New Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has called on his players to respond after their collapse against Nottingham Forest in the relegation battle.Many Tottenham Hotspur fans have never seen their club relegated in their lifetime, with Spurs among the six sides to have spent the longest time in the English top flight without suffering relegation.In fact, one has to go as far back as the 1976–77 season for the last time Tottenham were relegated from the top flight of English football, nearly half a century ago.Of course, it is only natural for many Spurs fans to hope to keep that record intact, but at the moment their Premier League status is hanging by a thread.Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty ImagesRoberto De Zerbi calls for Tottenham response after fan supportOne point is currently the difference between Tottenham and the dreaded relegation line, and as a result, any slip-up will see Spurs drop into 18th with only a few games to spare.To the frustration of many fans who came out in their thousands to support their club, Tottenham squandered a golden opportunity in their last league outing against Nottingham Forest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.Spurs fell short, losing 3–0, a defeat that has only compounded their Premier League woes, as the loss saw them fail to open up a four-point buffer between themselves and 18th-placed West Ham United.New boss Roberto De Zerbi has now spoken about the situation, highlighting the importance of the supporters and the responsibility of the players.Speaking on NBC Sports, De Zerbi reflected on the role of the fans and what Spurs must do to respond after the heavy defeat, while stressing the need to repay their support.“The Tottenham Hotspur fans have helped the players every time, every game. I know what they did before the last Tottenham game. Now is a different moment and we have to give something more for them because they deserve it and we want to play in Premier League next season.”Spurs must respond as there is a need for improvement at homeWith De Zerbi now at the helm, many Spurs supporters will be hoping the club’s performances on the pitch improve.Tottenham are currently the most out-of-form team in the English top flight this year after failing to win any of their league games since the start of 2026.Should they fail to improve on that record, they could well kiss their Premier League status goodbye.Not only does their overall form need to improve, but Spurs’ home record must also get better, as they currently have the worst home form in the league this season – a record that will need to be turned around if Tottenham are to retain their Premier League status.READ MORE: Cristian Romero told to step up as Roberto De Zerbi sends strong Tottenham messageThe post ‘I know what they did’ – Roberto De Zerbi sends huge message of respect to Tottenham fans appeared first on Spurs Web.