Tottenham sit two points below 17th-placed West Ham with four games remaining, and their task has been made harder by the latest in a long line of injuries this season. Netherlands attacking midfielder Xavi Simons, who had been one of the most influential players in the previous two matches, has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend. Striker Dominic Solanke also limped off at Molineux with a hamstring problem.
De Zerbi, who became Spurs' third manager of the season in March, was in no mood to accept the growing chorus of doom surrounding the club.
"The most important challenge now is to silence the voice inside of us, inside of the players, inside the staff and the fans," he told reporters at Hotspur Way. "This voice produces negative thoughts and the voice says we are unlucky, we have too many injuries. Our medical staff is not good enough, the pitch of the stadium is not good, our training pitch is not good. Winning two or three games in a row is impossible because we hadn't won a game in 2026. I think it's all negative things and it's rubbish."
He was unambiguous about where Spurs stand.
"We are crying and relegated? No, not yet. We have to die on the pitch."
The injury list at Tottenham is severe. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario will also be absent for Sunday's trip to Aston Villa, joining long-term absentees Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and Cristian Romero on the sidelines.
Despite those losses, De Zerbi pushed back firmly on the idea that Spurs lack the quality to get results.
"We go to play against one of the best teams in this moment in the Premier League. But if Tottenham win at Villa Park it's not a miracle. Maybe we lose, but we have the quality to win this game. If Simons and Solanke are injured, we can play with Randal Kolo Muani, Mathys Tel, Richarlison. They are different, but very good players."
West Ham face their own difficult fixture this weekend, and De Zerbi was careful to frame the battle for survival as a contest Spurs can still control.
"We have two points less than West Ham. They have to play a difficult game like us. It's not the best moment for us, a tough moment, but the losers cry, they think negative, and I don't want people close to me crying."
One potential boost is James Maddison, the England playmaker who has been absent all season following an ACL injury sustained in a pre-season friendly. The former Leicester City midfielder was named on the bench in each of the last two matches and De Zerbi suggested he could play a meaningful role in the final weeks.
"I would like to play with Maddison because he is a special player. But we have to consider physical condition and a lot of things. I think he can be important in the next three games."
Spurs have not been relegated from the top flight since 1977. They know what Sunday means.