Tottenham Hotspur are set for a defining period in their hunt for Premier League safety, with Roberto De Zerbi the man tasked with keeping the side in England’s top-flight.
The Italian has penned a five-year deal with the Lilywhites after taking the reins, even stating he will remain in the role regardless of what division the club find themselves in next term.
However, his previous experience in charge of Brighton and Hove Albion will no doubt hand the supporters the confidence needed in the relegation scrap.
The 46-year-old achieved a 43% win rate during his spell at the AMEX - a record that would certainly be enough to pull the side clear from any looming relegation threat.
However, the fitness of countless senior players will certainly be a concern to the manager in his pursuit of keeping the club in the divison over the next few weeks.
The latest on Spurs’ injury woes under De Zerbi
As seen under various managers throughout the ongoing campaign, Spurs have suffered hugely with injuries - something which has no doubt contributed to the current league standing.
The backline has often been decimated as a result of the fitness issues, with the likes of Micky Van de Ven and Cristian Romero both spending extended spells on the sidelines.
However, the aforementioned pair have returned to full fitness in recent weeks, with the duo certainly set to play a key role under the Italian’s guidance in the weeks ahead.
Such news will no doubt be a positive for the new boss, with the potential return of forward Mathys Tel also providing the new manager with a boost ahead of his debut game.
The Frenchman suffered an injury during the clash with Nottingham Forest before the international break, even pulling out of the France U21 squad as a result.
However, the youngster was spotted during the manager’s first session this week, which could see the 20-year-old feature against Sunderland next week.
The Spurs star who could be De Zerbi’s own Bale
After his arrival at Spurs, De Zerbi will no doubt need time to establish his best eleven, but he must wish he had a player of Gareth Bale’s calibre to rely upon.
The Welsh international featured a staggering 237 times across two separate spells with the Lilywhites, even managing to find the back of the net on 71 occasions.
He also registered 53 assists during such a period, undoubtedly cementing himself as one of the best players to ever wear the shirt and operate in North London.
His £85m move to join Real Madrid back in the summer of 2013 remains as one of the club’s record sales - undoubtedly yielding great profit given he joined for just £5m.
Given the levels he produced during his time with the club, De Zerbi must wish he could call upon such a talent - especially for the crucial relegation run-in.
However, the Italian could be aided by the return to fitness of winger Mohammed Kudus, with the Ghanaian international a player who’s been greatly missed in recent months.
The 25-year-old has been missing since the start of January with a muscular injury, but he could be set to return in the next few weeks to help secure the club’s top-flight future.
The £55m summer addition was a player in fine form before his injury setback, subsequently registering seven combined goals and assists in the Premier League.
Such a tally remains the second highest in the senior ranks this term, that’s despite the forward missing the last three months of action as a result of his fitness issues.
However, Kudus could well have a huge role to play under De Zerbi during the final seven games this season, especially if he can match his previous heights in North London.
The new boss previously wanted to sign the Ghanaian international during his time at Brighton, with the winger potentially being the manager’s own version of Bale.
Kudus has a very similar skillset to Bale, often featuring off the right-hand side of the attack, whilst wanting to cut inside and fire a shot on goal on his favoured left foot.
His ability to glide past the opposition, too, is similar to that of the Welshman, with his tally of 3.1 successful dribbles per 90 also the highest of any player in the Spurs ranks.
Other tallies, such as his 35% shot on target accuracy rate and 1.4 chances created per 90, only add to the argument of Kudus once again becoming a key player.
Given his long injury layoff, it remains to be seen what impact he will have, but De Zebri will no doubt be hoping that he can emulate his success from earlier this campaign.
Should he replicate such levels, there’s no reason why he can’t match Bale in being a fan-favourite - especially if he helps secure the Lilywhites’ status as a top-flight outfit.