Roberto De Zerbi has insisted his Tottenham Hotspur squad possesses sufficient quality to avoid relegation, despite a mounting injury crisis that has deprived the team of key players. The manager's comments come ahead of Sunday's crucial Premier League clash at Aston Villa.
De Zerbi Rejects Excuses
De Zerbi has ruled Dominic Solanke out of the Villa Park encounter due to a hamstring injury sustained in last weekend's 1-0 victory over Wolves, which ended a 16-match winless run in the league. Additionally, Xavi Simons is sidelined with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. The manager faces at least eight absentees, including Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, and Wilson Odobert. James Maddison is unlikely to start but may feature among the substitutes for his leadership qualities. On a positive note, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr could return to the squad.
De Zerbi emphasized the need to silence negative thoughts and focus on the players available. "The most important challenge now is to silence the voice inside of us, inside the players, the staff and the fans," he said. "This voice can produce negative thoughts. The voice says: 'We are unlucky, we have too many injuries, we lost Xavi Simons – one of our best players in the last two games – our medical staff is not good enough, the pitch of the stadium is not good, the pitch of the training ground is not good. It is impossible to win two or three games in a row because we have not won too many games in 2026.'"
He dismissed such pessimism as "rubbish," insisting that victory at Villa Park would not be a miracle. "If Tottenham win in Villa Park, it is not a miracle. We have the quality to win. If Solanke and Xavi are injured, we can play with [Randal] Kolo Muani, Mathys Tel, Richarlison and they are not worse players. They are different as characters but are very good players. We have Pedro Porro, we have Udogie, we have Micky van de Ven, we have [Rodrigo] Bentancur, we have Palhinha, we have [Conor] Gallagher."
He added: "I have heard: 'It is impossible, we are crying and we are relegated.' But no. Not yet. We have to die on the pitch and to die on the pitch, we have to lose the game. Before we lose the game we have to play, we have to fight. It is a tough moment but the losers cry. The losers think negative. I don't want people close to me crying or thinking in a different way to me."
Regarding Solanke's return, De Zerbi said: "I don't know yet. For Villa, no, for sure. And then we will see." Antonin Kinsky, a hero at Wolves, will continue in goal due to Vicario's absence after hernia surgery.
Slot: Liverpool Must Prove Themselves
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has acknowledged that past success does not guarantee job security, as his side seeks to prove their quality in the final four games. Liverpool have won three consecutive Premier League matches and can leapfrog Manchester United into third place with a victory at Old Trafford on Sunday, though they will be without Mohamed Salah, the record goalscorer in this fixture.
Slot stressed the need for continued proof of ability. "We as a team still have something to prove and I am part of the team, so that means I have something to prove as well," he said. "It is up to others to judge if a quarter-final place in the Champions League has been good or bad. We lost to PSG twice in a row. They are the best team in Europe at the moment in my opinion. Is it a reality to go through the league and the cups with the amount of players we have [injured]? I have a certain opinion about that and the way I say it gives you an impression of how I feel about it, but I haven't said it."
He added: "Do I have to prove myself as Virgil [van Dijk] does? Yes. Virgil has proven himself as one of the best, and Mo. We've already shown in the past what we're able to do. It doesn't mean that is enough to keep playing every three days or stay in your job. If a player won the Premier League for the last five years he still needs to show up every week to stay in the team. That is how this industry works, so we – and I am part of 'we' – have to prove ourselves week after week."
Slot also addressed the need to find a replacement for Salah, who has scored 16 goals in 18 appearances against Manchester United. He emphasized that any new signing must be able to bring the best out of Alexander Isak, the £125m record signing who scored his first league goal at Anfield last weekend. "That is definitely part of thinking about the replacement [for Salah] because since I have been here, and it is the same at a lot of clubs, it is mainly a left-footer on the right and a right-footer on the left. I have seen Alex scoring a lot from crosses which were played right-footed from the right – Trent Alexander-Arnold crosses if you want to call them that – so that is definitely part of how we are looking at things. But we try to sign the best possible available player who we can afford."
Slot expects the improving form of Isak and Florian Wirtz to drive Liverpool forward. "Converting chances into goals is something we haven't done very well throughout this whole season but one of the players [Isak] we always thought could score goals for us was hardly available," he said.
Meanwhile, Salah has stated he is at peace with his decision to leave at the end of the season. "I feel to go through the season this is the right thing to do now, and I have peace with it," he told TNT Sports. "The season was tough for all of us … I don't want to say much. I'm happy about it, everything that is going on this season makes me like 'No, it's time to go', so I'm happy. I'm glad that I'm leaving now through a big door as that was something you mentioned to me – 'leave on your own terms' – and I still remember those words. Honestly I feel I have a lot to give: physically I feel very good, I played many games this season. I didn't decide yet what I'm going to do, to be fair, I have a lot of options which are good options."
Carrick: Liverpool Clash a 'Different Ball Game'
Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick has described Sunday's meeting with Liverpool as a "different ball game," regardless of league positions. United sit third on 61 points, three points ahead of Liverpool, but both sides trail league leaders Arsenal. Carrick emphasized the fixture's significance. "The league position is what it is, but Sunday's a whole different ball game," he said. "We are fully aware of the situation in the league and how close it is between us, but that's not something really we've focused on going into this game. It's a one-off, they've got some terrific players, they're a good team, they won the league last year, and we respect that."
Carrick, who faced Liverpool many times during his playing career, added: "It's one of my favourite games – a standout. There's big games and big rivalries that we have with other teams, but this one is right up there in the history between us, the ups and downs that have produced excitement and entertainment. And the emotion, which is a huge part of it. It makes it a really special game. Irrespective of league positions, over the years of who's been on top, it's never really changed the feeling and the emotion and what it means to the supporters. Obviously to come out on top is one of the best feelings you'll get."
Pereira: Forest May Need 43 Points to Stay Up
Nottingham Forest head coach Vítor Pereira has predicted that a record 43 points may be required to avoid relegation this season. His side currently sit five points above 18th-placed Tottenham with four games remaining and are unbeaten in nine matches across all competitions. Pereira believes Forest may need to eclipse West Ham's 42 points in 2003, the highest tally to result in top-flight relegation. "I believe [so]. That's why we need to be mentally ready to compete until the last minute of the last game," he said. "I don't know how many points [we will need] because I think this season, it will be a special season in terms of points to avoid relegation. It is better to try to win every game, not wait for other results."
Forest face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday, while West Ham visit Brentford and Tottenham travel to Aston Villa on Sunday. Pereira joked that watching rivals' matches could spoil his appetite. "Do they play [at] lunchtime or dinner time? Because if they play at lunchtime, and I watch the game, maybe I won't have a good lunch. [I will have] indigestion. I cannot suffer the results of the other teams. I prefer to have a good lunch. I prefer to have a good dinner."
McFarlane: Chelsea Still Attractive for Managers
Interim Chelsea manager Calum McFarlane has insisted the club remains an attractive proposition for top managers despite recent turbulence. Chelsea are searching for their sixth permanent manager since the BlueCo ownership took over in 2022, following the sacking of Liam Rosenior after just 106 days. McFarlane, in his second spell as interim, has led the team to the FA Cup final against Manchester City on 16 May. "I don't think I have to sell that in all honesty, it's one of the biggest clubs in the world, with a great history of winning," he said. "We've got some unbelievable players, some of the best players in the world, great training facilities. You've got everything you could want."
Chelsea have been linked with Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, Fulham's Marco Silva, and former Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso. However, failure to qualify for the Champions League could hinder their pursuit. Chelsea are eighth in the Premier League, 10 points behind fifth-placed Aston Villa with four games left. "We just have to keep winning our games. The mood has been lifted after a recent run of losses," McFarlane said.
Regarding reports of disharmony, McFarlane pointed to Enzo Fernández, Marc Cucurella, and João Pedro watching tennis in Madrid as evidence of unity. "It says a lot of the group that they go away together. I love that they spend time together. They went to Madrid to watch tennis, I don't see an issue. It is positive sign for the unity of the group."
