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Martin Dúbravka faces wait for Tottenham chance as Roberto De Zerbi keeps faith in Antonín Kinský

Slovakia international Martin Dúbravka will have to remain patient for regular game time in goal for Tottenham Hotspur.
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Despite a shaky start to the season from Czech goalkeeper Antonín Kinský, Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi is not currently planning to make a change between the sticks, according to reports from British outlet Football Insider.

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Citing club sources, Football Insider reported that Spurs have no intention of replacing Kinský with Martin Dúbravka in the immediate future. De Zerbi retains full faith in the young Czech shot-stopper and is reluctant to alter his pre-season hierarchy after just five Premier League fixtures.

Kinský's early-season numbers have been far from convincing. Through his first five league outings, he has recorded a save percentage of just 60 percent—ranking him among the bottom five goalkeepers in the division—alongside a -1.73 goals prevented metric.

Dúbravka, by contrast, brings vast top-flight experience compared to the 23-year-old Czech. The 37-year-old Slovakian arrived at Tottenham this summer following a season with Burnley, where he made 35 league appearances, having previously enjoyed a lengthy spell at Newcastle United and a brief loan stint with Manchester United.

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So far, Dúbravka has made just one competitive start for Spurs. De Zerbi handed him his debut on September 15 in a Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool at Anfield, which ended in a 3-1 defeat and an early exit. Despite the loss, Dúbravka produced notable saves to deny Lewis Koumas and Dominik Szoboszlai in a one-on-one.

Kinský's place as the undisputed number one comes as little surprise. Prior to the campaign getting underway, De Zerbi publicly announced that the Czech international would start as his first-choice keeper, praising his displays, upside, maturity, and character.

Dúbravka himself was realistic regarding his expected squad role upon signing in London. The veteran conceded that at 37 years of age, he could hardly expect to walk straight into a guaranteed starting spot at a Premier League club, though he acknowledged that football can quickly change.

For now, the Slovakia international remains a seasoned deputy to Kinský. Despite the youngster's underwhelming statistical start, sources close to the club indicate that De Zerbi is sticking firmly with his goalkeeping pecking order.

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