Archie Gray backed under-fire head coach Thomas Frank after he scored his first career goal to ease the pressure on the Tottenham boss with a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.
Spurs thought they had taken the lead through Richarlison, but the Brazilian's goal was disallowed after a VAR review for offside.
But Gray popped up with the only goal of the game just before half-time to secure a much-needed win for Frank and Spurs, who are now up to 11th in the table and just one point off the top half.
Gray admitted that Spurs have endured a period of difficulty with indifferent results, but believes the team are improving under Frank.
He told BBC Sport: “It's been quite a few difficult games.
"We've had a few good performances, a few not so good ones.
"It's just good to get a good result and turn things round and hopefully carry this on.
"Every day on the training pitch with the manager, we're learning new things and trying to get better as a unit in the way we press and the way we build up.
"[We're] learning new things every day, and we're just getting better as it goes."
The 19-year-old’s first senior goal saw him become the youngest Tottenham player to score at Selhurst Park since Dele Alli in January 2016, and Gray was delighted to get on the scoresheet, having made his career debut for Leeds United in August 2023.
"It's incredible, I don't know how to sum it up," said Gray.
"It's a feeling I have been waiting for a very long time.
"After 112 appearances, I will give myself leeway because of the positions [I have played] but it's an incredible feeling.
"I think my family will be bantering me about how I have only scored now."
Spurs might have been more comfortable in their victory had Richarlison not seen another goal disallowed for offside in the closing stages.
They travel to Frank's former club Brentford in their first game of 2026.