The one piece of advice Richarlison has given his teammates ahead of ‘difficult’ run-in in relegation battle

Tottenham dropped two crucial points in the 1-1 draw vs. Leeds United at home.

Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-1 draw with Leeds United on Monday evening left them continuing to look over their shoulders.

Under Roberto De Zerbi, the Lilywhites have picked up eight points from a possible 15. This has lifted them out of the relegation zone, although there is still plenty to play for with West Ham United retaining hope of survival. Spurs are 17th in the table, two points above West Ham, who were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal at the London Stadium last weekend.

However, Tottenham face the prospect of dropping back into the relegation zone as the Hammers play before them at the weekend. Two days after West Ham’s trip to Newcastle United, Roberto De Zerbi’s side takes on bitter rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Richarlison speaks up after Tottenham’s draw vs. Leeds United

Mathys Tel went from hero to villain inside 20 minutes against Leeds United. He scored a scrumptious goal from outside the box before attempting to clear the ball with an overhead kick, but caught Ethan Ampadu’s head recklessly, conceding a penalty in the process. Dominic Calvert-Lewin made no mistake from the penalty spot and equalised, and the scoreline stayed 1-1 at the full-time whistle.

There is plenty to debate about how De Zerbi managed the game after Calvert-Lewin’s penalty. Instead of building a cushion earlier this week, Tottenham need results against Chelsea and Everton now, and there is no room for any slip-up.

Speaking in an interview with ESPN Brazil, Richarlison gave his verdict on Tottenham’s draw vs. Leeds. The centre-forward admitted that the club’s situation is becoming increasingly tense, but advised his teammates to remain calm and focused ahead of the remaining two fixtures.

“It’s difficult, but point by point we’re moving forward,” Richarlison said.

“Depending on the result of next weekend’s game, with one more point we can avoid relegation, but we need to do our part. Away from home, we’ve managed to pick up points well. Now we have to stay calm.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s Richarlison struggled to make an impact vs. Leeds

De Zerbi picked the same team on Monday that beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park. This meant Richarlison led the Tottenham attack, flanked by Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani. The Brazilian had scored a brilliant header that turned out to be the winner against Aston Villa, and he was expected to build on it.

However, Richarlison endured a poor outing against Leeds. The centre-forward struggled to impose himself in the game, often lacking the first touch to control the ball and bring his teammates into the game. He couldn’t link up well with his fellow forwards and was anonymous throughout the 90 minutes.

The South American star did press well and showed energy, but it was not enough to inspire his side to all three points. After a subdued display, Richarlison will be raring to improve and make a difference for his team at Chelsea next week.