Joao Palhinha scored in the 82nd minute to send Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux, ending a 15-game Premier League winless run and delivering the club’s first league victory since December 28.
The finish was anything but comfortable. Antonin Kinsky tipped Joao Gomes’ free-kick over the bar to preserve the lead, while Tottenham had already lost Dominic Solanke to a muscle injury just before half-time and seen Xavi Simons leave on a stretcher just past the hour after hurting his knee.
For a team that had spent part of the night four points away from safety because West Ham United were beating Everton, the result mattered far beyond the scoreline. It was an ugly performance, but one that gave Tottenham a badly needed psychological lift after a run that had dragged on since December 28 and had left every dropped point feeling heavier than the last.
The worry, though, is obvious. Tottenham won, but they also lost two attacking players in the same match and did it without ever looking secure, which is no way to build momentum in a fight for survival. The margin at Molineux was created by one late moment and protected by Kinsky’s save, not by any sustained control. That leaves Tottenham with points on the board and fresh injuries to manage, while the table still has room to turn on the next result.