Summary

  1. De Zerbi a 'ranter and raver'published at 16:53 BST

    FT: Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

    Ben Foster
    Match of the Day pundit

    I do not know who the right man would be for that job. Tottenham have tried everything. Thomas Frank is a thinker. You've got Igor Tudor who was a little bit more brash and up front with it all. And then you've got [Roberto] De Zerbi, who historically is a bit of a ranter and raver.

    He's somebody who you think would probably try to shake the players up. But that will only work if they've got characters who respond to that, especially in this day and age.

    Roberto De ZerbiImage source, Getty Images
  2. 'A tough moment for everyone and we have to react right'published at 16:52 BST

    FT: Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

    Tottenham Hotspur

    Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi speaking to Sky Sports: "I think we played a good game, not enough to win but we didn't deserve to lose. We have to accept and move on. We played a good game. We have enough quality to come out from this difficult moment. I'm sorry for the result, I'm sorry for the [Cristian] Romero injury and I hope for us and for him that it is not important.

    "We had three or four clear chances to score. We can be better especially to find the play between the lines. We made two or three mistakes in the last 15 metres and we have to move on into the next game. I spoke with the players five minutes ago and I said that I understand it has been a very tough season. It is a tough moment for everyone and we have to react with the right spirit. The quality of the players are amazing."

    On being in the relegation zone: "It is what we have to do. We can just work. I am an honest man and I am telling you what I think. My opinion is that we have big players who are in a bad moment in terms of results and the parts of the season.

    "We have to work on one win because with one win we can change everything this season. I have 24 hours per day and it is not a problem of time. We created chances in the first half, the same we have done in the week. The players of the quality are great but we have to believe more in ourselves and the crucial part is to win one game.

    "We can play much better than today but after five or six training games it is difficult. All together we have to stay focused to win one game."

  3. 'Mateta deserves the love from the Palace fans'published at 16:50 BST

    FT: Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle

    Crystal Palace

    Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner speaking to Sky Sports: "I will give the full team the credit for the performance. When you play a team like Newcastle, it's not easy to come back. We had to keep a good balance. The players did so well and we had a great impact from the bench again. It was the plan honestly to rest some players and then bring them on around 60 minutes. Massive win."

    On Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring and getting the support of the fans: "It is what he deserves. He has done so much for Palace and this group. As we know in life, you sometimes have tough moments. It's about supporting each other and that's what we did with JP.

    "He also worked so hard to get back to fitness. He always said as soon as it was clear he had to stay at the club that it was OK and he will work hard to help team win matches and to get to our objectives. That's why he deserves this love from the fans."

    On Tyrick Mitchell who made his 200th Premier League appearance for Palace: "It's his progress. He was one of the best defenders in the Premier League. Mr Reliable is exactly who he is. He has also improved his attacking game now. It was a fantastic assist from him today. This is where he has improved massively and hopefully he can jump on the train to the World Cup."

    On the run-in: "We have seven games to play. We are on 42 points. Eleven points left to break our Premier League points record. That's the goal. Our performances have improved massively in the last weeks. Now, playing in two competitions at our top level is what we want to do."

  4. Spurs 'need characters'published at 16:49 BST

    FT: Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

    Ben Foster
    Match of the Day pundit

    There was a lack of belief really. A lack of belief to score. When Tottenham did let the goal in, I didn't really see a change from them. If anything they got worse.

    The goal seemed to suck the life out of them. I've been in those positions, in relegation dogfights, and it's almost like sometimes you're waiting for that goal to go in. 'And there it is'. You know what's coming.

    It's a horrible place to be in. But it's all about characters. You just need characters and they're the only ones who are going to get you out of it.

  5. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 16:48 BST

    Click 'Get Involved' on this page to have your say

    I am seriously beginning to consider that Spurs might already be down. Mentally the players seem gone and I think they're already thinking they are the players that have relegated Tottenham

    Michael, Lincoln

  6. 'We go one step forwards'published at 16:47 BST

    FT: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa

    Aston Villa

    Aston Villa manager Unai Emery speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "We are getting better and feeling comfortable in the last matches, before the international break as well. We are getting confidence again, it's a good result.

    "We got one step forward in improving things - confidence, comfortable in structure, players adding skills through collective confidence.

    "Forest are difficult. We did a game plan and showed it on the field. Dominate, stop them, get good spaces forward and getting momentum to attack inside and outside.

    "They had 15 minutes in the second half to push, not clear chances, but we created chances for a second goal. It's not enough, but it's what I want."

    On Marco Bizot replacing Emi Martinez in the XI because of a calf injury: "Marco played a fantastic match. When we have needed him before, we needed him. He was always ready. Today he did it fantastic."

  7. 'As a captain you shouldn't be doing that'published at 16:46 BST

    FT: Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

    Ben Foster
    Match of the Day pundit

    On Cristian Romero's reaction to coming off injured

    Romero is probably the one player who has got a bit of character in that team, a bit of grit and determination. If I was one of his team-mates there, I want him to be walking off the pitch grabbing everybody, getting everybody firing.

    They've still got 25 minutes there until full-time. But the tears, I feel, send the wrong message. As a captain you shouldn't be doing that.

    RomeroImage source, Getty Images
  8. 'A boost for the players and Selhurst Park'published at 16:44 BST

    FT: Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle

    Crystal Palace

    Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner: "It's a deserved win because we made a lot of pressure and kept believing. It was a very tight game decided by fine margins. To get the turnaround and get the win is a lot of credit to the players. We had great impact from the bench again which is good.

    "It was the plan. It's not easy when you play every three days. Your energy levels are sometimes a bit low. It helped us give some players some rest. Others also did really well and worked hard. It is a boost for the players and boost for Selhurst Park.

    "It's not always easy to create momentum. And then you have to keep it and not throw it away. We are on track. We are looking forward to the last six and a half weeks."

    On Jean-Philippe Mateta: "It's always the ones who score who are in the spotlight. But it's the same for Ismaila Sarr as well. When I see how we played when we scored the equaliser, it came from the back. In the end, it's a team effort. JP is just calm and took the penalty really well."

  9. 'If we are able to win a game everything will change'published at 16:43 BST

    FT: Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

    Tottenham Hotspur

    Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Sorry because we didn't deserve to lose the game. We played a good game, maybe not enough to win but we were unlucky in a few situations in the first half.

    "I cannot say anything to players because they gave their best in terms of attitude and spirit. We can play better for sure and you can feel better. We have to work on that. My work is not so much on the pitch because they are good guys and I am sorry for them. I want to give them confidence in what they need.

    "Tactically, we played a good first half. With the ball and without the ball. We don't have confidence to play great football but we did what we have been working on this week. The players can play better if they are feeling confident."

    On keeping spirits high: "I can be a big brother, father, they don't need a coach. They don't need to improve football. They can play better and they will play better once we reach a different level of confidence."

    On looking forward to the challenge: "Absolutely, I'm sure if we are able to win a game then everything will change."

  10. 'When Spurs concede they fall off a cliff'published at 16:42 BST

    FT: Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

    Stephen Kelly
    Former Tottenham defender on Sportsworld

    The thing with Tottenham is when they concede they fall off a cliff. They have no resilience and that's a really hard thing to try to get your team to believe in themselves in a short space of time.

    And De Zerbi is known to be pragmatic and studious with how he sets up his team. He just doesn't have that time. It's going to have to be something quick and something motivating, something to get those players to have a slightly different mindset to believe they can do it. That's what will take to get them out of it but at the moment it is looking really bleak.

    The dread is that 'are Chelsea will relegate us?' That's the fear amongst all the Spurs fans, are we going to get relegated by Chelsea? It is going to come down to that. You see West Ham, they seem to have got a bit of momentum. There is something about Spurs that they have no home wins this year.

    Someone sent me message that said Northampton Saints Rugby team have more home wins in the Tottenham Stadium in 2026 than Spurs have. It's really worrying.

  11. Postpublished at 16:39 BST

    FT: Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

    Only Derby in 2008 (18), Sunderland in 2003 (17) and Swindon Town in 1993 (15) have had longer winless runs to start a calendar year in the Premier League than Tottenham in 2026 (14).

    All three were relegated in those campaigns.

  12. Postpublished at 16:38 BST

    FT: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa

    Aston Villa’s starting XI had an average age of 29 years and 328 days – their oldest for a Premier League game since March 2001 under John Gregory (30y 86d v Ipswich Town).

  13. 'I am happy with how we played'published at 16:37 BST

    FT: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa

    Aston Villa

    Aston Villa manager Unai Emery speaking to Sky Sports: "I am happy with how we played, how we competed and followed the game plan. The players feel confidence and comfortable. How we managed the match in 90 minutes like we planned.

    "The first half was equal but we dominated and had good chances to score. I am so proud of how the players did. Of course we had three or four chances to score, and we conceded the momentum to them a few times. One point is not enough, but this is the way we want to play in the next weeks in the Premier League and Europa League.

    "I like when we are creating chances and dominating and having good possession. Of course if we are scoring it is better. But we are getting better again, the last three or four matches. We must be so demanding and consistent to keep it for the next matches.

    "Three months we were fantastic, then we struggled, now we are recovering. It's important for the players to have momentum. Today, how we kept the level of the last matches, is the most relevant for our confidence."

    On Emi Martinez pulling out of the match shortly before kick-off: "He was feeling something in his calf and was not feeling comfortable to play."

  14. Postpublished at 16:36 BST

    FT: Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle

    Newcastle United have dropped 25 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season – five more than any other side.

  15. 'Europe furthest thing from my thoughts'published at 16:35 BST

    FT: Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle

    Newcastle United

    Newcastle manager Eddie Howe speaking to Sky Sports, when asked whether European football is now out of the conversation: "I don't know. That's the furthest thing from my thoughts at the moment. Delivering for our supporters is definitely number one on our priority list always. We want to do the travelling supporters justice because they travel across the country to watch us and support us. They are very loyal. And we are letting them down at the moment."

    On support from the club: "I have no complaints about anything internal at all at the football club. I have got complaints on the results and that's my job."

    On Joelinton getting a two-match ban after 10th yellow card of the season: "Disappointing especially with the deadline today - it being the last game before it reset. He is always playing on the edge and a fierce competitor. We just have to readjust and reshuffle."

    On improvements needed: "All areas. We are not creating chances and conceding too many goals. It's a lot of things across the team and we continue to do that work."

  16. 'We still have room for improvement'published at 16:34 BST

    FT: Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

    Sunderland

    Sunderland boss Regis le Bris speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It's the Premier League and we expected a tough opponent in difficult situations. It was a must-win for them and we did well with good energy. It was really important to have our principles and we found a way to score which was still important."

    On Sunderland's goals: "We want to improve our style of play, we still want to enforce our ideas and we still have room for improvement in the final third. Top 10 is a good aim and we have to be consistent. The most important is the improvement."

    On next season: "We will prepare next season with the way we play now. After three weeks it was a difficult game and I was a bit worried because you never know what can happen. The lads were consistent and for me that is the next layer."

  17. 'Wood return like signing a player'published at 16:32 BST

    FT: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa

    Nottingham Forest

    Nottingham Forest manger Vitor Pereira speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "In this moment of the season it is difficult to get points and win games, every team is fighting for something. They were fighting for the Champions League. One point for us, one for them, I am happy with the team. It was not the best game, but it was a game in which we competed, the spirit was there, the belief was important. There was a belief we could score more goals. One point is better than nothing."

    On the performance of goalkeeper Matz Sels: "Fantastic, the level of our goalkeepers is high at this moment. We can believe they will save the goals sometimes. Sels was incredible, every time we need him he was there. The other game [against Porto] with Ortega was the same. I am very happy with them.

    On the return of Chris Wood: "We feel that it's like signing a player at an important moment of the season. He scores goals, the experience to hold the ball and create problems and connect with his team-mates. He has a strong character which is what we need. He is getting his confidence. He will be very important for us."

    On Tottenham losing to Sunderland: "The spirit I want to see in my team is the intention to get points everywhere, home and away. We need to fight. This is what we did today. It's not possible to suffer with results of other teams. I don't like to see the games. I prefer to focus on my team."

  18. Postpublished at 16:31 BST

    FT: Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle

    Jean-Philippe Mateta has scored 31 Premier League goals at Selhurst Park, with only Wilfried Zaha netting more on home soil for Crystal Palace in the competition (32).

    Mateta has converted each of his eight Premier League penalties, with only Raul Jimenez (14), Yaya Toure (11) and Dimitar Berbatov (9) maintaining a better 100% success rate from the spot in Premier League history.

  19. 'Mateta proved a difficult customer to deal with'published at 16:30 BST

    FT: Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle

    Newcastle United

    Newcastle manager Eddie Howe speaking to Sky Sports: "I thought we were in total control probably with 60 minutes gone, but their substitutes made a difference. Jean-Philippe Mateta in particular proved a difficult customer for us to deal with.

    "The defeat is harsh on us because we controlled the majority of the first half and phases of the second. It's becoming difficult for us, with how things are going for us especially when protecting a lead. The goal we conceded at the end is really, really poor from our perspective."

    On whether the team needed more experience on the pitch: "The players we had on the pitch were young, but I think there were a lot of experienced internationals on the pitch too. We just didn't deal with a couple of situations well enough."