LONDON — Roberto De Zerbi has urged his Tottenham team to play with “courage and pride” as they seek to secure Premier League survival in Tuesday’s match at Chelsea.
Spurs, with two games left, are on the brink of safety after a turbulent season, two points clear of 18th-placed West Ham with a game in hand.
A point against the beaten FA Cup finalists would realistically save the club, whose goal difference is far superior to West Ham’s, while three points would guarantee survival.
“My players, they have to be ready to play, to play a good game, to play a game with courage, with pride, with work on the pitch, and to try to make three points to win the game,” De Zerbi said on Monday.
The Italian, appointed at the end of March, said his players deserved to stay up but warned against complacency.
Tottenham have won just once in 35 league trips to Stamford Bridge, but are facing a team that has not taken three points in the Premier League since early March.
“We have to play with confidence because in the last four games, the last five games with me, because we didn’t deserve to lose the game in Sunderland, but in the last four, we made eight points,” said De Zerbi.
“And if you analyse the performances, I think we could make more points than eight. And for that, we have to have confidence, to be positive.
“Anyway, we can’t forget one month ago, what was the situation. We are not safe yet. It’s tough in the Premier League. To make one point is tough because all teams fight on the pitch.”
