It is hard not to feel for Mathys Tel. The young Tottenham Hotspur left winger was the only thing remotely resembling a bright spot in the 2025/26 Premier League season after Mohammed Kudus went down with a hamstring injury, and he was the team's best player in the preseason. He even actually played well on Matchday 1 in a blowout loss to Brentford despite the criticisms, and while he struggled thereafter before his benching, you could still see the electricity and glimpses of quality.
Tel did not start since the beginning of September as Roberto De Zerbi divested from him fully with new Manchester City signing Omar Marmoush and Savio in the fold, as well as Kudus rounding back to fitness after that hamstring ailment from the last season.
But De Zerbi gave Tel a start against the odds in the must win rivalry matchup against Chelsea, and he sealed the deal with a world class late goal, marauding down the left flank, cutting into the middle of the pitch, and unleashing another trademark clutch driven shot past Mike Penders in the Chelsea goal.
Omar Marmoush has no margin for error
Tel's breakout performance with two key passes, four dribbles completed, and a great goal as Tottenham Hotspur's leading threat came at the same time that Omar Marmoush started in the middle of the attacking formation over Dominic Solanke with a poor performance. Marmoush did not create chances, beat his man, or threaten the goalkeeper. And he was even sloppier than Tel on the ball again.
It is going to be impossible for Roberto De Zerbi to justify leaving Mathys Tel on the bench in next weekend's Halloween rivalry matchup against Crystal Palace. And it's not like he would want to either, as De Zerbi is a big fan of Tel, perhaps even moreso than either Solanke or Marmoush.
The Egyptian international has to be the most worried about Tel's breakout, though. Because if De Zerbi goes back to Solanke over him as the main striker option, he may not go back to Marmoush as the striker partner or the left winger. Because with Tel playing this well and scoring such a goal to nail down a starting spot, the left wing job or the left center forward job is going to swing towards the young Frenchman rather than the signing from Man City. Tel breaking out again is not the news Marmoush wants to see. It gives him even less margin for error.