Tudor urges Tottenham to think like a ´small team´ as tough Fulham test awaits

Igor Tudor has urged Tottenham to think like a “small team” as they attempt to pull themselves away from Premier League relegation danger.

The Croatian’s first game in charge of Spurs after replacing Thomas Frank until the end of the season finished in a 4-1 loss to fierce rivals Arsenal last weekend.

Tottenham are now winless in nine league matches in 2026 and are four points above the relegation zone ahead of facing Fulham on Sunday.

Tudor is vastly experienced, having coached 12 teams over the past 13 years, and he is fully aware of what is required to fight the drop.

“In Italy, they use the term ‘have the mentality of a small team’,” Tudor said at Thursday’s pre-match news conference.

“That’s the key: to always have the willingness and motivation like you play against bigger teams. They are aware of everything.”

Tudor also insisted that only hard work was going to get Tottenham out of trouble at this stage, adding: “The mentality changes by training.

“Doing the right things there and to have enough training sessions that you can transmit these things to the team so that on Sunday this can be seen from the fans in the stadium.

“Hard work. There is no other possibility. You need to be smart to understand, deeper the moment and how to take the points.”

Working hard at Hotspur Way

@BetMGMUK pic.twitter.com/WFhFXUoVpp

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 26, 2026

Fulham snapped a three-game losing run in the league with a 3-1 win at Sunderland last weekend to move into the top half of the table.

Marco Silva’s side enter this weekend’s match at Craven Cottage three points off Brentford in seventh, with European football very much the aim.

“We’re taking it step by step,” Alex Iwobi told Sky Sports. “It’s onto the next game now.

“We got the three points [against Sunderland], which was the aim, to climb above them. We take it game by game – there’s that cliche saying.

“We’ll see where we end up at the end of the season.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Fulham – Raul Jimenez

Raul Jimenez scored twice in the win at Sunderland last weekend and now has eight goals and three assists in 26 league games this term.

The Mexico international has opened the scoring in 32 of the 62 Premier League games he has scored in, including in four of Fulham’s last 11.

Back to the Cottage. pic.twitter.com/orHDZfoBje

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) February 26, 2026

Tottenham – Pedro Porro

Tudor confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Pedro Porro is available for selection after a recent spell out.

Porro had started 21 league matches prior to his injury last month and could come straight into the line-up, giving Spurs far more threat down the right.

MATCH PREDICTION – FULHAM WIN

Tottenham are aiming to avoid going 10 Premier League games without a win for the first time since between January and March 1994.

The Lilywhites lost November’s reverse meeting 2-1 and could lose both games in a league campaign against Fulham for the first time in 22 years.

Fulham have won their last two home league games against Spurs, following a run of seven successive losses at Craven Cottage in this fixture.

Indeed, Fulham have won three of their past four Premier League matches against Tottenham, which is as many as they had in their previous 26.

However, Fulham have won just four of their past 18 top-flight games in the month of March, albeit half of those wins have come at home to Spurs.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Fulham – 45.8%

Draw – 26.7%

Tottenham – 27.5%