LONDON – Striker Dominic Solanke urged Tottenham Hotspur to find a way to avoid Premier League relegation “as soon as possible” following Thursday’s 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, a loss that continued the club’s downward spiral.

Solanke’s comments highlight the stark reality for a team hovering just above the drop zone in 16th place. Unless Tottenham ends their winless league run dating back to last year, the club faces relegation for the first time since 1977.

“We've just had a big conversation. We know the position we are in is definitely not where we want to be, so we need to figure out how we are going to get out of it as soon as possible,” Solanke told TNT Sports.

“We know there have been difficulties, but we're not in a position to make any excuses anymore. We need to fight and realize the position we are in. The club is not used to being in this position, so we need to understand it and fight every single game, every single minute, to improve.”

Solanke gave Tottenham a 34th-minute lead after a brilliant setup from Archie Gray, but the match quickly turned after Micky van de Ven received a red card for a foul on Ismaila Sarr in the penalty area. Sarr converted the penalty, and Palace added two more goals before halftime, with Adam Wharton assisting Jorgen Strand Larsen and Sarr scoring his second.

Despite being down to 10 men, Tottenham performed better in the second half as Palace eased off, but they still suffered their fifth consecutive league defeat, leaving them just one point above the relegation zone.

Interim manager Igor Tudor, who has lost all three games since replacing Thomas Frank, remained cautiously optimistic.

“The red card changed the game. Then we conceded two or three fast goals. In the second half, we tried. I saw something to make me believe we can do it, and I am sure we will,” he said.

-Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Pritha Sarkar/Reuters