Three things Roberto De Zerbi has changed at Tottenham to ease relegation fears | OneFootball

Spurs remain mired in two-horse race to dodge the drop, but things are looking up since Italian’s appointment

Roberto De Zerbi has overseen an impressive turnaround at Tottenham after they moved out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win away to Aston Villa last weekend.

De Zerbi inherited a team that had not won in the league since December and looked on course to be relegated to the second division for the first time since 1977.

Now, with three games to go, they are one point ahead of 18th-place West Ham and know that their destiny is in their own hands.

Found a midfield combination that works

De Zerbi has been beset by injuries since arriving in north London, losing Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons to season-ending injuries.

The Italian has, however, been boosted by the return of Rodrigo Bentancur from a serious hamstring injury.

Bentancur’s return to fitness has elevated Spurs’ midfield, with the Uruguayan providing energy and dynamism in the middle of the park.

In De Zerbi’s first game in charge, he was unable to call upon Bentancur as Spurs’ midfield struggled to deal with Sunderland’s physicality.

Rodrigo Bentancur’s return has aided Tottenham’s midfield resurgence

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Spurs were much improved as they went toe-to-toe with Brighton, propelled by Bentancur’s all-action display.

Since the Uruguayan has come back into the side, Spurs have looked much more balanced, and the 28-year-old was again key as they dismantled Villa within 25 first-half minutes last Sunday.

De Zerbi has settled on a midfield combination he can trust, with Conor Gallagher and Joao Palhinha alongside Bentancur.

Fixing Spurs’ problems in midfield has been De Zerbi’s biggest challenge, but it is now arguably their biggest strength.

Empowering Conor Gallagher

Speaking to the media after beating Villa, Gallagher credited his man-of-the-match performance to De Zerbi.

Despite a difficult start to life at Spurs, De Zerbi has stuck by Gallagher and implored him to rediscover the form he showed while at Chelsea.

Gallagher has been a lightning rod for criticism since his January move from Atletico Madrid.

Conor Gallagher has hit form at just the right time

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But De Zerbi has routinely praised the English midfielder, having placed him at the centre of his plans to guide Spurs to safety. Gallagher’s intensity is key to how De Zerbi wants to play.

The 26-year-old’s ability not only to force high turnovers but also carve out shooting positions keeps Spurs on the front foot.

Lauded for his work out of possession, Gallagher’s finishing ability is often overlooked, but he delivered a reminder of his quality in the final third by opening the scoring against Villa from the edge of the box.

Gallagher has been a polarising figure throughout his career, but he has found a place in De Zerbi’s set-up and is expected to play a critical role in the remainder of the season.

Spurs had conceded 20 goals in their last seven games when De Zerbi took over at the end of March, and were without a league clean sheet since New Year’s Day.

The side was all over the place defensively when De Zerbi took the reins, and there were few signs of improvement as they shipped three goals in his first two matches.

Since conceding a stoppage-time equaliser at home to Brighton, though, Spurs have looked a different proposition at the back.

Tottenham’s much-maligned defence finally seems to have clicked

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Despite losing Romero to a season-ending knee injury, Spurs have managed well without the Argentine defender and have conceded just two shots on target across their last two games.

They were unlucky to concede a late consolation against Villa, and also did well to restrict Wolves before scoring an 82nd-minute winner at Molineux.

Spurs’ defence has provided the backbone for their recent upturn in form and could prove the difference as they look to hold off West Ham.