perfectly into his path.

The result brings an end to a soul-crushing 15-game winless streak and marks the first victory for Roberto De Zerbi since taking over the managerial reins last month, providing a glimmer of hope to a fanbase that has endured a nightmare campaign.

However, the celebrations were short-lived as results elsewhere conspired to keep the North London club mired in the bottom three. For a brief ten-minute window, Spurs had climbed out of the relegation zone, but a dramatic 92nd-minute winner from Callum Wilson for West Ham against Everton saw the Hammers reclaim 17th spot. Consequently, despite their hard-fought three points, Tottenham remain in 18th place, sitting two points adrift of safety with only four matches remaining in the season.

The victory also came at a physical cost for De Zerbi’s squad, with key attackers Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons both forced off due to injury. With a daunting fixture list ahead, the Italian manager emphasized that his side now faces “four finals” to preserve their Premier League status.

While the performance was far from the free-flowing football once associated with the club, the defensive resilience shown at Molineux suggests that Spurs might just have enough fight left in them to pull off a “great escape” in the closing weeks of May.