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Former Tottenham Hotspur star Danny Murphy has declared how long it will be before the club hit the panic button over Roberto De Zerbi’s future, while the Italian has been accused of robbing the club blind over the five-year contract he signed back in April.

De Zerbi rescued Spurs from the drop when he was brought in for the final seven games of last season, when it had looked inevitable that the club were heading into the second tier of English football for the first time in almost 50 years.

After that major scare, majority Tottenham shareholders ENIC splashed out more than £300million on new signings for De Zerbi to add some much-needed quality to his squad.

However, it’s been a disastrous start to the new campaign, with Spurs winless and goalless in their first four Premier League outings, while they also crashed out of the Carabao Cup at Liverpool on Tuesday evening.

And, speaking after that game, Murphy revealed how long he thinks it will be before club chiefs pull the trigger on the former Brighton boss – although he remains confident De Zerbi can turn things around.

Speaking on White & Jordan on talkSPORT, Murphy said: “They’ll climb up the table. I still think they’ll be in the top half.

“I am surprised how poorly they’ve started, but actually the turnover of players, a lot of new players have come in, some of them late. He’s not yet established his best 11.

“There’s a few decisions when you watch them play. I’ve done most of the games where it’s kind of a little bit baffling, but they’ve got enough.

“It’s just about getting through this initial bad spell. Last night didn’t help.

“I think he picked a strong team, which he should have done because he’s under a bit of pressure.

“He’s got a lot of quality and competition for places, but he picked a really strong team and they played okay.

“They missed a couple of big chances in the first half which can change momentum in a game, but to lose 3-1 it’s a little embarrassing.

“There comes a point with every manager at every club where the fans will start and if they lose to Villa at the weekend before the international break, all of a sudden amazingly he’s under pressure.

“Even if they lose at the weekend, I still think they’ll give him a month or two after they get back from the international break.”

DON’T MISS: Tottenham fans turn on De Zerbi after cup exit – ‘A manager with a track record of having no track record’

De Zerbi accused of contract ‘heist’ at Tottenham

Meanwhile, former AC Milan and Barcelona forward Christophe Dugarry has suggested that De Zerbi duped Tottenham into giving him a big contract when they were in desperate need of a savior.

Some pundits have said that cracks are already starting to appear at Spurs, and that the Italian’s spell at N17 could end in disaster.

And Dugarry claimed De Zerbi has not achieved anything to warrant the reputation he has in football, revealing that he has never been convinced by the Italian, in a scathing attack on his managerial ability.

Speaking about De Zerbi (via RMC Sport), Dugarry said: “He signed for five years, the heist he pulls off, without the balaclava. It’s insane!

“And now they pay you every week in England so you can go. What he’s doing is magnificent. He’s proven so much in football that he’s incredible.

“I never understood what this man’s true level was.

“I’m told he did well at Brighton, Sassuolo, and I don’t remember where else. For me, he’s not an absolute benchmark for coaching big clubs; he had his chance. For now, he’s struggling to seize it.”

De Zerbi will be hoping his side can break out of their early-season rut when Aston Villa head to north London for the Saturday lunchtime kick-off.

He is, however, expected to be handed a major boost ahead of the game with the return of a key first-team starter from injury.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering a move for a prolific free agent striker to fix their goalscoring issues, although Roberto De Zerbi would not get an immediate benefit if a deal does get signed off.

Spurs scored their sixth goal of the campaign at Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, but none of those have come in the Premier League, with Spurs drawing four blanks to date as they currently sit in that all too familiar 17th in the table.

Chances are being created but not being taken, with the pressure already cranking up over the Italian’s future after the winless start, despite sources indicating that De Zerbi is not under immediate pressure at Tottenham.

Omar Marmoush was brought in on loan from Manchester City late in the summer window to provide that extra cutting edge in attack but has so far failed to hit the ground running. Dominic Solanke, meanwhile, does still not look fully fit after his injury issues last season and Richarlison, who has been linked with an Everton return in January, is now on the Spurs scrap heap.

With the summer window now shut, it leaves Tottenham having to look at free agents as a route to find that spark in their forward line, and a fresh report states they have eyes on veteran frontman Mauro Icardi.

The Argentine has been without a club since leaving Galatasaray, and reports suggest the north London club could pursue a move to sign 33-year-old, while our sources recently revealed interest from Everton too.

Icardi, who has notched 250 goals in an impressive senior club career, enjoyed another productive campaign with the Turkish giants last season, scoring 16 times before his contract expired.

And, relaying information from another outlet, Cronache di Spogliatoio, LaLazioSiamoNoi revealed that Tottenham are keen on the former Argentina international.

LaLazioSiamoNoi wrote: “According to Cronache di Spogliatoio, Tottenham are evaluating his profile as a potential experienced option to try and solve the team’s scoring problems.

“In the background, however, there’s also interest from Lazio. Icardi, for his part, doesn’t seem inclined to accept just any offer: his goal is to end his career with an ambitious project, and for this very reason, he’s reportedly already rejected several offers.”

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Tottenham would be forced to wait for Icardi

In theory, Spurs should be able to sign Icardi as a free agent and throw him straight into the mix, but that would not be the case – as per reported Premier League rules.

Despite meeting the timeline criteria to be signed as a free agent, given that his Galatasaray contract expired in June and he was a free agent before the transfer window closed, he is blocked from immediate registration due to Premier League squad limitations.

Premier League rules prohibit clubs from removing a registered, healthy senior player from their squad list outside of a transfer window to make room for a new free agent.

So, while Tottenham can legally sign Icardi to a contract today to involve him in training straight away, he would have to wait until the January transfer window opens to be officially registered and cleared to play in competitive games for the club.

That means a deal is less likely and leaves De Zerbi hoping that his forward line can finally start to click, with the visit of Aston Villa up next on Saturday.

As to whether the north London side would still follow up a move for Icardi closer to the winter window, if he’s still available, remains to be seen, and sources are looking into the links and seeing if the alleged interest is a concrete one.

However, adding some veteran nous and a player who actually knows where the goal is could certainly do no harm.

Tottenham have been told they’ll earn £80million from the sale of a star who they didn’t want to sell in the summer and have since tied down to a new deal.

Spurs allowed big names such as Cristian Romero and Djed Spence leave in the summer. But while Lucas Bergvall asked to depart, he was kept at the club, with Roberto De Zerbi a factor in that.

Reports stated Bergvall was valued around £45million by Tottenham, but they weren’t pushing to sell him and even rejected offers for the midfielder.

De Zerbi publicly stated: “I would like that he stays with us. I think he’s potentially a top, top, top player. But then I don’t want to convince anyone to stay.”

Bergvall did stay with Spurs, and has since penned a new contract with the club. In response to that, Keith Wyness feels his value has shot up.

The former football executive told Football Insider: “It’s good from Spurs’ point of view, because look, he’s still a very young guy, and they’re going to have him now for years.

“So the difference will be, if there is going to be a move, it’ll mean that Spurs will be getting somewhere up to £80m as opposed to £40m with a shorter-term contract.

“I think it just makes sense to tie him down, and they’ve obviously been able to reach an agreement.”

Roberto De Zerbi a fan of Lucas Bergvall

In the summer, De Zerbi detailed his admiration for Bergvall, stating: “I’m always being very clear with him and with you. I would like that he stays with us.

“Tottenham is already, without me, a top club and we are not to convince anyone to stay.

“He can find the space if he stays with us. The competition within the players will be very strong because we are Tottenham and we have to build a strong squad – not just 11 players – especially considering a lot of injuries we suffered in the last two, three seasons.”

Following the new contract being signed, the Tottenham manager has reiterated that view.

He said: “I believe his best football is still ahead of him and we want to give Lucas the platform to reach his full potential.”

Richarlison will be available for a ‘significantly cut-price fee’ in January and a report has revealed whether Everton will re-sign the Tottenham striker.

Richarlison was left in limbo when the summer transfer window in England closed. He repeatedly informed Roberto De Zerbi of his desire to leave Tottenham over the summer, according to the Spurs boss.

However, the 29-year-old Brazilian looked unfavourably on re-joining former side Everton as part of a cash-plus-player deal that could have sent Iliman Ndiaye to Spurs.

Richarlison subsequently verbally agreed personal terms with Trabzonspor while the Turkish window remained open.

But again there was to be no move, with Trabzonspor seeing bids worth £15m and £20m rejected by Spurs and ultimately failing to match the north London club’s valuation.

Everton, meanwhile, were left with just Thierno Barry as the only recognised striker David Moyes can call upon. A move for Monaco’s Folarin Balogun collapsed on deadline day, and a late loan bid for Joshua Zirkzee was turned down by Manchester United.

Richarlison is out of the project at Tottenham and his desperate need for a move, combined with Everton’s clear need for another No 9 has raised the possibility of a mid-season return to Merseyside.

But according to the latest from Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Everton have opted NOT to move for Richarlison owing to the manner in which the frontman rejected them over the summer.

READ NEXT: Tottenham fans turn on De Zerbi after cup exit – ‘A manager with a track record of having no track record’

Everton won’t move for Richarlison in January – report

O’Rourke explained: ‘The Toffees have no “immediate plans” to make a return move for their former star, despite coming close to securing his services this summer.

‘The 29-year-old expressed his discontent at his involvement in a potential swap deal with Iliman Ndiaye, which would have seen him return to Merseyside for £35million.

‘Sources say that Everton do not want to go back in for Richarlison after he turned them down, unless there is a drastic change of stance.’

O’Rourke went on to conclude: ‘The out-of-favour star is likely to be available for a significantly cut-price fee when he enters the final six months of his contract, but Everton have doubts about the player’s desire to return.’

TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, has been informed on one potential exit route for Richarlison that could materialise over the coming days and weeks.

The transfer window in the United Arab Emirates remains open until September 28 and Bailey was told Richarlison has been offered the chance to play for Dubai-based side, Shabab Al-Ahli.

The full details in Bailey’s exclusive can be read here.

Roberto De Zerbi has revealed an important Tottenham player will return to the side to face fellow strugglers Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

Spurs have won just once this season, against Championship side Charlton in the League Cup. But in the next round, they were dumped out by Liverpool.

The 3-1 loss to the Reds was the first time Tottenham had scored against Premier League opposition this season, after going all four of their Premier League games without finding the net.

Spurs played the first and last of those league games, and the League Cup tie against Liverpool, without World Cup winner Pedro Porro, who had a muscle injury which De Zerbi didn’t want to take a risk with.

Following the loss, the manager confirmed the Spaniard will be back to face Aston Villa at the weekend.

“Yes,” he stated simply when asked if Porro would play in that game.

It’s already an important one in the context of the season, with the Villans a single point below Spurs, neither club having won in the Premier League this term.

Pedro Porro among top players Roberto De Zerbi has faith in

After being defeated by Liverpool, Porro was among a list of top players De Zerbi detailed his belief in.

He said: “I believe in my players, I have a big confidence, a big opinion of my players, and when we arrive to find the click, to win a game, I think we enjoy with these players, because the qualities of the players are incredible.

“Have a look at [Omar] Marmoush, Savio, [Mohammed] Kudus, Lucas Bergvall, Mateus Fernandes, [Andy] Robertson, don’t forget Pedro Porro. [Dominic] Solanke, Solanke top, he’s a good player.

Porro has been one of the shining lights of Tottenham’s last couple of seasons. In consecutive seasons before this one, the right-back had four goals and nine assists before two goals and five assists in all competitions.

Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League in both of those campaigns, highlighting how the Spaniard could well have a good campaign despite the struggles already faced this season.

Tottenham lost against Liverpool on Tuesday night and pundits including former Spurs man Jamie O’Hara are beginning to question manager Roberto De Zerbi’s future as the north London club’s dismal start to the season showed no signs of abating.

Spurs are still yet to beat a Premier League side this season. In the league itself, they’ve played four times, losing two games and drawing their other two. Worse yet, they are yet to score a single goal in the competition.

And after seeing off Charlton in the League Cup, their run was ended by Liverpool, who beat Tottenham 3-1.

With De Zerbi’s only win of the season amounting to nothing, pressure is ramping up, and former Spurs man O’Hara feels issues are going to continue.

O’Hara said on talkSPORT: “I was all for De Zerbi, but this is getting a bit flaky. Basically, what’s happened is De Zerbi is the flake in the ice cream, that’s what it is right now.

“And it’s melting around him, it’s melting. It’s hot, it’s melting, the fans are trying to hold the flake up and he’s De Zerbi in the middle of it. Eventually, the flake’s going to break.

“You can’t be a 99p flake. You can’t be. You can’t keep melting every week.”

A bit of a strange analogy, but the sentiment that the struggles are going to continue seems solid given the performances so far, and the fact Tottenham have only scored one goal against Premier League opposition this season – a Conor Gallagher consolation against Liverpool.

Christophe Dugarry feels Roberto De Zerbi has pulled off a heist

Former French forward Christophe Dugarry has also hit out at De Zerbi, suggesting he’s pulled off a heist by being given a five-year deal at Spurs.

He told RMC Sport: “I have never really understood what his level actually is. They tell me he did well at Brighton, Sassuolo and other clubs, but for me he is still not an absolute guarantee for coaching the big teams.

“He signed a five-year contract. What he has done is a genuine robbery, without even needing to wear a mask. It is incredible.”

De Zerbi likely only took the job with seven games left of last season if he was given guarantees of a long deal.

Elsewhere, journalist Adam Joseph has suggested Tottenham might have to part with big money if they’re to sack the manager.

He wrote on X: ‘Tottenham gave Roberto De Zerbi a five-year contract in March worth £12m per season.

‘It would cost them £57.4m to sack him & they just let him spend nearly £400m in the summer.

‘Almost impossible to fathom how disastrous that all is.. & I support Manchester United.’

While there’s likely a clause which means Tottenham wouldn’t have to pay the entire remainder of the contract, it would still be a poor look to sack a manager who they gave a lucrative five-year deal to just last season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s woeful start to the new season continued as they crashed out of the Carabao Cup at Liverpool on Tuesday evening, and the fans are clearly starting to run out of patience with Roberto De Zerbi.

The Italian was the hero as he kept the club in the Premier League last season but, after a summer of spending that surpassed £300million, Spurs currently sit 17th in the Premier League table and now only have one route left to winning any silverware this term.

De Zerbi made nine changes to his starting XI for the trip to Anfield but saw his side crash to a 3-1 defeat to Andoni Iraola’s men, although Tottenham did at least manage to find the net in a game for the first time since the previous round against Charlton.

Despite some encouraging signs on Merseyside, Spurs were was once again guilty of squandering guilt-edged chances and it was De Zerbi who was the focus of the fans’ anger.

Commenting on BBC Sport, Al from Herts wrote: “Spurs will be in another relegation battle this season. I honestly don’t see much improvement at all on last season despite the amount they have spent on new players who have plenty of Premier League experience. They have possession, sure, but possession doesn’t win games!”

Steve from Basingstoke also commented: “We are shocking under De Zerbi, if this was Frank or Nuno he would have been hounded out by now. A manager with a track record of having no track record. Awful awful football.”

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De Zerbi facing the inevitable at Tottenham

Meanwhile, on Reddit, rmhb1993 wrote: “One positive from tonight is that we now only have to focus on our Relegation fight. Absolutely disgraceful performance again. The finishing and creation is embarrassing. This club is at rock bottom, our fans are in the pouring rain away from home tapping our players on the back getting behind them and they serve up yet another steaming pile of s***. The players and the manager should hold their heads in shame. Disgraceful”

bencciarati also added: “Dreadful, boring, timid football. Too afraid to shoot or look forward or do anything even remotely productive. The players don’t look up to it and the manager is already covering his ass and picking fights with players. Half the team is selfish and trying to do it all themselves, the other half is useless and have nuclear first touches and awful technique. Scoring a goal is not that hard but we’re making it an arcane art. The question is not, ‘Why can’t we score?’ but, ‘What kind of goal are we trying to score?’ because it’s entirely unclear what kind of chances we’re trying to create from open play. We don’t create repeatable passages that lead to chances, we just get the ball into the middle third and try to improvise the perfect goal. I don’t want to give it time, the writing is on the wall. I’ve seen this story enough with Spurs to know that it only ends one way.”

Liverpool’s hunt for a new sporting director could reportedly lead them to a late hijack of a proposed Tottenham Hotspur deal, as the Reds continue to eye a replacement for Richard Hughes.

Hughes stepped down earlier this month, just two years after joining from fellow Premier League side Bournemouth, ending a spell that included a Premier League title under Arne Slot but was also met with criticism over some of the club’s transfer business.

FSG confirmed Hughes’ official exit on September 5 came after he informed the club’s ownership of his desire for a fresh challenge.

The 47-year-old has now taken up a similar role at Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, with Liverpool maintaining that no permission was sought or given for him to work for another club while he remained in post through the summer transfer window.

Hughes has followed Michael Edwards out of the club after the latter stepped down as CEO last year, with FSG president Mike Gordon currently leading the search for the former’s replacement.

Julian Ward, Pedro Marques, David Woodfine and chief Anfield scout Barry Hunter are currently overseeing the club’s football strategy in the absence of two key pivotal operators.

And now, according to Sport Witness, trusted Sky Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has named Liverpool as a possible destination for Piero Ausilio, Inter Milan’s long-serving former sporting director.

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Liverpool target Ausilio as Hughes replacement

Di Marzio states that he “wouldn’t rule out Liverpool”, noting Hughes’ exit for the SPL and claiming that a move to England would suit Ausilio.

Di Marzio also linked Ausilio with Tottenham, although he suggested that interest has cooled since the summer, despite strong reports to the contrary.

“He could go to the Premier League. I don’t think he’s that far along with Tottenham. There were talks over the summer,” Di Marzio said.

Inter announced Ausilio’s departure by mutual consent on September 2, ending a 28-year association with the San Siro outfit, as they promoted his long-term assistant Dario Baccin to a newly-created role of Chief Sport Officer.

During Ausilio’s time as sporting director, Inter won three Serie A titles, three Coppa Italia trophies and three Italian Super Cups, while reaching two Champions League finals, in 2023 and 2025.

The 54-year-old was also named Best Sporting Director at the 2024 Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai.

And, with Ausilio now a free agent for the first time since the 1990s, the race is now on to secure his signature – although it’s currently Tottenham that still appear to be at the front of the queue.

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White and are ready to revisit a potential move for the England international next year, TEAMtalk understands.

Spurs came close to signing Gibbs-White in the summer of 2025 when they attempted to trigger a clause in his Nottingham Forest contract.

Tottenham submitted a bid that met the value of the clause, sparking a major dispute with Forest. Owner Evangelos Marinakis threatened legal action, with the saga ultimately ending with Gibbs-White signing a new three-year contract at the City Ground.

However, we understand Tottenham have not lost their belief in the 26-year-old, and sources believe there is a growing recognition within the club that they were right to pursue him in the first place.

Gibbs-White has done little since to diminish that view.

The midfielder enjoyed an outstanding campaign following the collapse of his Spurs move, finishing the season in exceptional form and arguably as one of the most in-form English players available to Thomas Tuchel.

Despite that, Gibbs-White narrowly missed out on a place in England’s World Cup squad.

He has responded impressively to that disappointment, starting the new campaign in excellent form under new Forest boss Oliver Glasner.

Gibbs-White has registered a goal and two assists in his opening four Premier League appearances, once again demonstrating the qualities that made him such a priority target for Tottenham.

TEAMtalk can confirm Spurs’ interest remains alive, with sources indicating that the north London club could look at making a fresh move in 2027.

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Tottenham eye Gibbs-White amid Forest contract uncertainty

Tottenham spent more than £300million during the summer, but their early struggles this season have also highlighted areas of the squad that could require further attention.

Gibbs-White’s ability to influence games from midfield and operate in a variety of advanced roles remains particularly attractive to Spurs, who believe he possesses qualities they are still lacking.

Forest, however, have no desire to lose another of their key players.

The departure of Elliot Anderson to Manchester City has only strengthened their determination to retain the core of their squad, making a January move for Gibbs-White extremely difficult.

That, though, is unlikely to deter Tottenham in the longer term. By the January window, Gibbs-White will have just 18 months remaining on his current contract, potentially making his situation increasingly significant as Forest consider their next move.

We understand there is already a belief that Forest will look to offer the midfielder another extension. His existing agreement, signed following the Tottenham controversy, was already the most lucrative contract the club had handed to a player.

Any new deal would further strengthen Forest’s position, but Spurs remain attentive and believe Gibbs-White is a player worth continuing to pursue.

For now, Forest are determined to keep hold of one of their leading talents, while Gibbs-White remains focused on continuing his impressive start under Glasner.

But Tottenham’s interest has survived the dramatic events of 2025, and with the club increasingly looking towards future transfer windows, Gibbs-White remains firmly on their radar.

Roberto De Zerbi has been warned that he is already on very thin ice at Tottenham Hotspur, with the Italian accused of blaming his players instead of taking responsibility himself, and with his big-spending regime in danger of leading to his very rapid sack, three pundits have warned.

After successive 17th-placed finishes in the Premier League, the latter of which left the club sailing perilously close to the relegation trapdoor, Spurs decided enough was enough.

As a result, the club decided to renege on their previous frugal state of mind and opted to invest the best part of £320m (€374m, $431m) into their squad, with another wedge of cash promised should a series of other loan deals become permanent arrangements.

Yet four games into the new season, Spurs have just two points to their name and are yet to score a single goal, leaving them, yep (!) 17th again in the embryonic 2026/27 Premier League table.

With a vital week ahead, Spurs will hope for positive results against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday night, before what is, effectively now, a must-win clash at home to Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime.

Defeat in both those games will crank up the heat on De Zerbi to huge levels and, going into the international break, some pundits already fear it’s the beginning of the end for the often-tempestuous Italian.

Speaking on talkSPORT’s All Access podcast, journalist Alex Crook began: “I think this is going to unravel pretty quickly for Tottenham and Roberto De Zerbi because he’s already getting his excuses in.

“I think he mentioned the number of passes they played, the number of opportunities they had, and he was basically saying, ‘well, it’s not my fault my team can’t put the ball in the back of the net. We kept a clean sheet; therefore, I’ve done my job.’

“But he is already passing responsibility. He is already outing players like Tel.

“I don’t think this is going to last very long.”

With the heat growing on the 47-year-old, who has a reputation for falling out with his employers, two other pundits have questioned De Zerbi’s actions, with one calling on him to stop being a “bully” to his players…

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De Zerbi sack? Italian ‘bully’ needs to stop blaming his players

Pundit Troy Deeney, meanwhile, has been left unimpressed by De Zerbi’s tendency to blame his players for their failings, rather than take their poor results on the chin himself.

“What he is already doing is laying into everybody else, the media, the fans and saying, ‘there’s your problem, it’s not me’.

“He stinks to me as a bit of a bully, to be honest.

“Richarlison, who I am not the biggest fan of, is not the same kid I knew at Watford, but he’d been doing alright now.

“He has a bit of fight about him and puts his body around and maybe get a goal.

“Now, he’s not even in the squad, so Richarlison was a problem, and you made him look silly.

“Now, it’s Tel, and it’s so cheap and easy to find one person and say, ‘you’re the problem.’

“What about [Mateus] Fernandes? The kid you spent £85 million on?

“He was f****** mint again, wasn’t he?

“[Sandro] Tonali, who you spent £100m on. Can he pass it and dictate a game?

“What about the winger you brought in [Savio]? Or are you going to just let [Omar] Marmoush keep shooting from 65 yards, so at some point, it’s got to be with the lads.

“I think his ability to self-harm and self-sabotage is going to be the unravelling of this over the next four to five weeks.”

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Despite that, Spurs fan and talkSPORT contributor Ricky Sacks (name is genuine, not a pun!) insists De Zerbi can still turn it around.

“I think we will come good. I think you have to bear in mind De Zerbi, when he first started at Brighton, he didn’t win his first five. Lewis Dunk said it takes around five to 10 games to really understand what De Zerbi ball is.

“You have to bear in mind, we’re playing a different style of football with De Zerbi this season in comparison to last.

“We are trying to gel with nine to 10 new faces. That is going to take a bit of time.”