BBC

Former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison has backed Tottenham to "still have a good season", despite their poor start in Roberto de Zerbi's first full campaign in charge.

Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Aston Villa has left Spurs rooted to the bottom of the Premier League going into the international break, but they did score league goals for the first time in 2026-27.

"Spurs were the better team in that first half and [Zion] Suzuki made three or four outstanding saves," Morrison told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"I feel like we've been saying this a lot with Tottenham so far this season - dominating matches, not being clinical enough, and then getting punished.

"The defending is nowhere near good enough and they are conceding too many easy goals at the moment. It is a recipe for disaster.

"But, I do think they will turn it around and I do think they will have a good season.

"When it clicks for them, they are going to give some team a hiding very soon.

"I think they have good attacking players, they will score goals and win games at some point.

"The only thing they have missed is when signing all these midfielders and attacking players, they have missed a centre forward.

"De Zerbi will not put his arm around you - it's his way or the highway and you have to produce for him. The hierarchy has backed him and given him the money, now he has to get results.

"But, their upcoming fixtures don't look too bad. I do think scoring their first two Premier league goals, even in defeat, does help moving forward."

Tottenham have set their sights on a possible £125m January move for Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, 26, after nearly signing the England international during the 2025 summer transfer window. (Football Insider), external

Spurs, Liverpool, Manchester City and Fulham are among several Premier League clubs monitoring 24-year-old Venezuela and Real Sociedad defender Jon Aramburu. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

An wallafa Sa'o'i 3 da suka wuce

Lokacin karatu: Minti 1

Tottenham Hotspur ta shirya siyen ɗan wasan Notthingham Forest Morgan Gibbs-White kan fam miliyan 125 a watan January mai zuwan, bayan da da kusa daukar dan wasan a kakar siyen dan wasan a 2025. (Football Insider)

Manchester United na harin ɗan wasan Lens Mezian Mesloub, a yunƙurinsu na ƙara ƙarfin ƙungiyar da matasa masu hazaƙa. (Teamtalk)

United na son ci gaba da riƙe ɗan wasan Ingila JJ Gabriel, da ake ta danganta shi da komawa Real Madrid ko Bercelona, yayin da Chelsea ita ma ta shiga sahum masu zawarci ɗan wasan. (Teamtalk)

Manchester United na sa ido kan Antonio Conte, a mastayin wanda zai maye gurbin Michael Carrick, inda har baa sami wani ci gaba ba kan yadda ya ke tafi da ƙungiyar. (Hard Tackle)

Ac Milan da Juventus su ma na harin Conte da ke jirin tayin d aya kwnata masa, kafin ya bar Napoli a kakar wasannin nan. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

Atletico Madrid sun sabunta aniyarsu na son ɗaukar ɗan wasan Bayer Leverkusen, ibrahim Maza, a yunƙurinsu na karfafa ƴan wasan tsakiyar ƙungiyar. (Goal)

Liverpool, da Manchester City, da Fulham, da Tottenham na cikin ƙungiyoyin da ke buga Firimiya da ke sa ido kan dan wasan Venezula da Real Sociedad Jon Aramburu. (Teamtalk)

Liverpool ta fara tattaunawa da Monaco kan Lamine Camara, 22, don ganin sun siye shi nan da watan Janairu. (Caughtoffside)

Skip Wanda aka fi karantawa and continue reading

Wanda aka fi karantawa

End of Wanda aka fi karantawa

Arsenal na son ɗan wasan Borussia Dortmund Maximilian Beier. (Teamtalk)

Holdt has 'bit of fun' with Palace fans Video, 00:00:12Holdt has 'bit of fun' with Palace fans

Up Next. 100 years on, is time up for Milan's iconic San Siro? Video, 00:06:36100 years on, is time up for Milan's iconic San Siro?

I feel like I'm in a good place - Isak. Video, 00:02:34I feel like I'm in a good place - Isak

Carrick says Man Utd have enough talent to recover. Video, 00:00:45Carrick says Man Utd have enough talent to recover

'Sometimes it happens for you' - Maresca on VAR fallout. Video, 00:00:35'Sometimes it happens for you' - Maresca on VAR fallout

It's a joy to have Dowman - Arteta. Video, 00:01:47It's a joy to have Dowman - Arteta

Why football rules are 'impossible to understand' Video, 00:03:08Why football rules are 'impossible to understand'

Getting goal decision so wrong is 'baffling' - Rooney. Video, 00:01:20Getting goal decision so wrong is 'baffling' - Rooney

Spurs could move for Morgan Gibbs‑White, JJ Gabriel's next step remains unresolved and Antonio Conte may be lining up his next move.

Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on a possible £125m January move for Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White, 26, after nearly signing the England international during the 2025 summer transfer window. (Football Insider), external

Manchester United are looking at Lens' Portugal youth international midfielder Mezian Mesloub, 16, as they bid to strengthen their young talent pool. (Teamtalk), external

The Old Trafford outfit remain keen to keep wantaway English forward JJ Gabriel, 15, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid and Barcelona, with Chelsea now joining the battle to sign the teenager. (Teamtalk), external

Manchester United are monitoring Italian manager Antonio Conte, 57, as a possible replacement for current boss Michael Carrick, should the former England international's position at the club become untenable. (Hard Tackle), external

AC Milan and Juventus are also keeping tabs on Conte, who is waiting on the right opportunity to begin his next project after leaving Napoli in the summer. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external

Atletico Madrid have reignited their interest in Bayer Leverkusen's young sensation Ibrahim Maza, 20, as they look to strengthen their midfield. (Goal), external

Liverpool, Manchester City, Fulham, and Tottenham are among several Premier League clubs monitoring 24-year-old Venezula and Real Sociedad defender Jon Aramburu. (Teamtalk), external

Liverpool have held initial talks with Monaco and Senegal midfielder Lamine Camara, 22, over a potential January move. (Caughtoffside), external

Arsenal are interested in 23-year-old Borussia Dortmund and Germany forward Maximilian Beier. (Teamtalk), external

Women's Super League  BBC

Olivia Holdt claims a hat-trick as Tottenham score seven times in the second half to condemn 10-player Crystal Palace to their first defeat since being promoted back to the Women's Super League.

MATCH REPORT: WSL - Crystal Palace 0-7 Tottenham Hotspur

Up Next. 100 years on, is time up for Milan's iconic San Siro? Video, 00:06:36100 years on, is time up for Milan's iconic San Siro?

I feel like I'm in a good place - Isak. Video, 00:02:34I feel like I'm in a good place - Isak

Carrick says Man Utd have enough talent to recover. Video, 00:00:45Carrick says Man Utd have enough talent to recover

'Sometimes it happens for you' - Maresca on VAR fallout. Video, 00:00:35'Sometimes it happens for you' - Maresca on VAR fallout

It's a joy to have Dowman - Arteta. Video, 00:01:47It's a joy to have Dowman - Arteta

Why football rules are 'impossible to understand' Video, 00:03:08Why football rules are 'impossible to understand'

Getting goal decision so wrong is 'baffling' - Rooney. Video, 00:01:20Getting goal decision so wrong is 'baffling' - Rooney

That's all from us

Thanks for tuning in to our live coverage on another hectic day of Women's Super League action.

Seven goals in the second half (and a hat-trick) for Tottenham. A stoppage-time winner for Everton and a smash-and-grab point for Aston Villa.

That's all for this live text.

We'll be back on Tuesday when the Women's Champions League's league phase begins with Manchester City and Arsenal both in action. Chelsea then play on Wednesday.

'I'm just happy to come in, score three goals and help the team'

FT: Crystal Palace 0-7 Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham's Olivia Holdt speaking after her hat-trick: "I’m very happy, very pleased. As you said it was my first start this season so I'm just happy to come in, score three goals and help the team to get the win."

On playing against ten for the majority of the game: "I was thinking when they got the red card, this could actually be tougher for us because then they could go down in a really low block and just defend but as the game kept going and we created more and more chances and came in at half time and got together and talked [about] our plan... when the first goal came then it was nice."

On her celebration for the first goal [shushing]: "I like to celebrate my goals. I saw the Crystal Palace fans and I like to have a bit of fun and then I thought why not."

On competition for places in the squad: "Competition is healthy and it'll only make the team better and compete every week. I think today Vic [Victoria Pelova] got her first start as well scoring two goals so I think the competition is really healthy and will help us get a really good season."

Former Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole questioned Tottenham's transfer business after their spend of about £302m.

After Sandro Tonali, £85m went on bringing in Mateus Fernandes from West Ham. The Portuguese midfielder was subbed at half-time and Roberto de Zerbi said he "didn't like" Fernandes' performance, while £75m was spent on Savio from Manchester City.

Omar Marmoush will cost £60m once his loan becomes permanent, but Spurs need their big-money buys to prove their worth and perform sooner rather than later.

"Spurs are dominant, chances, and you felt the tension growing - all of a sudden Spurs were just wanting to get to half-time. Once you defend with anxiety, things happen," Cole told TNT.

"When these things go against you, they go against you. Van de Ven going off was a factor, they didn't deal with it well. When you are anxious you make rash decisions.

"Villa defended well but didn't deserve to go in a goal up, and then this place deflated.

"They are not picking up points, a club flirting with relegation two years in a row, I feel they have overpaid for every player they bought this summer - you can't rule them out from being in and around the relegation battle."

De Zerbi, though, defended Tottenham's summer window spending despite their current malaise.

"I am happy with the squad, but the market was long, the situation changed many times," he said.

"There was also financial fair play and we have to respect that. We didn't sell the players we thought there was a possibility to sell.

"The club and the coach, we are not sleeping, we know the characteristics of the players. If we didn't make any different decisions it was because we couldn't."