Tottenham Hotspur central defender Kevin Danso will take the blame after his own mistakes cost his team victory against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday night.
The Austrian international took a touch inside the box without clearing the ball immediately and lost the ball, which led to Georginio Rutter’s late equaliser.
The result means Spurs remain in the bottom three of the Premier League heading into the final five games of the 2025/26 season.
Although the final result was negative and frustrating for the Lilywhites as they drew at home, there were also positives to take from the game for Roberto de Zerbi.
The home team’s performance was far better than his first game in charge, against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
How Spurs grew from Sunderland to Brighton
In De Zerbi’s first game against the Black Cats, Spurs lost 1-0, with less than 11 shots and less than 1xG (0.82) in 90 minutes on Wearside.
The defense also struggled to deal with Brian Brobbey, allowing Sunderland to create chances worth 1.33 xG, while Brighton were limited to just 0.82 xG. Unfortunately, the Seagulls were incredibly clinical.
status | vs Sunderland | vs brighton |
|---|---|---|
xG | 0.84 | 1.33 |
A big opportunity has arisen | 1 | 3 |
corner | 6 | 7 |
Number of points scored | 0 | 2 |
xG goals conceded | 1.33 | 0.82 |
De Zerbi’s style of play in possession was more evident in the draw with Brighton, with his team looking to build up from the back to create chances with football played on the floor, rather than hopeful punts down the pitch.
Xavi Simmons scored a superb goal to put Spurs ahead 2-1 and deserves praise for his impact on the Lilywhites, but he was far from the only player who made a difference from the loss to Sunderland to Saturday’s encounter.
From the defeat against Sunderland to the draw against Brighton, several Spurs players have played key roles in the team’s much improved performance, which bodes well for the remaining five games.
Tottenham may have discovered a new Moussa Dembele
After struggling and being criticized for his performances at the Stadium of Light, one of Tottenham’s stars has emerged as De Zerbi’s version of Moussa Dembele, a powerful dribbler and key player during his time at the club.
After the defeat against Sunderland, pundit and former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara went to X magazine and gave Conor Gallagher a rating of 2/10 for his performance in the center of the park.
The England international lost four of his seven games with two fouls, and in the loss to the Black Cats he failed to create any “big chances” for his team-mates, indicating that he was too weak off the ball and did not do enough to compensate with the ball at his feet.
gallagher | vs Sunderland | vs brighton |
|---|---|---|
minutes | 85 | 76 |
Pass accuracy | 87% | 88% |
A big opportunity has arisen | 0 | 1 |
Dribbling completed | 1/2 | 3/3 |
Won a ground duel | 2/5 | 5/6 |
won an aerial battle | 1/2 | 2/3 |
Gallagher, signed for £34m from Atletico Madrid in January, bounced back from a disappointing performance against Sunderland and looked like Spurs’ new Dembele in midfield against Brighton.
His approach to the ball was much improved compared to last weekend, as he completed three successful dribbles and created a “big chance.” Dembele was famous for his ability to dribble past opponents during his time at the club, and Gallagher is looking to follow in his footsteps.
It may not have been the result Spurs had hoped for as they failed to pick up all three points, but seeing the likes of Gallagher and Xavi put in some great performances should give supporters hope that all is not lost.
The England central midfielder set his sights squarely on the line against Brighton, winning seven of his nine encounters, denying opposition goalkeeper Bert Verbruggen and getting close to goal.
Gallagher has yet to start working in North London in earnest after arriving in the winter, but he joins at a difficult time, with the team in poor form and several changes in managerial positions.
Hopefully, the former Chelsea star can achieve something under De Zerbi and play a key role in keeping Spurs in the Premier League with the remaining five games of the season.
The talented 26-year-old’s performance against Brighton showed he can be a Dembele-like operator in the middle of Spurs’ park, and De Zerbi needs him to maintain that level over the rest of the campaign to get his team over the line.
Spurs’ £15m star looks as complete as Kolo Muani after the Brighton game
Tottenham need to make radical changes this summer, even if they are to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
