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Tottenham Hotspur are one of two teams without a Premier League goal this season. Four matches in, only Spurs and promoted Coventry City are still goalless.

It's the worst-ever start to a Spurs season in goalscoring terms but they have at least conceded half as many as the Sky Blues. New signing Jan Paul van Hecke is one of the reasons the major problem appears to be at the attacking end of the pitch.

The transfer of Van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion was a big investment in a proven Premier League central defender but it came with a catch, and not in hindsight.

Van Hecke and Vuskovic 'swap' will be profitable for Brighton on and off the pitch

Elite football's regulatory environment now incentivises player trading. Selling and buying, in combination, are broadly more compliant than keeping. Clubs twist that might otherwise be motivated to stick.

Players swapping between the same two clubs in the same window is becoming increasingly common but the same regulations make it clear that dealing them independently rather than as swaps is usually the way to go.

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The spreadsheet rules all, and these de facto swap deals are happening more frequently than true swaps ever did. The transfer fees are for accountants. It's the players and the difference between their values that mean something.

Van Hecke's move to Spurs was officially unconnected to 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic going the other way but the deals will always be linked in the minds of Spurs supporters. They might come to view them with regret.

The young Croatian never played a first team game for Spurs before joining Brighton for a reported fee in the region of £46 million. Van Hecke, the older and more expensive of the pair, has been overshadowed by his successor in the early part of the season.

Vuskovic looks like a genuine talent, with all the technical ability, physicality and intelligence to succeed at the highest levels of the game.

He's dominant in the air and a major factor at set pieces in both boxes, and Fabian Hurzeler has been able to lean on him and Lewis Dunk in what's become a very fine start to the season.

Brighton's business model suggests that a player of Vuskovic's prodigious talent will eventually be sold on again for an even greater fee. Van Hecke himself is evidence of that.

For Spurs, the sale of Vuskovic marked the exit of a white-hot prospect who they wanted enough to sign three years ago but only had ownership of for a year before shuffling him off in exchange for a more established player.

Down the road, a cornerstone of Arsenal's 2025/26 Premier League title win was signed all the way back in 2019, and sent on three loans - the same number as Vuskovic - before working his way into the Gunners' starting lineup.

William Saliba may be injured currently but his 184 appearances for Arsenal over the past four seasons are testament to long-term squad planning and a club being able to see the bigger picture.

The worry from a Spurs point of view is that Vuskovic, potentially, could have been a short-term win too. Watching him continue to develop could make for difficult viewing.

Liverpool secured a 3-1 Carabao Cup victory against Tottenham Hotspur yesterday evening, with an added-time Dominik Szoboszlai screamer securing victory amid late Spurs pressure.

Goals arrived through the Hungarian, Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister — who scored in similar style to his thumper versus Atletico Madrid last week — as Andoni Iraola fielded a rotated side.

Four Liverpool youngsters in Rio Ngumoha, Lewis Koumas, James McConnell and Trey Nyoni took to the pitch; a particularly fine outing from the latter appears to have saved the Reds millions.

Trey Nyoni’s performance against Spurs could have saved Liverpool millions

Nyoni was in good form against Liverpool’s Carabao Cup opposition, boasting 95 per cent pass accuracy in his 65-minute appearance.

In the opponent’s half, Nyoni recorded 22 successful passes from 24 attempts — with 100 per cent long ball accuracy — won four duels, and recorded six defensive contributions.

In comparison, Mac Allister recorded 22 successful passes from 27 attempts in Spurs’ half — with 67% long ball accuracy — won five duels, and recorded five defensive contributions. The Argentine also played an additional half-hour.

While Nyoni lacked the goal-scoring output of his Anfield partner on Tuesday evening, he delivered an all-round display that could end up saving Liverpool millions.

The Reds' recent transfer activity saw their midfield personnel remain identical, except for the departures of Curtis Jones and Stefan Bajcetic. And for Iraola, the faith he placed in Nyoni to spare the Reds’ blushes could hardly have been quicker repaid.

His start also served as a reminder to supporters that they never truly know the full story. Did Nyoni perform well enough at the AXA Training Centre this summer for Liverpool not to look elsewhere in the window?

Or was his performance the kind of lucky, perfectly-timed intervention that Iraola had merely prayed for? Whatever the answer, the showing was undeniable.

The 19-year-old appears set to be an unexpectedly critical player for the Basque boss this term, and serve as the midfield reinforcement Liverpool so desperately craved.

Nyoni being ‘like a new signing’ will provoke eye rolls from the Reds faithful — they’ve heard it one too many times before — but it is a possibility.

Whether Liverpool truly had it all planned out from the beginning is irrelevant. This young man will be watched closely, and he’ll have all of Anfield behind him.

Liverpool and Tottenham have had tricky starts to the 2026/27 campaign but should both be eyeing silverware this season, and the Carabao Cup is a great opportunity to secure some.

ITV are showing this fixture in the UK and have rolled out their broadcasting A team to bring you all the build-up, in-game analysis and post-game talking points.

Here's a full breakdown of the ITV squad calling this midweek match-up.

The Third Round clash is being broadcast on ITV4 at 8pm BST, with coverage beginning at 7:30pm BST.

The complete line-up of pundits, commentators and presenters for the event has been revealed, with the game taking place at Anfield.

Mark Pougatch leads the coverage, as he did throughout the World Cup for ITV.

Joining him as pundits at Anfield are Robbie Fowler and Les Ferdinand, supported by Sam Matterface and Lucy Ward on commentary duties.

Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison could be handed a route back into first-team action this week, with the Carabao Cup offering the exiled forward his only realistic chance of playing competitive football before 2027.

The Brazilian international was excluded from manager Roberto De Zerbi’s official 25-man Premier League squad list following the conclusion of the summer transfer window.

Richarlison had previously informed the Italian head coach of his desire to seek a fresh challenge away from north London, but a suitable transfer failed to materialise before the deadline passed.

Richarlison could be brought in from the cold to alleviate Spurs' attacking woes

Consequently, the forward has found himself frozen out of matchday squads, failing to feature since August 26, when he was an unused substitute in Spurs' 5-1 Carabao Cup victory over Charlton Athletic.

However, as Tottenham prepare to face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup this week, De Zerbi may be forced to turn to his forgotten man.

Unlike the Premier League, Carabao Cup regulations do not mandate that players must be registered within a 25-man league squad to be eligible for selection.

Any professional player legally contracted to the club is permitted to feature, handing Richarlison a loophole and a potential path back onto the pitch.

Tottenham have endured a difficult start to their 2026/27 campaign, failing to score a single goal in their opening four Premier League matches.

Despite a £350 million summer squad overhaul, Spurs have appeared toothless in attack, leaving De Zerbi under pressure following a frustrating goalless draw against Everton.

Richarlison finished as Tottenham’s top scorer last season, and with the transfer window firmly closed, both player and manager are well aware that the striker is staying put until at least January.

The midweek cup fixture represents an opportunity for both parties. Calling upon Richarlison offers a proven goalscoring option to help solve what is becoming an attacking crisis.

For Richarlison, the Carabao Cup is quite literally his sole avenue for first-team minutes, and to put himself in the shop window ahead of the New Year.

Roberto De Zerbi has seemingly begun pointing fingers at his Tottenham Hotspur squad, citing their sub-par fitness as a reason for their drab start to the season, following last weekend's 0-0 draw against Everton.

The Toffees played their part, operating an effective man-to-man marking structure that helped extended Spurs' barren, goalless start to the new Premier League season.

Despite overseeing a £350 million summer spending spree designed to fire Spurs back into the Champions League, De Zerbi watched his side draw yet another blank this past weekend.

Spurs players 'not fit enough' despite full De Zerbi pre-season

Tottenham have now failed to find the back of the net in their opening four league fixtures of the 2026/27 campaign. Rather than taking tactical responsibility for his team's lack of a cutting edge, some may take the view that De Zerbi has opted to pass the buck.

Speaking to Sky Sports following the final whistle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Spurs boss shifted the focus away from his own setup and directly onto the application of his players.

"The physical condition of the team is not the best," De Zerbi claimed when pressed on his side's attacking struggles.

It is something of a deflection from the manager keen to explain away an unexpected start to the season.

De Zerbi did suggest he felt the team played well on Merseyside, referencing the number of times they entered the Everton penalty area, but was frustrated his players did not take enough shots. Choosing to cast blame onto the physical state of the dressing room, as well as individuals' decision-making, is certainly a choice when this is a dressing room he spent an entire pre-season preparing physically and tactically.

What makes De Zerbi’s comments particularly concerning for Spurs fans is how familiar they sound.

Just seven months ago, back in February, former boss Igor Tudor made similar comments. The Croatian accused a fatigued Tottenham squad of lacking basic fitness and desire during a torrid run of form. Tudor’s public assessment subsequently alienated key players, ultimately accelerating his exit, leaving a toxic atmosphere in north London.

De Zerbi was brought in to lift that gloom, and achieved that during the latter part of last season by rebuilding player confidence, none more so than Dutch defender-turned-skipper Micky van de Ven.

But as the pressure mounts, he appears to be pulling from the same playbook of excuses as his predecessor.

Leaning on fitness issues after just four games is something of a red flag. If the Italian cannot figure out how to integrate £350m worth of new talent and get Tottenham firing in front of goal, the blame game will do little to save him from difficult conversations with his superiors, and crucially, maintaining the good will of fans.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi gathered the few points needed to keep the team in the Premier League after he was appointed near the end of last season, but 2026/27 has got off to a miserable start.

Spurs are winless and goalless after their first three Premier League matches. Losses against Brentford and Newcastle United preceded a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest last Saturday.

After spending a reported £313 million on new signings in the summer transfer window, albeit offset by some big sales, it's been an alarming return to the kind of results that put Spurs in relegation trouble last season.

Mykhailo Mudryk's training ground injury gives Spurs a problem

The North London club made a number of eye-catching acquisitions over the summer but one of the most surprising moves of all was a season-long loan deal for Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk.

De Zerbi has long been an advocate of the Ukraine international, a player he tipped for a Ballon d'Or-worthy future when they were together at Shakhtar Donetsk. He certainly saw the best of Mudryk, who was genuinely exciting in the Champions League group stage in 2021/22.

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The 25-year-old signed for Chelsea in January 2023 but struggled to live up to the expectations set by the previous season, and there was worse to come.

Mudryk was provisionally banned in December 2024 after failing a drugs test. Eventually, he was formally issued with a four-year ban that would have seen him out of action until the end of 2028. He appealed, and the charge was dropped in July.

The Forest match was Mudryk's first competitive appearance for nearly two years. Clearly, there's an element of risk that comes with that – De Zerbi and Spurs absorbed that risk from Chelsea and now find themselves paying an injured player.

Mudryk could miss the next two months after sustaining an ankle injury in training this week.

"The 25-year-old is understood to have sustained the injury on Monday and is currently believed to be in protective boot," reports BBC Sport.

"The injury coincides with a three-week international break and a return in October is considered a realistic prospect."

Mudryk's injury leaves Spurs paying for a player who is missing not only for a couple of months but at a time when he needed to be working his way back to match fitness and getting up to speed with De Zerbi's methods as he aims to turn Spurs around.

It's one of the most important seasons of Mudryk's career, too. His injury is a bitter blow at a crucial juncture.

“He’s the reason”, Tottenham Hotspur fans once sang about Rodrigo Bentancur. In the 2021/22 season, particularly once Antonio Conte took over from Nuno Espirito Santo, the Uruguayan was instrumental in the middle of the park.

He forged a fine partnership with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and looked a world beater in north London. There was even an argument to be made that he was their most important player. Spurs wouldn’t have secured a Champions League finish without Bentancur in the side.

Disaster, though, struck in February 2023. Bentancur suffered an ACL injury at Leicester City. In the years since, Bentancur wasn’t the same player. A succession of spells on the sidelines owing to knee, ankle and hamstring issues hardly helped the Uruguay international.

Too safe

Nor did the Thomas Frank Reign of Pain. At one stage last season, the Dane’s favoured midfield pairing was Bentancur and Joao Palhinha at the base in the 4-2-3-1 formation. The axis of evil was resoundingly criticised, particularly at home when the north London side were accused of being too safe.

So, when Spurs spent £185m to bring Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from Newcastle United and West Ham United, respectively, many felt Bentancur would be deemed surplus to requirements. At that point, the idea was that both Tonali and Fernandes would forge the deep-lying pairing in Roberto De Zerbi’s preferred 4-2-3-1 setup.

Yet, three games into the new Premier League season, Bentancur has started twice. He replaced Lucas Bergvall at the break in last month’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford, the Swede having struggled in the opening 45 minutes. He ranks fifth for total league minutes (225) at Spurs.

Admittedly, results haven’t gone in the club’s favour. They have collected just one point from meetings with the Bees, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, and are one of three teams yet to score a league goal in England’s top tier this season.

Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Forest, though, was a step in the right direction. Spurs looked more threatening going forward, and could have gone ahead in the first half had Omar Marmoush hit the target when one-on-one with Matz Sels.

What caught the eye, however, was Bentancur’s standout performance. The former Juventus midfielder was arguably Spurs’ best player at the City Ground, putting in the necessary nitty-gritty display that helped Spurs claim a first point of the season. They were far tougher to break down than they were in back-to-back defeats to Brentford and Newcastle.

Indeed, Bentancur made nine clearances, two interceptions and one tackle in the Midlands. He managed five ball recoveries, won six duels and four aerial duels. While Spurs splashed the cash to improve the squad in the off-season following their relegation scrap, it’s the 2022 £18m addition that continues to shine in a key area.

Conte identified Bentancur as a vital player when he took charge back in 2021, and De Zerbi has done similar following his appointment back in April. In time, De Zerbi may plump for a pairing of Tonali and Fernandes to help take Spurs forward. For the foreseeable future, however, Bentancur needs to be a starter at the base of the midfield.

Forget the £185m pairing, it’s Bentancur who De Zerbi should be building his midfield around. There’s a reason, after all, that Spurs were happy to - briefly - entertain bids for Lucas Bergvall and willing to sanction Pape Sarr’s Juventus switch. When it came to Bentancur, however, there was no chance he’d be shown the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium exit.

And with the welcome of a battling Everton side looming, De Zerbi needs to continue with Bentancur in a key position. The Toffees thrive in midfield duels and winning second balls, meaning Spurs have a battle on their hands against David Moyes’ men this weekend.

Saturday’s Forest stalemate proved that Bentancur is more than up for the challenge. It also showed just why De Zerbi will look to the experienced figurehead in the middle of the park in his first full campaign in the capital. Spurs are a far more cohesive unit when Bentancur starts. Despite the shiney new toys, he’ll start in midfield, and deservedly so.

As more clubs in the Premier League and Championship have moved from their historic homes into shiny new grounds, the impressive potential of stadium naming rights has made its way into the English game.

Renaming Highbury or Goodison Park would have been beyond the pale, not to mention a futile exercise in terms of what the supporters of Arsenal or Everton would have called them.

But nobody refers the Emirates Stadium as Ashburton Grove or the Hill Dickinson Stadium as Bramley-Moore Dock, and why would they? That's not what they're called.

Tottenham Hotspur have been in their new ground since 2019 and its name has been the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ever since. For supporters of a certain sensibility, it's been a breath of fresh air in a game where revenue is king.

That's not to say Spurs are commercially reluctant – they're anything but. Nevertheless, not referring in everyday chatter to the AIA Stadium or similar is a small relief for traditionalists.

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Premier League clubs are increasingly governed by the need to balance their football spending against their revenue, especially those playing regularly in Europe.

UEFA's squad cost ratio (SCR) regulations have been adopted, tweaked and repackaged in the Premier League as the successor to its risible Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

The simple version is that SCR "limits Premier League clubs’ on-pitch spending to 85% of their football-related revenue and net profit/loss from player sales." The even simpler version is that clubs who want to spend money also need to make money.

Spurs are no exception, yet the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium remains resolutely unsponsored. Given the varied and constant use of the ground, whose ability to host concerts and other sporting events was central to its development, the door remains open to a windfall.

"We are in a highly competitive industry alongside a number of clubs with similar ambitions, and we will only look to partner with the most-respected, renowned brands that align to our club values and can bring something to our fan experience," a Spurs spokesperson told BBC Sport.

Clearly, the financial benefit of any such deal will be paramount when Spurs do sign over their stadium naming rights.

What that number might look like is unknown, but estimates in the region of £20 million per season several years ago now feel very much out of date, especially when the club in question is holding out for the big bucks.

Everton are bringing in a reported £10 million per season for the naming rights to the striking new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Arsenal's latest renewal of their Emirates deal, which extends far beyond the stadium alone, is understood to be worth £70 million a year.

Take out the shirt sponsorship and split the difference, and the potential value of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium naming rights comes into view. Build in the London factor, the sheer heft of the place as a venue and Spurs' willingness to wait for a suitable deal, and a figure around the £40 million should be achievable.

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has opened up on his summer departure to Juventus, as well as admitting the dressing room was 'not aligned' last season.

The 29-year-old Italian spent three seasons in North London after making the switch from Empoli in 2023. During his spell with the club, Vicario established himself as Tottenham's No. 1, making 81 appearances across all competitions.

However, his general level of consistency could not shield the team from a dismal 2025/26 campaign. Tottenham endured one of the most damaging seasons in their recent history, finishing 17th in the Premier League and narrowly escaping relegation to the Championship.

Vicario: 'Spurs dressing room was not aligned last season'

As part of an extensive summer overhaul aimed at resetting the culture, Vicario was allowed to return to Serie A by head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who had chosen not to field the goalkeeper during the final stretch of the 2025/26 campaign.

Speaking to Sky Italia, the goalkeeper has expressed his gratitude towards De Zerbi, revealing that the manager acted with transparency when the opportunity to join Juventus materialised.

“I thank him, I did it personally the day I signed with Juventus,” Vicario said. “With me he was a real person, direct and above all a man of his word. He gave me the opportunity to take this step that I had in mind, he supported me and I will always be grateful to him.”

While Vicario held no grudges against De Zerbi, his comments regarding the wider team environment shed light on the deeper issues that undermined Tottenham’s league campaign.

Whispers of squad divisions, cliques, and conflicting agendas had lingered throughout their fight for survival, and the goalkeeper's reflection effectively confirms that key figures inside the building were pulling in opposite directions.

Acknowledging the dysfunction without going into detail, Vicario admitted: “There have been some dynamics that have not aligned, probably for several reasons that make no sense to mention now.”

Vicario’s departure was symbolic of a broader summer clear-out under De Zerbi, who actively dismantled a squad that proved unfit for purpose last term. As Vicario embarks on a fresh chapter in Turin, Tottenham face a significant rebuilding task, particularly after their start to the new league season, sitting third from bottom in the Premier League after three matches.

Richarlison has been dumped by Tottenham Hotspur, failing to appear in their submitted 25-man Premier League squad list.

The news arrives days after Richarlison was reportedly asking the club to allow him to leave, with Super Lig side Trabzonspor entering the equation and gunning for his signature.

The Brazilian was also close to an Everton homecoming, however, he ultimately turned the Toffees down after unsuccessful negotiations.

Richarlison dumped by Tottenham Hotspur

Richarlison was a foundational player in Spurs' relegation survival last term, bagging 11 goals, and recording four assists, in 32 Premier League appearances.

His sole appearance so far this campaign came from the start versus Brentford, where he played 61 minutes in a 3-0 loss.

Last Saturday, before Spurs were beaten for a second successive game, losing 2-0 at home to Newcastle United, De Zerbi was brief and blunt in his assessment of the Brazilian's future.

"Richarlison has said too many times that he wants to leave," the Italian revealed.

"I love these players, and these are great guys - but if they want to leave, they have to bring the economic solution to the club.

"Then they can go, and we'll find other players [to replace them]," concluded De Zerbi.

Days later, Richarlison's name was omitted from Spurs' 25-man squad list, amid rumours of the Brazilian making the move to the Super Lig.

The 29-year-old was linked by two Turkish transfer experts to the current club of Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah: Trabzonspor.

That news arrived days after Richarlison took to Instagram to reveal a breakdown in negotiations between himself and former club Everton.

“My intention was to go back to the place where I was very happy, yes," wrote the 29-year-old. "“But the negotiations happened only in the way certain people wanted.

"It will no longer be like that. I am under contract at Spurs and will remain at the club’s disposal," he concluded, before links to the Turkish top-flight emerged.