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Roberto De Zerbi gave his first indication of how he wants his new Tottenham team to set up during his first match in charge away at Sunderland on Sunday.

It is a new system for the players to get used to, having seen Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor come and go in N17.

They do not have long to get up to speed, with Spurs staring down the barrel of relegation to the Championship and out of the top tier of the English football pyramid for the first time since 1977.

Roberto De Zerbi Ball Needs To Improve Quickly

The Lilywhites are two points adrift of safety, dropping into the relegation zone for the first time this season at the weekend.

De Zerbi set up in his trusted 4-2-3-1 formation, and while Spurs looked much better on the ball, they did not have the cut and thrust up front to get themselves a goal and remained vulnerable at the back. At times it was almost a 4-1-2-3 formation, with Archie Gray sitting in front of the back line, but not really being utilised.

One player who did not get much of a chance to impress his new boss was Xavi Simons - Spurs big £51million signing from the summer.

It is fair to say that the Dutchman took a long time to settle into life in the Premier League, but there have been signs of his growing presence and adaptation in the last few months, although with a struggling team around him, how much can really be expected from him?

Yet De Zerbi only threw him on for the final six minutes - plus injury-time - of the match at the Stadium of Light - barely giving him a chance to get on the ball.

The Italian had namechecked the 22-year-old in his press conference before the match, describing him as a "big talent" and explained the lack of minutes afterwards too.

He said: "I changed three players, then after Romero's injury there was on the pitch Kolo Muani and Udogie. I didn't know when Udogie could finish. Without Romero's injury, Xavi would have come on before."

Simons has been sparingly used, not just under De Zerbi now, but under Frank and Tudor before him. He averages just over an hour on the pitch in his 26 Premier League appearances so far this season, starting 17 of them.

Xavi Simons Has Been Out Of Favour With More Than One Spurs Boss

But there is a real argument he should be starting more often.

Simons arrived at Tottenham on August 29, missing the first three games of the season - the third at home to Bournemouth was played the day after he joined.

Since then he has been unavailable for three games due to suspension, following a sending off against Liverpool, but has played a part in every other match.

Tottenham have only won 12 games since he arrived at the club - highlighting just why they are in the trouble they are, but an interesting statistic has emerged from those 12 wins. Simons has started 11 of those 12 wins - the only one he missed was the victory over Crystal Palace in December because of that red card suspension.

Now, Spurs have lost plenty of games with Simons in the starting lineup, so we're not suggesting when he starts they win, but when Spurs do win, he is almost always in the starting lineup.

He is not the only one. Unsurprisingly Guglielmo Vicario has also played 11 of those 12 matches - only missing the Carabao Cup win over Doncaster - given he is Spurs' first choice No.1.

There is a third player who would appear to be undroppable and that is Pedro Porro, having also played in 11 of those 12 wins since Simons joined the club.

Simons has been ignored by Tudor and, having been left out of De Zerbi's first starting lineup, seems to be out of favour early with the new man in charge at Spurs and there are clear reasons why he should not be.

Tottenham are in ‘intense talks’ to appoint former Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl, according to German publication BILD.

The north London side are reportedly working on a move to bring the 46-year-old to the club following his departure from Dortmund in March.

Tottenham are believed to be on the lookout for a replacement for Fabio Paratici, who left the club after the January transfer window for Serie A side Fiorentina.

Paratici spent three-and-a-half months during his second stint at the club, serving as co-sporting director alongside Johan Lange.

Tottenham in Talks to Hire Sebastian Kehl

Following his Dortmund exit in March, Kehl has been heavily linked with a move to fellow Bundesliga side Hamburg, who are also on the lookout for a new sporting director.

However, BILD now suggests that the 46-year-old is on the radar of Spurs, who are holding ‘intense talks’ over Kehl’s potential move to the Premier League.

Kehl, a former defensive midfielder, spent most of his playing career at Dortmund, where he spent 13 years and won the Bundesliga title three times.

After ending his playing career in 2015, the German returned to the club as head of the professional players’ department in 2018.

Four years later, Kehl stepped into the sporting director role and played a part in Dortmund’s run to the 2023-24 Champions League final, where they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid.

Tottenham remain in a precarious Premier League position with six games remaining, as they sit 18th in the standings, two points off safety.

The north London side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland in Roberto De Zerbi’s first game in charge, extending their winless league run to 13 games.

Tottenham ‘Pushing’ for Marcos Senesi

Amid their difficult relegation battle, Tottenham remain optimistic about retaining their Premier League status next season, and their reported transfer targets reflect that.

As per reports in Argentina, the Lilywhites are among the top-flight clubs ‘strongly pushing’ for Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi’s arrival on a free transfer.

The 28-year-old centre-back could leave Bournemouth upon the expiry of his contract in June and has attracted interest from several Premier League sides as a result.

Senesi joined Bournemouth from Feyenoord in the summer of 2022 and has been an important player for the Cherries since, making 122 appearances in all competitions and scoring six goals.

Tottenham Hotspur are among the Premier League clubs ‘strongly pushing’ to sign Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi ahead of his contract expiry, according to reports in Argentina.

The north London side are showing significant interest in the 28-year-old centre-back, who is expected to leave Bournemouth when his contract expires in June.

Several clubs in England and Europe have been in contact over Senesi in recent weeks, including Chelsea, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Barcelona and Juventus.

Provided they avoid Premier League relegation, Spurs have also not been ruled out of contention for the Argentine international, who has been with the Cherries since 2022.

Tottenham Step Up Marcos Senesi Interest

According to Argentine publication Olé, multiple clubs have made enquiries about Senesi’s situation recently, with Tottenham among those making the strongest push.

The Lilywhites are looking to bring in a new central defender amid uncertainty over both Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven’s futures.

Both defenders have been heavily linked with departures in recent months, with Romero remaining a target for long-time admirers Atletico Madrid.

The Argentine international may have already played his last game for Spurs, as he has been ruled out until the end of the season after suffering a knee injury in Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Sunderland.

Senesi joined Bournemouth from Feyenoord in the summer of 2022 and has been an important player for the Cherries since, making 122 appearances in all competitions and scoring six goals.

The 'outstanding' 28-year-old is likely to become the next major name to leave the Dorset coast, following Antoine Semenyo’s move to Manchester City in January for £64m.

Bournemouth parted ways with defenders Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Ilia Zabarnyi last summer, raking in a total of £147m in transfer fees.

Tottenham Deal Hinges on Premier League Survival

Tottenham have reached an agreement on personal terms with Liverpool defender Andy Robertson, but the move to north London hinges on their Premier League status.

Robertson, whose Liverpool contract expires at the end of the season, has earmarked Spurs as his preferred next destination, but could decide against the move if the Lilywhites are relegated to the Championship.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have dropped to 18th following last weekend’s Premier League action, two points off safety, and next face the Italian’s former club Brighton on Saturday.

Roberto De Zerbi has serious questions to answer if he wants to save Tottenham Hotspur from relegation after a lacklustre debut in charge.

The north London side fell to yet another defeat on Sunday, a 1-0 loss to Sunderland, which left them in the Premier League’s bottom three with six games remaining.

Despite attempting more shots on target (seven to two), Spurs never looked like the better team at the Stadium of Light and barely threatened Robin Roefs in goal, accumulating just 0.84 expected goals.

It was another game to forget for Dominic Solanke, who wasted several good opportunities and left the field without a goal for the seventh time in his last eight league appearances.

De Zerbi Must Drop Dominic Solanke

Solanke was the subject of heavy criticism following Sunday’s loss, in which he missed a chance to impress De Zerbi in his first game in charge.

The England international wasted several chances as Spurs searched for a goal and once again looked a long way from the player Tottenham hoped they were signing when they paid a club-record £65m in the summer of 2024.

Solanke’s display drew strong reaction from both fans and experts, with talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara giving the striker a 0/10 rating, and it will likely give De Zerbi something to think about ahead of the next game.

The Italian may be better off turning to Richarlison, who started Sunday'scontest on the left wing, with the Brazilian looking like the only Spurs forward capable of scoring goals this season.

Despite only making 16 starts, Richarlison, who Alasdair Gold praised as a ‘fighter’, remains Tottenham’s top scorer in the Premier League with nine goals, including two in his last five top-flight appearances.

Cristian Romero’s Season is Over

If Spurs’ attacking woes were not enough, De Zerbi also suffered a significant injury blow against Sunderland, with Cristian Romero ruled out for the rest of the season.

The Argentine is expected to miss around six to eight weeks due to a knee injury and could end up missing the World Cup as well.

Kevin Danso is expected to step up in the absence of the Spurs captain, who may have already played his last game for the north London side.

Alasdair Gold says he is ‘bewildered’ by Xavi Simons’ limited involvement at Tottenham Hotspur and urged Roberto De Zerbi not to follow the same path as his predecessors this season.

The Dutch attacking midfielder was left on the bench in De Zerbi’s first game in charge, a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on Sunday, and was brought on with just five minutes of normal time remaining.

It marked a fourth Premier League game in a row in which Simons, who joined from RB Leipzig in a £50m deal last summer, was absent from the starting XI.

The 22-year-old has made 17 top-flight starts for Spurs this term, as well as another nine appearances off the bench, registering one goal and four assists.

Gold Urges De Zerbi to Start Simons

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Gold urged De Zerbi to field Simons in his first XI, admitting the Dutchman is Spurs’ ‘only fit playmaker that can create chances’ in a goal-shy side:

“I just feel like, in that scenario, that's like a 4-2-3-1, that can become a 4-3-3, it's crying out for a really creative player that can kind of play little clever through balls. It's Xavi Simons. Of course, it’s Xavi Simons.

“It just seems so obvious, but for some reason, like Frank, like Tudor, De Zerbi clearly must have just watched training over the past week and decided ‘No, not for me.’

“Despite the fact, on Friday, he was calling him a big talent at his pre-match press conference, I just can't get my head around it.

“Spurs need to score goals. Xavi is their only fit playmaker that can create chances. He has created more chances than anyone else at the club this season.

“And if you've got Madison and Kulusevski out, he is your go-to man, not someone you bring on in the 85th minute of a match. He has to be on there.”

Simons’ last start for Spurs came in their 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last month, with the Dutchman scoring twice and registering his first brace for the club.

The 22-year-old registered 19 goal involvements in 33 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig last season, including 10 goals and seven assists in the Bundesliga.

Gold ‘Bewildered’ by Xavi Simons’ Absence

Gold also singled out Simons and Mathys Tel as among the few players whose confidence appears to have been largely unaffected in recent games, with Spurs potentially heading towards relegation.

“The Xavi thing just bewilders me. Like I said, they need to be proactive rather than reactive. He's one of the few players with Tel, like I said earlier, that will do that. He will take the game to the opposition.

“I don't feel like he and Tel are really players that the confidence hits quite as much, they've got a lot of self-belief. Yes, they'll make mistakes. I don't feel like they let it affect them.

“And look, of course, three head coaches in a row not seeming to trust him does reflect on him as well, Xavi.

“But I feel like in a season when so little has actually worked, maybe breaking away from that norm could be the way to go.”

Winless in their last 14 Premier League games, Tottenham next host De Zerbi’s former club Brighton on Saturday in another crucial game for their survival chances.

The north London side are two points off safety heading into the fixture, after both relegation rivals West Ham and Nottingham Forest picked up points at the weekend.

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.

It was a case of new manager but familiar story for Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland in what was Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge.

After the disastrous caretaker spell of Igor Tudor, Spurs stepped up their interest in the Italian coach - whom had been a target to take the job permanently in the summer - this season, to save the club from relegation.

But, after slipping into the Premier League's bottom three on Friday night, courtesy of West Ham's thumping 4-0 win over Wolves, Spurs could not make their way out of it as they lost at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

With six games to go, Tottenham find themselves in all sorts of bother, two points adrift of safety now and with their survival no longer in their own hands.

The Spurs squad do not have a great deal of time to get used to the Italian's methods in N17, they need results and quickly if they are to avoid relegation from the English top flight for the first time since 1977.

What De Zerbi can do, however, is make different choices when it comes to his starting lineup - albeit dealing with the horrid injury crisis that he inherited that may only get longer after Cristian Romero trudged off the pitch in tears on Sunday.

Frontman Has Failed To Shine For Spurs All Season

There are a couple of players that should not pull on the Tottenham shirt again.

The first of those is Randal Kolo Muani. The Frenchman has endured a difficult campaign in north London and De Zerbi even mentioned his poor season in his first press conference ahead of the game with Sunderland.

"Kolo Muani I know he is not playing a great season, but he is a good player," he admitted. The new boss took the 'good player' part of that instead of the 'not playing a great season' angle to hand Kolo Muani a start against the Black Cats and while he showed a bit of attacking intent - which is more than can be said for Dominic Solanke on the day - he hardly set the world alight.

Too often he lost the ball when in promising positions, or when a pass was on, and far too often he threw himself to the ground when staying on his feet would have been a better option.

Kolo Muani has never really shown this season that he is up for the fight and has come in for criticism from the Spurs fanbase.

Only on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, what desire does he need to have? He knows he will be elsewhere come next season.

Mathys Tel has shown more in recent weeks - and in the 30 minutes after he came on for this countryman on Sunday - to deserve a sgtart in the final six games.

Tottenham Midfielder Made Things Worse When He Came On

The other player in a similar position is Joao Palhinha.

Now the Portuguese is not one that you can accuse of lacking fight, his whole game is built around winning tackles, making interceptions and battling the opposition.

And he is a leader, too. But while Spurs were hardly free-flowing against Sunderland, they were much more placid and stagnant in the final 30 minutes, after Sunderland went a goal up and De Zerbi made changes, than they were beforehand.

Taking off Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall - admittedly the Swede was playing in the wrong position - for Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr was a huge mistake.

Palhinha is another who has oft been criticised by supporters this season for being too pragmatic, too defensive in a Thomas Frank system and, like Kolo Muani, is only on loan this season.

He will return to Bayern Munich in the summer, although there could be talk of a permanent move to Spurs when the transfer window opens, but it is not a move that makes any sense under De Zerbi now and why he should also not pull the shirt on again.

Tottenham have an agreement in principle in place for Liverpool defender Andy Robertson to join if they stay in the Premier League, GIVEMESPORT understands.

Robertson will leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season and almost joined Spurs in the January transfer window.

The terms of that proposed transfer remain in place, but nothing will be signed unless Spurs secure their place in the Premier League for next season. Roberto De Zerbi's side are currently in the relegation zone, two points adrift of safety with six games left.

Why Spurs Did Not Complete Robertson Transfer In January

Spurs have held a long-standing interest in the 32-year-old but were unable to complete a transfer in January due to Liverpool not sourcing a replacement. Efforts were made to bring back Kostas Tsimikas from Roma but the Italian side could not find a new full-back of their own and Liverpool did not have a mid-season recall clause to end the loan.

And Spurs' move to bring De Zerbi to the club has not changed their stance on signing the Scotland international.

Robertson's professionalism was noted over the winter. The Scotland international did not agitate for a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, nor did he want to leave Liverpool in a weaker position in the second-half of the season.

Robertson was not offered a new contract at Liverpool with all parties accepting a natural parting of ways was best. This was partly down to Robertson's own desire to be a first-team regular, which Liverpool could not guarantee him having signed Milos Kerkez over the summer.

Roberto De Zerbi Is On Board With Adding Leadership To The Spurs Dressing Room

Robertson has made 374 appearances for Liverpool since joining from Hull City in 2017, winning nine trophies including two Premier League titles and the 2018/19 Champions League.

And according to Mohamed Salah he will be leaving the Reds as a "legend". Speaking after the decision was made, Salah said: "It’s been an honour to be your teammate and your friend. You’ve won it all and you leave as a legend. I’m sure we will meet again."

Robertson does have other suitors, including in Italy and France, but Spurs are the clear frontrunners to sign him providing they are a Premier League club next season. In the same way Robertson has remained loyal to Liverpool, and respectful of the club's best interests, he is expected to stay true to his word and sign for Spurs if they can stay up, having made that conditional commitment over the winter.

Tottenham had made their intentions clear to sign Robertson mainly to add more leadership to the dressing room, having lost Son Heung-min in the summer and with Ben Davies likely to leave the club this summer.

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero was seen in tears after picking up an injury against Sunderland, and reliable journalist Alasdair Gold has now provided an update on his issue.

Things went from bad to worse for Spurs against Sunderland as Romero collided with Antonin Kinsky, with both players needing treatment for a lengthy period.

Romero certainly came off worse, and despite getting up and walking, he was seen in tears as he slowly made his way to the side of the pitch to be substituted.

Spurs succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Sunderland, meaning their hopes of surviving the drop have taken a double blow, with Romero also suffering an injury.

It's a worrying time for Tottenham, and new manager Roberto De Zerbi needs to find a way of turning things around drastically with just six Premier League games remaining.

Reporting on X, Football.London journalist Gold has confirmed that Romero's season with Tottenham is now over after picking up a knee injury against Sunderland.

BBC reporter Sami Mokbel has also confirmed the news, suggesting that his World Cup place is in doubt.

GIVEMESPORT correspondent Ben Jacobs reported that Romero had a scan today, and looks set to be out for up to eight weeks. Although he could be available to play a part in the World Cup, Argentina might not be willing to take a risk on the defender.

De Zerbi Can't Believe His Luck

De Zerbi is already having a torrid time at Tottenham, losing his first game in charge of the club.

The Spurs boss was already dealt an injury blow before even playing his first game, with Mohammed Kudus suffering a setback.

Kudus was edging closer to a return to action, but he's now set to be on the treatment table for a little longer.

Now, De Zerbi has just lost his captain with six games to go, and it's looking like an incredibly worrying situation for Spurs heading into the final weeks of the season.

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has been ruled out for between five and eight weeks due to a knee injury sustained against Sunderland, according to reports in Argentina.

Romero was seen leaving the pitch against Sunderland in tears after a clash with his own goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky.

It looked like a worrying injury for the Spurs defender, but Roberto De Zerbi was unable to provide a clear update when speaking to the media after the game.

Any injury sustained so close to the end of the season is always going to be a major blow.

Tottenham having Romero unavailable for even two or three games could be crucial as they look to avoid being relegated from the Premier League over the next few weeks.

Tottenham Injury Blow: Cristian Romero

According to Argentine journalist Martin Arevalo, Romero has a knee injury that could see him on the treatment table for between five to eight weeks.

Arevalo confirms the good news for Argentina, with Romero likely to be fit for the World Cup later this year, but Tottenham fans won't be best pleased.

It's a huge blow for them in their fight to remain in the Premier League, as they sit in the relegation zone with just six games remaining.

Journalist Gustavo Edul has provided an update himself, suggesting his season is over due to being out for six weeks.

One Tottenham Star Needs to Step Up

One player who needs to step up in the absence of Romero is Micky van de Ven.

The Dutch centre-back has struggled to hit the heights expected of him this season, and it's time for him to rescue Spurs over the coming weeks.

De Zerbi will be missing a lot of experience from his back line with Romero on the sidelines, so Van de Ven needs to lead from the back.

Tottenham fans will be incredibly angry and disappointed with most of their squad after what they've produced this season, but it's an opportunity for players like Van de Ven to stand up and be counted, rescuing Spurs from the threat of relegation.