Igor Tudor applauds Tottenham flops for 'sleeping less on the pitch' in fight against relegation

Back-to-back positive results against Liverpool and Atletico Madrid have given Tudor something to work with, even if the Champions League exit that accompanied Wednesday's win over the Spanish side tempered the mood somewhat. The former Juventus boss has never minced his words in terms of where Spurs are, but he has noticed something shifting in the way his players are approaching games.

"Mental sharpness," Tudor told reporters. "That was the key. We are sleeping less on the pitch. For me, this is crucial. Now, we react earlier on what happened on the pitch. We are not always wondering what happened and then reacting. We are reacting before things happen. Not in the way I would like but much better. This mental sharpness, awareness of dangerous situations, this is coming and that's why we are better."

It is a typically honest assessment of where Spurs were when he took over from Thomas Frank in mid-February. Players switching off, slow to react, caught out in situations they should have read earlier. Tudor has not dressed it up, often openly criticising his crop. But the last week has offered enough encouragement for him to finally heap some praise on his Tottenham team.

Beyond the tactical and mental improvements, Tudor has also been encouraged by what his fitness staff are telling him. Spurs have been running harder in recent weeks, and the data backs it up. He added: "I saw good energy. I saw good numbers. They told me the last games are in the top four or five of all season for high-intensity runs, so I think we are progressing."

Part of that improvement can be taken with a pinch of salt. Tudor has had a slightly less congested schedule than his predecessor, who played nine games in his final four weeks while injuries were piling up. Tudor has managed seven in the same timeframe, and players are finally coming back. Lucas Bergvall, absent for two months, and Destiny Udogie, out for five weeks, both came off the bench against Atletico Madrid. Mohamed Kudus and Rodrigo Bentancur, sidelined since January, could return after the international break. Even James Maddison, who has been out with a serious knee injury, is expected back before the end of the season.

Spurs sit 16th in the Premier League with eight games to play. Nottingham Forest are one point behind, above the drop only on goal difference over West Ham. Sunday's visit from Forest is unsurprisingly being dressed up as a huge indicator of whether Spurs are ready to push themselves away from the relegation zone. Tudor, however, was reluctant to load the game with too much pressure. He pushed back on the idea of a "six-pointer" and was adamant that it should not be treated as a cup final. He said: "There are a lot of points to play for. Of course, it's an important game because we are together there so let's say not six, but four. It's not a final. Maybe not three points but a four-point game. It is important but it will not be decisive."

Tudor has seven games left to save Tottenham's season. The international break that follows the Forest game will give him time to regroup, welcome back more players and prepare for what promises to be a frantic run-in. With a three-week gap between the Forest and Sunderland matches, it is a good opportunity for the manager to further drill his ideas into the players, with his position looking much safer than it was a week ago. Rumours had suggested that Tudor should fail to beat Forest, he would face the sack, but recent results appear to have bought him more time.