Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has some crucial decisions to make ahead of their next game, after he got off to a nightmare start in charge, losing away to Sunderland in the Premier League.
Spurs are still searching for their first victory of 2026, and there was no new manager bounce after the arrival of De Zerbi, who took charge of his first game at the weekend.
De Zerbi had the international break to work with the majority of his squad and figure out his best XI, but the game against Sunderland might have given him a better idea of who he wants to rely on.
Up next for De Zerbi and Tottenham is a game against his former club, Brighton.
De Zerbi Must Axe Tottenham Star
As mentioned, De Zerbi now has some big decisions to make when it comes to his team selection, with a host of players underperforming at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
One player who needs to be dropped, if Tottenham want to survive in the Premier League, is midfielder Conor Gallagher.
The former Chelsea man doesn't suit De Zerbi's style of play, and that was evident as he struggled in the middle of the park against Sunderland.
Gallagher, described as 'absolutely awful' by Jamie O'Hara, was arguably at fault for Sunderland's only goal on Sunday, allowing Nordi Mukiele to cut inside before failing to block his shot that deflected past Antonin Kinsky.
De Zerbi had the likes of Xavi Simons, Pape Matar Sarr, and Joao Palhinha on the bench, so there's certainly options for the manager to mix things up when they face Brighton in the Premier League this weekend.
De Zerbi's Replacement is Obvious
De Zerbi's replacement for Gallagher at the weekend is fairly obvious.
Tottenham severely lacked creativity against Sunderland, so bringing in Xavi Simons would make a lot of sense.
Tottenham lined up with Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and Gallagher, and Simons could come in and play as the more attacking of the three.
Palhinha and Sarr might also be pushing for starts ahead of Bergvall and Gray, with the majority of the Spurs players underperforming.
Jamie O'Hara gave his player ratings after the game, with Dominic Solanke given a 0/10 rating, Richarlison a 1/10, and Gallagher a 2/10.