Tottenham Hotspur host Aston Villa in North London on Saturday lunchtime, with both teams eager to kick-start their Premier League seasons.
Tottenham Hotspur host Aston Villa in North London on Saturday lunchtime, with both teams eager to kick-start their Premier League seasons.
The match kicks off at 12:30pm at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs are 17th in the table with two points from four games, while Villa are just below them with one point. Both teams are still looking for their first league win, making this a high-pressure fixture.
Roberto De Zerbi’s team have struggled in attack. Tottenham have not scored in the Premier League this season, with two draws and two losses and five goals conceded. Their goalless streak is now over 400 minutes, and this is the first time since 2006 that Spurs have failed to score in four straight league games.
Tottenham drew 0-0 with Everton last weekend, keeping a clean sheet but still struggling in attack. They then lost 3-1 to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, so De Zerbi now needs to boost the team’s confidence ahead of the international break.
Dominic Solanke may lead the attack again, supported by Savio, Mateus Fernandes, and Omar Marmoush. Fernandes has already created five chances, while Marmoush has made six attempts and set up four chances, making both summer signings key to Tottenham’s attack.
Spurs remain without several influential players. Dejan Kulusevski, Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Mykhailo Mudryk are among those unavailable, while Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie have faced fitness concerns. Udogie returned midweek against Liverpool and is likely to feature again this weekend, while World Cup winner Pedro Porro is availble for selection, with De Zerbi confirming this after the loss at Anfield.
Villa arrive with problems of their own. Unai Emery’s side have also failed to score in three of their opening four league games, although a 3-2 Champions League victory away to Club Brugge offered some much-needed encouragement.
Villa have struggled after losing key players like Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, and Ezri Konsa. Injuries to Amadou Onana, Leon Goretzka, and Pau Torres have added to their problems, and João Gomes is said to be suspended.
Nicolas Jackson is expected to spearhead Villa’s attack, with John McGinn, Emiliano Buendía and Ross Barkley providing support. Barkley has created six chances from seven attempts this season, highlighting his ability to influence the contest from midfield.
With both teams struggling so far, both managers need a good result, and the first goal could change the mood for either side.
Playing at home should give Tottenham a slight edge; however De Zerbi’s side have had a terrible time at home in the last few seasons, but to change the direction of the season they need to be quicker, more creative, and more confident near Villa’s goal.
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 Aston Villa
