Tottenham Hotspur will look to finally find the net in the Premier League when they welcome Aston Villa to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side have taken two points from their opening four league matches without scoring a single goal, while Aston Villa have managed just one point and one goal from the same number of games. Both teams will therefore arrive in north London searching for their first Premier League victory of the season, with Saturday’s 12.30pm kick-off their final league fixture before the international break.
Tottenham’s difficult start has been dominated by one statistic: four Premier League matches, zero goals. Spurs began the campaign with defeats against Brentford and Newcastle United before recording successive goalless draws with Nottingham Forest and Everton. The result against Everton extended Tottenham’s wait for a league goal, despite De Zerbi’s team showing encouraging spells of attacking football.
The Italian has repeatedly stressed that he believes his squad has enough quality to score, but he has also acknowledged that his players need to become more clinical in front of goal. Following the 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat at Liverpool in midweek, De Zerbi admitted that Tottenham needed to improve their finishing.
“We have to shoot more times, we have to shoot better, we have to finish better in a clear situation,” he said.
Despite the result at Anfield, De Zerbi remained encouraged by what he saw from his players and believes Tottenham are close to finding the breakthrough.
“I believe in my players, I have a big confidence, a big opinion of my players,” he added.
The Spurs boss also described the next stage of the process as finding the moment when everything comes together.
“When we arrive to find the click, win a game, I think we enjoy with these players because the qualities of the players are incredible.”
Tottenham’s immediate task is therefore to turn that belief into a first Premier League goal, although they face a Villa side who have experienced many of the same frustrations during the opening weeks of the campaign.
Unai Emery’s side have taken only one point from their first four league matches. Villa lost their opening two games against Brighton and Arsenal before drawing 0-0 at Hull City, then suffered a 2-1 home defeat against Nottingham Forest. Alysson’s goal in that match finally ended Villa’s wait for a Premier League goal, but it was not enough to prevent another defeat.
Their fortunes have looked more positive in cup competition, however. Villa began their Champions League campaign with a 3-2 victory over Club Brugge before beating Coventry City 3-1 in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. Tammy Abraham scored twice against Coventry, while Ross Barkley also found the net as Emery’s side booked their place in the fourth round.
The result provided a timely attacking boost before the trip to Tottenham, particularly after Villa had scored only once in their first four league games. Emery was pleased with Abraham’s contribution and the progress of several of his younger players after the Coventry victory.
Speaking after the match, the Villa boss said: “He is progressing but we have players in front of him now.”
On the development of his new players, Emery added: “George is playing fantastic, Alysson is understanding a lot of things very good; he needs time but he is giving us things I want.”
The Villa manager also praised the response of Ibrahim Mbaye after his involvement in the cup victory, highlighting the importance of having players ready to compete for places as his squad continues to develop.
Both managers will now have selection decisions to make before Saturday’s meeting. Tottenham have received a significant boost with Pedro Porro available for selection after the right-back missed the previous two matches because of a small muscular problem. De Zerbi confirmed after the Liverpool game that Porro would return for the meeting with Villa.
The Tottenham boss also provided an update on James Maddison after the defeat at Anfield, describing the midfielder as a special player but stressing that he must be physically ready for the demands of Premier League football.
“For sure, Maddison is a different player, a special player, but he has to be fit, he has to be in the right physical condition,” De Zerbi said.
Mohammed Kudus was another positive from the Liverpool game, making his first start since January and giving De Zerbi another option in attacking midfield. His involvement could provide Tottenham with another creative outlet as they look to solve their problems in the final third.
Villa’s fitness picture also remains important. João Gomes is a concern after suffering a calf problem, with Emery expected to make a late decision after further checks. Goalkeeper Marco Bizot also went off at half-time during the Coventry victory with a back problem, with Zion Suzuki replacing him.
The two sides also have plenty of recent history to add another layer to Saturday’s contest. Villa have won four of their last five meetings with Spurs, although Tottenham claimed a 2-1 victory at Villa Park in their most recent encounter in May. That result was one of the more positive moments of De Zerbi’s previous campaign and came after a strong attacking display from his side.
The fixture has also rarely produced a draw in recent years, making Saturday’s meeting another potentially decisive contest between two teams desperate to change the direction of their seasons.
The biggest talking point remains the same for both clubs: goals. Tottenham have yet to score in the Premier League, while Villa have managed only one, leaving both sides searching for greater efficiency in the final third. Their respective midweek cup performances, however, offer some encouragement.
Spurs created opportunities against Liverpool despite the 3-1 defeat, while De Zerbi continues to believe his squad possesses enough attacking quality to turn those chances into goals. Villa, meanwhile, arrive after scoring three times against Coventry, with Abraham’s brace providing an attacking boost at an important stage of the season.
Porro’s return should give Tottenham another attacking option from the right, while Maddison’s potential involvement would provide further creativity between midfield and attack. Villa will hope Abraham can carry his cup form into league football, with Emery needing his side to convert their improved attacking confidence into Premier League points.
For Tottenham, however, the immediate question is even clearer: when will the first Premier League goal finally arrive?
With both teams still searching for their first league win, Saturday’s meeting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium gives De Zerbi and Emery an important opportunity to change the mood around their respective campaigns before the international break.
