New head coach Igor Tudor '100 percent' certain Tottenham will avoid relegation

Spurs are just five points above the drop zone following the dismissal of Thomas Frank after eight months in charge. Tudor, who has previously managed Marseille, Lazio and Juventus, steps in at a critical moment - and faces leaders Arsenal in his first match on Sunday.

But the 47-year-old insists survival talk is irrelevant to his approach.

"This is not important," Tudor said when asked about a relegation battle. "The position is always a consequence of what you do during the week and on Sunday. I never speak about results at the end of the season. I believe in today's training."

Tottenham's domestic form has been alarming. Since November they have won just two of 17 league matches, collecting only four points from a possible 24 in 2026. Their last Premier League victory came on 28 December at Crystal Palace.

Compounding the challenge is a severe injury crisis. Tudor revealed he has been training with just 13 players, with 10 first-team members unavailable. Cristian Romero is suspended, while James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohamed Kudus and Lucas Bergvall are among those sidelined. Dominic Solanke is expected to return after illness.

"It's a very rare situation," Tudor said. "We trained with 13 players. It's not beautiful, but it is an even bigger challenge to succeed and come out from this situation. Thirteen is quite enough to achieve what we want on Sunday."

Rather than tactical overhauls, Tudor says his first objective is cultural.

"It is not about systems," he explained. "It is important to become a team in the right meaning of the word - a team that wants to suffer, to fight, to run, to have the right mentality. The people come before the football player. The start is always about mentality."

A former Croatia international and Juventus defender, Tudor is determined to make an immediate impact, but insists enjoyment is secondary to responsibility.

"I'm not here to enjoy it, I'm here to work," he said. "It's a fantastic club, but there is work to do."

With Spurs hovering dangerously close to the bottom three, Tudor's confidence is unwavering. Pressed again on whether Tottenham will remain in the Premier League next season, his response was emphatic: "100 per cent."

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