By Martin Graham
Thousands of fans began to leave the stadium before the break Tottenham The alarming run continued during his defeat at Crystal Palace. Spurs had taken an early lead Dominic Solankebut the match turned quickly when Micky van de Ven he conceded a penalty and received a red card. Palace struck three times in a devastating 12-minute spell, leaving the home side facing another damaging loss.
The result extended Tottenham’s terrible run, with the club still looking for their first Premier League win of 2026. Their streak of 11 league games without a win is their longest since 1975, while they have only suffered a worse run once before, in 1935, when they went 16 games without a win.
Despite the result, caretaker manager Igor Tudor insisted he saw encouraging signs from his players. The Croatian, who has lost all three games since taking charge, claimed he has even more faith in the squad after the defeat and said he is determined to select players who share his direction for the squad.
Tudor suggested that those who are not fully committed may not continue to be part of their plans, adding that returning injured players could help improve results. Although he has acknowledged the difficulty of the current situation, he has remained confident that victories will eventually come.
Fans lose faith in a tense atmosphere
With nine games remaining, Tottenham sit just one point above the relegation zone, putting their Premier League status under serious threat for the first time in decades. When the players returned early from the dressing room for the second half, the stand was already showing large voids after many fans chose to leave.
Those who stayed until the final whistle responded with loud boos, reflecting the frustration that Spurs have not won a league game at home since beating Brentford on December 6, 2025. The mood on the pitch was tense, with former Chelsea and England winger Joe Cole describing an atmosphere filled with anxiety.
Cole criticized the performance as lacking intensity and determination, saying the screen looked lifeless and suggesting the players had stopped fighting. According to him, many fans now seem disillusioned and no longer believe that the team can turn things around.
When Tudor was appointed last month, he insisted Tottenham would avoid relegation “100 per cent”, but that confidence now looks increasingly uncertain. The coach said he understood why fans left early, and acknowledged they expected much more from the team.
Worrying figures increase fears of a downturn
The stats on Tottenham’s recent form paint a bleak picture. The team have not won a league game since December 28 and have kept just 13 minutes in total since January 7.
Since Tudor took over, Spurs rank lowest in the Premier League for goals conceded, goal difference, goals conceded, expected goal difference and points accumulated. Their defensive issues have also been clear as the team have conceded at least twice in nine consecutive games for the first time in club history.
At home, only Wolves have lost more Premier League games since the start of last season. Tottenham have suffered 19 defeats at their home ground this term, underlining the extent of their struggles.
Spurs supporter Chris Cowlin told BBC Radio 5 Live he was shocked by the latest performance, saying fans want to see determination and points but face the possibility of relegation. He noted that the club had hoped the move to their new stadium in 2019 would usher in a period of success, but since then Tottenham have gone through numerous managers without progress.
Supporters question the leadership and the team
Outside the stadium, several fans told BBC Sport that the club was going through one of the darkest moments in its history and believed relegation was now a real possibility. Some criticized the players, claiming there are too many egos in the squad and accusing them of riding on the momentum of last season’s Europa League triumph.
Another supporter pointed to the contrast with fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest and West Ham, arguing that those teams show more determination than Tottenham. Others put the blame squarely on the club’s hierarchy, suggesting that transfer decisions left the team short of goal-scoring options and unable to deal with injuries.
Tottenham, traditionally considered part of the Premier League’s ‘big six’, have not been relegated since the 1976-77 campaign. Only one season since their promotion in 1949-50 has been spent outside the top flight.
Ten months ago Spurs celebrated winning the Europa League, and currently remain in the last 16 of the Champions League despite occupying 16th place in the table. However, their immediate focus is on survival, with a string of tough games ahead, including games against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Leeds and Wolves.
Former Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray said Tottenham must quickly find the right combination of players and understanding to pick up crucial points before the end of the season. He also dismissed suggestions Tudor should be sacked so soon after his appointment, saying sacking the manager after just three games would simply acknowledge the club chose the wrong manager in the first place.
