Roberto De Zerbi says Tottenham have begun to fix their mental fragility after the 2-1 win over Aston Villa lifted them out of the Premier League relegation zone.

Roberto De Zerbi believes Tottenham Hotspur have finally begun to shake off the mental fragility that dragged them into a relegation fight after Sunday’s priceless 2-1 victory away to Aston Villa.

The result lifted Tottenham out of the bottom three and gave them a one-point cushion over West Ham United with only three matches left in a tense survival battle.

Tottenham produced one of their most disciplined displays of the season to storm into a two-goal first-half lead. Conor Gallagher opened the scoring with a thunderous long-range strike before Richarlison powered home a header to double the advantage. Although Emiliano Buendía pulled one back in the dying seconds, Spurs had already done enough to secure a second consecutive league win.

It marks a remarkable shift for a team that looked doomed only weeks ago. When De Zerbi arrived in March to replace the dismissed interim boss Igor Tudor, Tottenham were trapped in a 15-match winless run stretching back to December.

Early setbacks under the Italian, including defeat at Sunderland and a draw with Brighton did little to ease fears, but successive away victories at Wolves and Villa have transformed the mood around the club.

According to De Zerbi, the issue was never simply tactical. He insisted Tottenham’s biggest weakness had been psychological, with months of losses eroding belief and confidence throughout the squad. The manager said these recent wins must now serve as proof to the players that they are capable of competing with conviction, intensity and a far stronger mentality than they had shown during the darkest stretches of the campaign.

The Villa Park display certainly backed up his words. De Zerbi praised his team’s work without the ball, their willingness to press high, and the intelligence they showed when attacking space on the counter. For long periods Tottenham frustrated one of the division’s stronger sides before striking with efficiency, a level of organisation and resilience that had been missing for much of the season.

He reserved particular praise for Gallagher, whose first goal since joining from Atletico Madrid in January capped a relentless midfield performance. De Zerbi described the England international as the type of player who makes Tottenham feel as though they have 12 men when he is at his best, while also highlighting the contributions of Randal Kolo Muani, Mathys Tel and his central defenders in what he viewed as a complete team effort.

Despite the renewed optimism, De Zerbi was careful not to declare the mission accomplished. Tottenham still face Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton before the season ends, and the manager insisted the painful memories of where Tottenham were before the Wolves win must remain fresh.