Palhinha Gives Spurs First Premier League Win of 2026 But They Remain in Drop Zone

Tottenham Hotspur claimed their first Premier League victory of 2026 on Saturday, defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Portuguese midfielder Pedro Porro scored the decisive goal in the 78th minute, but despite the three points, Spurs remain in the bottom three of the table with just eight games remaining.

The victory was a much-needed boost for manager Ange Postecoglou, whose side had gone seven league matches without a win stretching back to February. The Australian coach has faced mounting pressure from supporters frustrated by the club's alarming slide down the table, with the prospect of relegation now looking increasingly likely.

Tottenham took the lead in the 22nd minute through a well-taken finish from Dejan Kulusevski, who capitalised on a mistake from Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa. Wolves equalized early in the second half through a penalty from Mario Lemina after a controversial VAR decision awarded the spot-kick following a handball in the box.

Spurs dominated possession for large portions of the match but struggled to create clear-cut chances against a well-organized Wolves defense. Porro's winner came from a swift counter-attack initiated by Brennan Johnson, whose pace caused problems for the visitors throughout the second half.

The win moves Tottenham within two points of 17th-placed West Ham, but the club's hierarchy has reportedly given Postecoglou just three more games to turn results around or face the sack before the end of the season.