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There has been a big update on the future of Marcos Senesi as the centre-back continues to be heavily linked with a free transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.

It has been an open secret for several weeks that Spurs have been in talks with Senesi’s representatives over a summer move to N17 as the centre-back edges closer to becoming a free agent.

Spurs Web has relayed several reports suggesting that the Bournemouth star has already agreed to join Tottenham this summer as long as Roberto De Zerbi’s men remain in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites have now moved out of the bottom three, and they look on course to avoid relegation, but they still have work to do to seal their top-flight status as we approach the final three games of the season.

Boost for Tottenham as Marcos Senesi is expected to remain in the Premier League

Last week, Senesi insisted that he has not decided on his next club despite rumours to the contrary and remarked that he is open to offers from outside of England.

However, journalist Matteo Moretto has now handed the Lilywhites a boost by making it clear that the 28-year-old has now decided that he will remain in the Premier League.

Moretto said on Fabrizio Romano’s YouTube channel: “We’re talking again about Marcos Senesi, the Bournemouth centre-back whose contract expires in June. We’ve discussed him many times. He won’t renew and will leave on a free transfer – Bournemouth already know this.

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“I had already mentioned quite clearly here that Senesi would stay in the Premier League. There has been and still is some interest from Italy, but he will remain in England. I’m told—and it’s confirmed 100%—that the Argentine defender intends to stay in the Premier League.

“He’s been performing very well at Bournemouth. His career was slowed by some significant injuries, but once he regained fitness and form, he’s shown all his quality in the Premier League.”

Spurs may have to battle two Premier League rivals for Senesi

Some outlets have said that Tottenham’s move for the Cherries defender can still be hijacked by other Premier League clubs.

This has now been backed up by Moretto, who named Chelsea and Liverpool as the two other clubs plotting a move for Senesi.

The journalist added about the Argentine defender’s future: “Senesi will stay in the Premier League, and beyond the two clubs I already mentioned—Chelsea and Tottenham, especially Tottenham, Liverpool have also entered the race quite strongly in recent days. So keep an eye on Liverpool, because they’re expected to make new contacts for Marcos Senesi. As for Italy, it’s not really a concrete option right now.”

Listen to Moratto’s full comments on Senesi’s future below:

One main factor threatens to end Guglielmo Vicario’s chances of swapping Tottenham Hotspur for Inter Milan this summer.

It has been widely reported that Inter have agreed personal terms with Vicario ahead of his possible summer switch to the San Siro.

It has been suggested that the Tottenham goalkeeper is keen to return to the Serie A after coming under plenty of criticism for his performances this season.

However, some sources have claimed over the last two weeks that Spurs could price Vicario out of a switch to Inter, and a new update has now revealed whether the two clubs see eye-to-eye on the 29-year-old’s valuation.

A big gap in Tottenham’s and Inter Milan’s valuations of Guglielmo Vicario

InterLive have now confirmed that Vicario remains at the top of Inter’s wishlist to take over the gloves from Yann Sommer this summer.

The Tottenham star is described as an ‘old favourite’ of Nerazzurri sporting director Piero Ausilio, but there is one major stumbling block to overcome.

While the Serie A club have struck an agreement with Vicario’s representatives, there is a lot of work to be done before they can agree on a fee with Tottenham.

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It is revealed that while Inter do not want to pay more than €15m (£13m) for Vicario, Spurs have demanded €25m (£21.6m), which is considered ‘too much’ by the Italian club.

Inter still retain hope of a discounted deal for Vicario

InterLive say that for the moment, Roberto De Zerbi’s men have postponed any decision on their goalkeeper until the end of the season, as they are currently focused on securing their place in the Premier League.

The report adds that Cristian Chivu’s side would be able to sign Vicario for a discounted price if Tottenham go down to the Championship.

Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on a double Roma raid as they start planning to reshape their squad ahead of Roberto De Zerbi’s first full season in charge.

Although Spurs are still far from assured of safety in the Premier League, they are in a much safer position than they were a week ago.

The Lilywhites have won two back-to-back games and have moved out of the bottom three, and they may potentially have an opportunity to give themselves some breathing space as West Ham hosts Arsenal before they take to the field against Leeds on Monday.

Reports have claimed that Tottenham are ready to undertake an ambitious rebuild of their squad if they stay in the Premier League, and it now appears they have begun preparations to do so.

Tottenham eyeing summer moves for Roma duo Mile Svilar and Lorenzo Pellegrini

Calciomercato.it say that Spurs are now ‘more confident’ of staying up following their win over Aston Villa and are now making preparations to strengthen the squad this summer.

De Zerbi is now working with the Tottenham recruitment team to reshape his squad, and the Italian would like to unite with two Roma players in North London.

It is revealed that goalkeeper Mile Svilar and midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini are both in the sights of the Premier League side.

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The outlet alleges that Tottenham would have to cough up around €50m (£43.2m) to prise Svilar away from the Stadio Olimpico this summer.

Pellegrini’s contract situation explained as Spurs explore deal

Pellegrini’s situation is very different to the goalkeeper’s, with the midfielder’s current deal at Roma running out this summer, thus opening the door for a free transfer.

It is revealed that the negotiations between the 29-year-old and the Giallorossi over a new deal have hit a major roadblock.

Tottenham Hotspur are heading into a crucial stage of the season with injury concerns still lingering, although Roberto De Zerbi has at least been handed a small boost ahead of Monday night’s clash with Leeds United.

There is still plenty for Tottenham Hotspur to play for this season, with their relegation fate yet to be decided.

With just three games remaining in the Premier League campaign, Spurs know they must outperform West Ham United in the final stretch if they are to beat the drop and secure their top-flight status.

Next up is a crucial home clash against Leeds United, and Tottenham will be hoping they can extend their winning run after back-to-back victories in their last two Premier League matches.

Of course, having first-team players available for this crucial run-in will provide Spurs with a huge boost in their fight for survival.

Over the last few months, Tottenham have had to cope without several key first-team players, including club captain Cristian Romero, Mohammed Kudus, and Xavi Simons.

Spurs were also handed a couple of injury scares during their latest win over Aston Villa, with Micky van de Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur both appearing to pick up knocks.

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However, Roberto De Zerbi’s latest injury update has eased those fears, and Tottenham are now set to head into their clash with Leeds without any fresh injury concerns. He also hinted that James Maddison could play a part, while Solanke is close to a return.

That still leaves Spurs without eight first-team regulars ahead of their clash with Leeds United, although that is one fewer than last time out, with Pape Matar Sarr now back fit.

Spurs handed advantage over Leeds United

While Tottenham have managed to come through the week without any further injury setbacks, the same cannot be said for Leeds United.

Spurs Web has already reported on Leeds suffering a quadruple injury blow ahead of their clash with Spurs at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

As things stand, Noah Okafor, Pascal Struik, Gudmundsson, and head coach Daniel Farke could all miss Monday’s encounter, and Tottenham will now hope they can take advantage as they chase a third successive victory and a first home league win of 2026.

Rodrigo Bentancur has opened up on Tottenham Hotspur’s recent resurgence under Roberto De Zerbi as Spurs prepare for another huge night in their battle for Premier League survival.

Nothing matters more to Tottenham Hotspur and their fans right now than securing a third consecutive Premier League victory and boosting their hopes of survival.

That is exactly what Monday’s clash against Leeds United offers Spurs as they prepare to welcome Daniel Farke’s side to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham supporters are expected to turn out in full voice once again to back a side fighting desperately to avoid the drop. Indeed, a victory at this stage of the season could prove crucial as Spurs look to maintain, and potentially extend, their slender one-point lead over West Ham United in 18th place.

Rodrigo Bentancur speaks ahead of Tottenham clash with Leeds United

Spurs were superb against Aston Villa last time out as they beat Unai Emery’s side 2-1. Should they replicate a similar display against a Leeds United side currently dealing with several injury issues, Tottenham could once again walk away with three vital points.

At the heart of Tottenham’s recent resurgence has been Bentancur, who has featured in Spurs’ last three games under Roberto De Zerbi.

The Uruguayan was once again excellent in the win over Villa and has now sat down with the club’s official channels to discuss Monday night’s clash against Leeds.

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Bentancur first reassured supporters over his fitness after appearing to struggle physically during the Villa win. Speaking to Tottenham’s official media channels, he said:

“I am okay, only I felt a little bit tired, so I preferred to take care and not risk anything, so everything is okay.”

The midfielder also reflected on Tottenham’s improved form, explaining how both his own return from injury and De Zerbi’s arrival have helped change the atmosphere around the squad.

“After a long injury again I feel really good. I worked a lot for this, but now the most important thing is I am back, I feel good, the team are back to winning and we are out of the relegation zone for now, this is the most important thing and now we work for Monday.

“I think the energy. When Roberto came in, he tried to change the energy and mentality to feel positive things again, and he worked a lot on this. I think we changed, the players understood the situation and now after you go back to winning games, the energy changes a lot and we feel really good.”

Rodrigo Bentancur then admitted the positivity can now be felt throughout the club.

He added, “Yeah, the fans too. Here at the training centre now, after two wins, we feel really good and we want to continue this run now.”

Spurs stars embracing Roberto De Zerbi’s style

Bentancur also spoke about adapting to Roberto De Zerbi’s style and how the squad are beginning to feel more comfortable with the tactical demands being placed on them.

Explaining the impact the Italian has made both tactically and mentally, Rodrigo Bentancur told Tottenham’s official channels:

“I think we changed a lot in the last few weeks with Roberto. He adapted to the characteristics of the players and after four or five weeks you can now see in the games that we changed a lot.

“Roberto tries to work on a positive mentality and positive aspects. He said, ‘You guys play really good, now we need to start to play again.’ He worked really well on the tactical aspect and with the ball he is amazing. We work during the week and try to do the same in the games.

“I think against Aston Villa we showed how we want to play, so we want to continue with this.”

He then revealed what the players enjoyed most about the Villa victory, particularly the balance between tactical organisation and freedom in possession.

“We enjoyed playing with the ball and also the tactical aspect without the ball. I think now we are working really well and you could see against Aston Villa that we pressed high and wanted to win the ball back quickly.

“With the ball, Roberto wants us to play calmly and when we can go fast, we go fast, otherwise we enjoy possession and move the ball. I think the team felt really good.”

The midfielder then praised Pedro Porro ahead of the Spaniard’s 150th appearance for the club, while also highlighting the defender’s mentality on the pitch.

“Pedro is a machine. One hundred and fifty games and he is still a young player. I have a really good relationship with him and our families are close too.

“He is a really good person and that is the most important thing for me. When I arrived here, he arrived six months later and because we speak the same language, I felt really good with him straight away.

“He is a top professional. He works very, very well every day here and at home, so he deserves this moment and he needs to enjoy it because he is still young and has a top future.”

Speaking about Porro’s passion, he continued: “Yeah, he is passionate. You can see in the matches, every tackle and every ball, he wins it like Palhinha. We need this at this moment, we need personality and attitude, so when he shows this for us it is really important.”

Finally, Bentancur admitted the squad are excited to return home on Monday night.

He added: “When I came back against Brighton they showed me a lot of love and the atmosphere was amazing. We need to work really hard and we need to win these three finals.”

Tottenham Hotspur have made a big announcement to the fans ahead of the clash against Leeds United on Monday night.

Two back-to-back away wins have taken Spurs out of the bottom three, and they now welcome Leeds to N17 as Roberto De Zerbi goes in search of his first home win.

With West Ham hosting Arsenal on Sunday, Tottenham may have an opportunity to open up a four-point gap with the Hammers with a win over Daniel Farke’s side.

Leeds come into the game unbeaten in their last six, a run of form which has seen them completely pull away from the relegation battle.

Tottenham confirm tifo in the South Stand against Leeds

Tottenham have confirmed on their official website that they are teaming up with THFC Flags to deliver another iconic visual welcome to the players on Monday.

A tifo will rise throughout the South Stand as the players walk out of the tunnel. The club have encouraged fans to get to their seats 15 minutes ahead of kick-off, which is scheduled for 8 pm.

Spurs have also encouraged all fans to wear something white to this game as they attempt to create a sea of Lilywhite through the stands.

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The home fans have to do their part on Monday

De Zerbi praised the atmosphere during his first home game against Brighton, and one would expect more of the same against Leeds, as the optimism has been restored among the fans.

Kevin Danso has admitted that the Tottenham players need the supporters’ help, as they attempt to secure their Premier League status.

It is thus on the fans to do their part by getting behind the players for 90 minutes, and making the stadium as hostile and intimidating as we know it can be for opposition players.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters will be feeling increasingly optimistic heading into Monday night’s clash with Leeds United, especially after hearing Chris Sutton’s latest prediction for the game.

Roberto De Zerbi has certainly restored some feel-good factor to N17 after guiding Tottenham Hotspur to back-to-back Premier League victories.

Wins over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa proved enough for Spurs to leapfrog West Ham United and move out of the relegation zone last gameweek, after the Hammers were beaten 3-0 by Brentford.

Attention now turns to Tottenham’s next fixture, a home clash against Leeds United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where De Zerbi’s men will be hoping to make it three league wins in a row.

Tottenham backed to beat Leeds United by Chris Sutton

Ahead of the clash, Chris Sutton has now delivered his score prediction for the meeting between Spurs and Leeds.

Writing in his BBC Sport column, Sutton backed Tottenham to secure a rare home victory and make it three wins on the bounce despite Spurs’ struggles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.

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Only relegated Burnley have a worse home record than Spurs this campaign, with the Lilywhites winning just two matches on their own turf and still searching for their first home victory of the calendar year.

Explaining why he expects Tottenham to continue their recent momentum, Sutton praised Spurs’ display against Aston Villa and suggested Leeds potentially securing survival before kick-off could also work in Tottenham’s favour.

He said, “Leeds are all but safe now and they could be absolutely sure of staying up by the time they play this game.

“That scenario would definitely suit Spurs, but I am going to back Roberto de Zerbi’s side here regardless.

“What a performance that was by them at Villa last week. People have criticised Villa, but that display and result felt enormous for Tottenham.

“It took them out of the bottom three and meant Spurs, at last, have got a bit of momentum after winning two league games in a row for the first time since August.

“I am expecting more of the same here, so I am going to say they will make it three wins on the spin with the same scoreline that saw them win at Elland Road in October.”

Sutton’s prediction for Tottenham versus Leeds United: 2-1.

Spurs fans will also welcome Sutton’s Arsenal prediction

While Tottenham supporters will enjoy Sutton’s prediction for Spurs against Leeds, they will also appreciate what the pundit had to say about West Ham United’s clash with Arsenal.

The Hammers are in an even worse situation than Tottenham and realistically need a victory over the title-chasing Gunners to keep their survival hopes alive.

A defeat would see them lose further ground on Spurs should Tottenham beat Leeds, potentially opening up a four-point gap. Sutton believes that is exactly how things will unfold this weekend.

Discussing Arsenal’s attacking threat and West Ham’s difficult position, Sutton explained: “Arsenal look like a totally different proposition on the attacking front now Bukayo Saka is back in the team.

“It is going to be hard for West Ham to keep them out, and it doesn’t help the Hammers that they desperately need a victory here after losing last weekend while all the teams around them won.

“A draw wouldn’t be a disaster for West Ham if you took this game in isolation but, depending on what Tottenham do against Leeds on Monday night, even if they pick up a point they could end up further adrift.

“Arsenal have had big wins at London Stadium in each of the past two seasons. I don’t see them sticking five or six in again this time, but I also don’t see them slipping up.”

Tottenham Hotspur supporters will not be too pleased with the latest prediction ahead of Monday night’s crucial clash against Leeds United, especially given what is at stake in the relegation battle.

There is no denying that only a few weeks ago, the clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United was being labelled a relegation six-pointer.

However, plenty has changed since then, with Daniel Farke’s side pulling clear of trouble after securing three wins in their last five outings.

That run has lifted Leeds into 14th place and seven points clear of the drop zone. While they can still mathematically be relegated, their fate could already be confirmed before kick-off against Spurs on Monday should West Ham United lose to Arsenal.

Paul Merson predicts Tottenham defeat against Leeds United

For Spurs, Monday’s encounter remains a massive game as they still do not have enough breathing space to afford further dropped points.

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As things stand, just one point separates Tottenham from 18th-placed West Ham, leaving Roberto De Zerbi’s side with very little margin for error.

A victory for the Hammers over Arsenal would see them leapfrog Spurs into 17th before Tottenham even takes to the pitch on Monday night, piling further pressure on the Lilywhites.

Paul Merson has now delivered his prediction for Tottenham’s clash against Leeds, and many Spurs supporters will not appreciate the direction he went.

Writing in his Sportskeeda column, Merson praised Tottenham’s recent improvement under De Zerbi but admitted he still expects Leeds to come away with all three points. He said:

“Tottenham played well the other day against Aston Villa. I thought Villa were a joke, but the Spurs from six months ago would not have won that game! They have definitely made progress under Roberto De Zerbi.

“Leeds have been outstanding in recent weeks. Barring the FA Cup semi-final loss to Chelsea, they have lost just one out of their last nine games. If Leeds are in the mood, they can hurt Tottenham. There is no doubt about it.

“I actually feel sorry for West Ham because Tottenham are playing Leeds at a favourable time. We know it is all about timings in football. If Leeds were still heavily involved in the relegation battle, they would have been a huge test for Tottenham. Now I fear they might take the foot off the gas against Spurs on Monday.

“This is a hard game to call. Even if West Ham lose to Arsenal, Tottenham should win this game. They cannot let the relegation battle go down to the final day of the season. I do not expect Spurs to beat Chelsea in the next game. So this is a hugely important fixture for them. I just cannot back them against Leeds though, I think they lose this one!”

Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Leeds United.

Spurs can still prove Paul Merson wrong

The last time the two sides met, it was Spurs who came out on top after securing a 2-1 victory at Elland Road.

There is no reason why the Lilywhites cannot repeat a similar result in front of their home supporters, even though Tottenham have struggled at home for large parts of this season.

Tottenham will hope to win three consecutive Premier League games for the first time this season when they host Leeds United on Monday night.

Tottenham Hotspur finally put an end to their 118-day Premier League winless run when they edged past Wolves 1-0 two weeks ago, before building on that momentum with a 2-1 win away at Aston Villa last weekend. It marked the first time Spurs had won back-to-back league games since the second week of the campaign.

Roberto De Zerbi appears to have breathed fresh life into this Tottenham side, with Spurs looking like a team that genuinely wanted to compete and dominate at Villa Park, something supporters had been waiting a long time to see again. Yet, despite Spurs producing one of their most controlled performances of the season, much of the conversation afterwards centred around Unai Emery rotating several key players rather than the quality of Tottenham’s display.

Leeds United, meanwhile, extended their two-month unbeaten Premier League run after thrashing Burnley 3-1 last weekend. The Whites did, however, suffer disappointment in the FA Cup semi-finals the week before, narrowly losing 1-0 to Chelsea at Wembley Stadium to bring an end to their remarkable cup run.

What time does Tottenham vs Leeds United kick off?

Location: London, England

Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Date: Monday, 3 May 2026

Kick-off Time: 8 pm BST

Referee: Jarred Gillett

VAR: Craig Pawson

Tottenham vs Leeds United: Head to head record

The reverse fixture ended in a fortunate 2-1 victory for Thomas Frank’s Tottenham side earlier this season, with Mohamed Kudus scoring his first goal for the club despite Leeds arguably being the better team for large spells of the contest.

That result was Spurs’ eighth win in their last nine meetings against Leeds United, while Tottenham also head into this clash on a five-match winning streak against the Yorkshire club dating back to May 2021.

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Leeds have found even less joy in North London, having lost each of their previous six visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham team news

Roberto De Zerbi arrived with positive news ahead of Monday night’s clash, confirming there were no fresh injury concerns following the trip to Birmingham despite Rodrigo Bentancur being substituted with an issue and Micky Van de Ven appearing to limp towards the end of the match.

Even better for Spurs supporters was De Zerbi revealing he is “thinking about” bringing James Maddison back into the side. The Italian explained the midfielder is physically ready, though there are still concerns over whether he is fully prepared for the rhythm and intensity of competitive action.

Guglielmo Vicario is not yet ready to return, while Dominic Solanke also remains unavailable, although the striker is said to be “improving very quickly” and could return next week.

Cristian Romero, Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohamed Kudus and Wilson Odobert are the other confirmed absentees for Tottenham.

Leeds United team news

Leeds United will be without one of their most in-form attackers after Noah Okafor picked up a calf strain against Burnley last weekend. The forward had registered 6 goal contributions across his previous 5 Premier League appearances.

Gabriel Gudmundsson is also ruled out for the trip to North London, while Pascal Struijk remains a minor doubt, though Leeds are hopeful the defender will recover in time to feature.

There is also uncertainty surrounding Daniel Farke himself, with the Leeds boss reportedly ill during the week. His assistant coach admitted they are still hopeful he will be fit enough to take his place in the dugout on Monday night.

Predicted line-ups

TOTTENHAM: Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Palhinha, Gallagher; Kolo Muani, Richarlison, Tel

LEEDS: Darlow; Rodon, Bijol, Struijk; Bogle, Stach, Ampadu, Tanaka, Justin; Calvert-Lewin, Nmecha

Our prediction

Leeds United will arrive in North London with plenty of motivation knowing victory, combined with a West Ham defeat against Arsenal, would mathematically secure their Premier League survival.

On the other hand, Tottenham climbed out of the relegation zone for the first time in almost a month last weekend and will now be eyeing the opportunity to extend the gap over 18th-placed West Ham to four points, especially with the Hammers facing league leaders Arsenal.

The midfield battle looks set to decide this one. Tottenham’s trio of Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur and Conor Gallagher will go head-to-head with Leeds’ aggressive and physical midfield setup, an area where Farke’s side have consistently excelled this season through their ball-winning ability and intensity in duels.

Spurs essentially have two options. Either match Leeds physically through the energy and defensive work of Gallagher, Palhinha and Bentancur, or attempt to bypass Leeds’ midfield pressure with quicker progression through the middle using someone like Archie Gray or Lucas Bergvall. Based on recent performances and De Zerbi’s approach, it feels more likely Tottenham go with the former.

Leeds have also shown vulnerabilities against quick switches of play due to their back-three system, which could open opportunities for Pedro Porro to deliver dangerous crosses towards Mathys Tel at the far post.

James Maddison’s latest appearance in Tottenham Hotspur training will certainly excite supporters, especially with the midfielder continuing to edge closer towards a long-awaited return from injury.

Many Tottenham Hotspur supporters would surely have been concerned after Spurs lost their last recognised number 10 in Xavi Simons during the 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, Roberto De Zerbi’s tactical tweak against Aston Villa on Sunday, where Spurs adapted to the absence of a natural number 10 and secured a 2-1 victory, will have eased plenty of those worries.

In fact, Spurs Web recently discussed whether Tottenham even need a traditional number 10 right now, particularly with James Maddison continuing to push for a comeback.

The England international has not kicked a ball competitively since suffering an ACL injury in pre-season, although he has made three substitute appearances on the bench without coming on.

Roberto De Zerbi has consistently explained that Maddison’s inclusion in matchday squads has largely been for leadership purposes as he looks to boost morale within the camp.

However, in his latest injury update, De Zerbi hinted that Maddison remains in his thoughts for a return. Speaking about the midfielder, the Tottenham head coach said: “I am thinking about James Maddison because I am watching a top, top player.

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“Maybe he is not ready yet to play, not as a physical condition, but for the rhythm or intensity of the game. You are playing in the Premier League, the most difficult league in the world for rhythm and intensity.”

Nonetheless, recent training ground footage has now shown just how much progress Maddison has made during his rehabilitation.

The midfielder was seen moving freely in training, matching the intensity of his teammates and even scoring a couple of goals, in what looked like a five-a-side game.

There is no denying he looked sharp, although there remains a major difference between training sessions and the demands of a Premier League match.

You can watch Maddison’s training ground performance here:

Spurs do not need to rush James Maddison back

Of course, the big question remains whether Maddison is fit enough to feature in a Premier League game at this stage of his recovery.

That remains unclear, although with the midfielder already featuring on the bench, there is every chance he could make a cameo appearance soon.

At the same time, Tottenham are not currently in a position where they need to rush him back into action. The performance against Aston Villa showed that De Zerbi and his side still have enough quality to cope without a recognised number 10.