Igor Tudor has admitted Tottenham Hotspur are struggling physically as he vowed to “put some petrol in the engine” in a bid to steer the club away from relegation trouble.

The interim boss arrived in north London with Spurs locked in a tense fight to avoid a first drop into the second tier since the 1977/78 campaign. A run of just two wins from their last 18 Premier League matches has left Tottenham only four points above the relegation zone ahead of Sunday’s crucial trip to Fulham.

Appointed on a temporary basis following the dismissal of Thomas Frank, Tudor believes improving his squad’s fitness is essential if they are to preserve their top-flight status.

Traditionally known for demanding intensity and relentless pressing, the Croatian conceded his players are currently unable to meet those standards.

“Physically, I believe, we are not in an amazing situation,” Tudor said. “They have played lots of games in the last period without lots of players available and it meant the physical condition of the team has dropped down.

“So we need to use this period where we don’t play the games to put some petrol in the engine so the engine starts to work better.

“They are fatigued. To do the pressing high you need to be fit — all of them — because if someone is not in the right shape, there is a problem because someone is coming late.

“For sure, we will improve and do these things better over time, but in this moment it’s a big question what we can do and what we cannot do.”

Footage of Tudor putting players through demanding running drills in training — scenes more commonly associated with pre-season — has already circulated widely on social media.

However, Tottenham’s tendency to produce only one strong half of football under Frank suggests conditioning has been an ongoing concern rather than a new issue.

Tudor rejected suggestions that his methods are too punishing during an already gruelling campaign.

“No, never punishing. That’s the only way — running. The pitch is 100 yards long, so you need to run,” he said.

“There are habits. Maybe you have habits to… I don’t know… work a bit less? I put some runs without the ball. Players never like runs without the ball.”

With survival hanging in the balance, Tudor’s immediate challenge is clear: restore energy, resilience and belief before time runs out.