Roberto De Zerbi: I Saw the Right Spirit and Character

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi addressed the media following his side's 1-1 draw away at Manchester United, praising the spirit shown by his players at Old Trafford.

"I think we played very well against a great team. We had plenty of chances to score in the first half—three or four. In the second half, it is normal to suffer against a side of such quality. I am very happy because I saw the right spirit and character. We suffered throughout the match, in every single moment of it. I liked our reaction after the red card. We need moments like this. We refused to accept defeat. We must react in every possible way. It's a tough way, not the easy way. I kissed Bentancur in the dressing room. Football is all about character," De Zerbi stated.

The Italian tactician also placed strong emphasis on the importance of collective effort.

"We will win games if we play as a unit. We didn't win today, but we played as a team. If we continue in this manner, we will win many matches," he added.

Asked about striker Dominic Solanke's performance, the manager was unequivocal: "He is a top player for Tottenham. There aren't many strikers better than Solanke. He was captain today because he deserved it, especially right now when he was hurting from Tottenham not scoring goals or winning games. He is a great guy, a big player, and we are fully behind him."

In closing, De Zerbi urged his squad to remain committed to their identity.

"We have to believe in ourselves and in this footballing philosophy. If we believe, improve our game, and act as a team, we will score plenty of goals and win a lot of matches. If we don't play as a collective, it's impossible," the Spurs boss concluded.