Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi looks set to shake up his lineup following the team’s Carabao Cup exit at Liverpool’s hands. Goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo, and Dominik Szoboszlai sealed a 3-1 win for Liverpool on September 15, with Conor Gallagher’s strike the only bright spot for Spurs, who now turn their full focus to the league.
Sitting 17th after four Premier League games, Tottenham face mounting scrutiny despite a summer outlay north of £300 million on signings like Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, and Savio — none of whom started the Liverpool match, though the latter two came on as substitutes. That underwhelming league position adds urgency to De Zerbi’s selection choices ahead of the upcoming Aston Villa fixture.
Mathys Tel drew heavy criticism for his Anfield display, having reportedly lost the ball 15 times per Sofascore data, making him one of the game’s most turnover-prone Spurs players.
Rodrigo Bentancur also struggled badly, getting pulled off after 57 minutes for Fernandes after picking up a first-half booking. FotMob figures show he lost the ball six times, posted a meager 0.02 expected-assists mark, was dribbled past once, won just half his ground battles, and picked up two fouls — numbers that reinforce ongoing worries about his tendency toward poorly-timed tackles when trying to snuff out counterattacks.
Beyond Bentancur and Tel, De Zerbi has other options to consider without a wholesale lineup overhaul. Omar Marmoush might work better on the left flank with Dominic Solanke central, while Mohammed Kudus — still building match fitness after injury — could be eased in off the bench. Defensively, the possible returns of Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke could push Marcos Senesi and Tosin Adarabioyo to the sidelines, as Spurs look to turn things around against Villa.
