Spurs interim manager Igor Tudor searches for answers as Premier League slide continues

LONDON (AP) — The numbers tell an ugly story for Tottenham.

A five-game losing streak leaves Spurs just one point above the Premier League relegation zone. Zero domestic wins in 2026. They’ve allowed nine goals in three matches under new manager Igor Tudor.

“Still nine games to play,” the Croatian coach said after a 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Thursday night.

Tudor says he “saw something” in his team’s performance that gives him belief for the rest of the Premier League season. Plenty of Spurs fans had seen enough, though, as many left Tottenham Hotspur Stadium long before the final whistle.

Spurs led on striker Dominic Solanke’s goal but fell apart after captain Micky van de Ven was sent off for pulling down Ismaila Sarr. Palace then netted three times before halftime.

Tudor was hired on Valentine’s Day following the firing of Thomas Frank, who lasted eight months on the job. Tudor was given a contract to the end of the season.

Would Spurs’ front office make another change so quickly?

“I don’t think in that direction. I have my job to do and that’s all,” Tudor said.

Asked if he’d be in the manager’s seat again, he responded: “No comment on that question.”

Tottenham’s announcement on Feb. 14 said Tudor’s task was “to improve performances, deliver results and move us up the Premier League table.”

Thursday’s loss extended Spurs’ Premier League winless slide to 11 games. It also extended an unwanted personal streak for Tudor. He was fired by Juventus last October following three straight losses as part of an eight-match winless run.

Tottenham’s only victories (two) in 2026 have come in the Champions League, and that’s the stage for Spurs’ next game — at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the round of 16 on Tuesday.

Their next Premier League game is at Liverpool on March 15.

Players’ meeting is held

Solanke told the club’s in-house media that the players understand the assignment.

“We’ve had a little chat between us, and we need to understand that we need to improve — and we need to improve now,” he said post-game. “It’s obviously hard to say just with words — we need to show it on the pitch.

“We need to obviously see what’s going wrong on the pitch, debrief that and see what we can change, but we’re not in a position to dwell on anything right now,” he added. “We need to make sure that next game, we’re going to be at it, see how we can improve and see what we can do to change this form around.”

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