Dominic Solanke issues desperate plea for Tottenham team-mates to 'fight every minute' to avoid relegation horror after latest upset

Tottenham’s campaign hit another roadblock as they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 against Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Solanke had provided a momentary spark by opening the scoring, but Spurs were quickly overwhelmed by an Ismaila Sarr brace and a Jorgen Strand Larsen strike. The evening went from bad to worse when key defender Micky van de Ven was sent off, further depleting a squad already ravaged by injuries to the backline. This latest setback marks Tottenham's 14th Premier League defeat of the season, leaving the club in 16th place - just one point and two positions clear of the relegation places with only nine games remaining.

In the immediate aftermath, Solanke disclosed that the squad had a series of candid discussions in private. "We've just had a big conversation. We know the position we are in is definitely not where we want to be so we need to figure out how we are going to get out of it as soon as possible," the striker told TNT Sports. "We’re not in a position to make any excuses anymore. We need to do the job on the pitch."

Solanke emphasised that the squad must adapt to their unfamiliar surroundings at the bottom of the table, adding: "We know the club is not used to being in this position, so we need to understand it’s not going to be easy. We need to fight every single game, every single minute, to make sure we improve."

The arrival of Igor Tudor as interim manager has yet to spark the desired "new manager bounce," with the coach losing all three of his opening fixtures. Tudor pointed to a lack of defensive stability and a tendency to be punished for every minor error as the primary reasons for the slump. Despite the mounting pressure and the vocal frustration from the home support, Tudor insisted on remaining optimistic. "“I always repeat the same things, but it is how it is," he said. "Believing and growing. Do not make mistakes. This is the key in the end of football. Stay there, don't make mistakes. One goal, you always score."

Tottenham now face a gruelling run-in where every point is vital to avoiding a catastrophic slide into the Championship. The loss of Van de Ven to suspension, coupled with an existing injury crisis in defence, leaves Tudor with a massive tactical headache ahead of a pivotal series of fixtures. Spurs must quickly find a way to tighten a porous backline that has consistently leaked goals throughout the spring. As the international break approaches, the squad will have a final chance to regroup, but the psychological impact of a relegation battle for a club of this magnitude will be the ultimate challenge to their resilience.