De Zerbi: I have unwavering faith in my players

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has expressed his full confidence in his players but insists the team must continue to improve. The Italian pointed out that despite creating more chances in their defeat to Liverpool, the London side needed to defend better. The 'Spurs' have had a very poor start to the season, failing to score a single goal in the Premier League, with two draws and two losses. Midweek saw them exit the Carabao Cup after a defeat to Liverpool, where they did manage to find the net once. Tottenham invested heavily, spending over £300 million on new signings in an attempt to significantly raise the team's level, but the poor results are inevitably putting pressure on De Zerbi.

“We need to keep improving in every aspect. Against Liverpool, we conceded a silly first goal. We had a very clear defensive plan, and a long ball shouldn't have been enough to concede. We should have dealt better with Cody Gakpo for the second goal as well. I believe we created more chances against Liverpool than in our other matches, but that might be due to their more adventurous style of play, which opens up more space. I have enough experience as a manager to remain calm and confident in what I'm doing. The players also have my full trust. We move forward and strive to get better, not with words, but with actions,” explained the Italian specialist.

De Zerbi confirmed that Pedro Porro, Sandro Tonali, and James Maddison, who had been dealing with physical issues, are all available, though a decision on who will start against Aston Villa is yet to be made.

“They are all available for the match. We need to assess their physical condition, but each of them is ready to play. James Maddison’s character and specific qualities, particularly his ability to deliver the final pass, set him apart from other players, perhaps with the exception of Mohammed Kudus, but he isn't accustomed to playing in that position. Matheus Fernandes could also play as a 'number ten,' but he needs to be more decisive with his shots and finishing passes,” stated the Tottenham manager.