Roberto De Zerbi's Bold XI Against Newcastle United
Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi has rolled the dice with a bold starting XI to face Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, as he looks to stretch his unbeaten home run in charge.
Spurs have not lost at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium under the Italian, a sequence that now stands at five games if you include the summer friendly win over Hoffenheim. Confidence has been building, and Wednesday’s 5-1 demolition of Charlton Athletic in the Carabao Cup has only sharpened the mood.
Now comes a very different test.
Marmoush straight in, Savio ruled out
New signing Omar Marmoush goes straight into the side after completing an initial loan move from Manchester City. He leads the line, a clear show of faith from De Zerbi, who wastes no time turning to the forward.
One notable absentee is Savio. The winger does not even make the squad, with De Zerbi revealing to Sky Sports that a late issue forced a change of plan.
"There was bad news yesterday, before training in the afternoon. He suffered muscle fatigue and the medical staff didn’t want to take a risk. I agree with them," De Zerbi said, adding that Savio is expected to be available for the trip to Nottingham Forest next week.
Porro and Van de Ven handed first starts
There is a fresh look down the right as World Cup winner Pedro Porro makes his first start of the season. He is set to operate high on that flank, seemingly ahead of Archie Gray, offering width and attacking thrust.
At the heart of defence, captain Micky van de Ven is also handed his first start of the campaign. His pace will be crucial up against the threat of Anthony Elanga, with De Zerbi clearly mindful of Newcastle’s ability to break quickly.
On the left, Destiny Udogie drops to the bench after a strong midweek outing. His minutes are being managed, so Andy Robertson comes in at left-back to add experience and balance.
Tonali–Bentancur axis in midfield
The midfield has a heavyweight feel. Sandro Tonali and Rodrigo Bentancur line up alongside each other, a pairing built for control and bite in the centre of the pitch. Just ahead of them, Mateus Fernandes is likely to operate as the advanced midfielder, linking play and pressing high.
Conor Gallagher and Lucas Bergvall offer energy and technical quality from the bench, ready-made options if De Zerbi wants to change the tempo later on.
Mohammed Kudus is also among the substitutes after returning to full training, another potent weapon to call upon if the game opens up.
There is no place, though, for Richarlison, Kevin Danso or Pape Matar Sarr. All three have been heavily linked with moves away from north London, and their omission only fuels the sense that change is coming in this squad.
De Zerbi has shown his hand. An unbeaten home record, a new-look spine, and a statement selection up front. Now it’s over to his players to prove this Tottenham side is ready for a bigger stage.
