Only one player can drag Tottenham out of Premier League relegation battle

Xavi Simons is Tottenham’s most important player – the club’s Premier League status depends on him starting every game.

That’s the view of talkSPORT’s Inside Spurs panel, discussing the 23-year-old who wowed fans with his stunning strike in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Brighton.

Starting his first match under new boss Roberto De Zerbi having been benched for the 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, the Netherlands international ran the show.

It was his clipped in cross that saw Pedro Porro break the deadlock – before Kaoru Mitoma equalised on the stroke of half-time.

And it was then Simons who restored the hosts’ lead with a Goal of the Month contender – curling home an effort from distance into the top right corner.

His goal in the 77th minute was just his second Premier League goal all term and his first in 2026.

Simons, who has started just 18 of his 27 outings in the division this term, immediately took off his shirt as he sprinted to celebrate with the fans in wild scenes.

But ultimately, his bending effort wasn’t enough to secure all three points, as the Seagulls earned a share of the spoils through Georginio Rutter’s leveller in stoppage time.

The result leaves Tottenham two points off safety in 18th spot with just five matches to play.

And despite his dazzling display in north London, Simons has copped his fair share of stick for removing his shirt in celebration and saluting the fans, which ultimately backfired in brutal fashion.

However, the Dutchman’s antics have been defended by the Inside Spurs panel.

Discussing Simons, Spurs fan and podcaster Ricky Sacks, said: “In that moment, I don’t think he could control himself for that goal, it was like an out-of-body experience.

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“I think it was so important for that moment, for the crowd and the players to share that moment, because we’ve not had that for a lot of the season.

“There’s so much anger towards the board, towards the players for the position that we find ourselves in, and in that moment, for the first time across this season alone, there was a connection there between the players and the fans.

“So whilst I can understand some fans suggesting maybe he should have held himself back for that celebration, I don’t think he could, I just think was a moment of impulse where the shirt came off, he ran towards the fans.

“And naturally, if we go on and win the game, no-one talks about it.”

Interjecting, Deputy Head of Sun Sport, Dean Scoggins, claimed his frustrations lie with previous managers not starting Simons enough.

“It’s exactly that point there which makes me so angry he has not played for most of the season under the two previous managers.

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“Under [Thomas] Frank, under [Igor] Tudor, it’s just one of those things where, he’s the only player that is going to produce something like that, that we have.

“And that’s the reason we go an watch Tottenham Hotspur, right?

“We go for those magic moments of seeing somebody cut back in and smack it into the top corner.

“And to me, he’s the only one that is going to dig us out of this hole.”

Host Abbi Summers then interjected, where she expressed her annoyance that Simons hasn’t been able to perform on a consistent basis when given game time.

She stated: “I totally agree with what you’re saying, and I think one of the biggest frustrations of the season has actually been Xavi Simons.

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“When you’ve had no other attacking options, no other No.10, and the only one that can create something in him, it’s incredibly frustrating that he hasn’t been able to do that.

“Yes, the managers haven’t favoured him, but I don’t think he’s helped himself as well, I get coming to a new league and adapting to the physicality of the Premier League, it does take time, absolutely.

“And I always said I will reserve my judgement until the end of the season on him, there is definitely a player in there, we all know that.

“He’s technically gifted, great eye for a pass, we see what he does in Europe, but his performances haven’t been good enough, and I don’t think a lot of the times they [Frank and Tudor] were unjustified by dropping him, if you were just a passenger.

“Tottenham haven’t been able to afford to have a passenger all season.”

Summers concluded by saying: “So I’m over the moon for him that hopefully now we’ve turned a corner and De Zerbi will get the best out of him, for sure.

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“But I don’t think they were wrong for not favouring him when the the performances that he had put in, weren’t good enough.”

Having the final say on Simons, Sacks then said: “The reality is, if Spurs are going to somehow miraculously get ourselves out of the situation that we’re in, it’s going to be with Xavi Simons in the team.”

Attention in the show later turned to how Spurs could fare in the Championship should the unthinkable happen and they fail to secure their status as a top-flight club.

And in the eyes of Sacks, Tottenham would struggle to bounce back at the first time of asking due to the physicality of England’s second-tier.

He added: “The reality is, we’re going to need two types of players, you’re going to need players that are going to understand what the Championship is like every week, to battle, to scrap, to fight for points.

“We’ve even seen it with Coventry, I’ve been watching the Championship to get an understanding [of the league], but every game I watch, that is a fight every week, it’s relentless.

“And not being funny, our squad is not made for that, so you’re going to have to have players that are going to understand that league and get three points, which we don’t understand how to get in the Premier League right now – translate that into the Championship.

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“And then again, if we are lucky to come up on the first occasion if we go down, you’re going to need to rebuild again.

“So you’re looking at potentially two different types of squads – this is on the basis that if Spurs were to get relegated and were to come up on the first occasion.

“I have to share the concerns about the fact that if Spurs go down, I think we will be a cup final for every team, every single week, and I do not think there’s any guarantee [we will go straight up].

“I hear some fans saying, ‘It will be great to go down, you’ll have that winning feeling every week’ – look with Tottenham, you know we’ll be the first Friday [night], [and Saturday] 12.30pm game for a broadcaster out there.

“Wrexham away and at home, listen, for a writer’s story, we’re the best story of the summer and for next season.

“The reality is, that’s my fear, if we go down, there is absolutely no guarantee we’ll come back at the first time of asking.

“There’s also no guarantee as well this ownership is selling in the Championship or even beyond that for another two, three years.”

Summers then stated: “I agree with you, this notion that if we go down we come straight back up…

“People who support Championship teams are telling me this, but I’m like, ‘Tottenham are a different kettle of fish, we are an anomaly.'”