De Zerbi targets Fernandes and Solanke after Tottenham's fifth defeat in six matches

Tottenham suffered their fourth defeat in five Premier League matches on Saturday, losing again to Aston Villa. With only two points on the board, Spurs occupy 18th place in the standings, and Roberto De Zerbi finds himself under pressure after barely a month in charge of the club.

In his post-match press conference, the Italian manager acknowledged his own “responsibilities” before turning notably harsher on his players. He described it as “unacceptable” to concede a goal from a long clearance by the opposing goalkeeper, a tactic that is nonetheless characteristic of Aston Villa.

De Zerbi then specifically targeted Mateus Fernandes, signed this summer for €99 million from West Ham. Deployed in a number 10 position — a more advanced role than the one he held at the Hammers — the Portuguese midfielder failed to impress his manager. “I have great confidence in Mateus but I didn’t like his performance today. This is not an attack on him because I like him very much. I just expect more from him, even in this position,” De Zerbi said.

Forward Dominic Solanke was not spared either. Largely ineffective since the start of the season, the England international was criticized on physical grounds. “We obviously expect more from him but he is one of my best players. I love Domi as a player and I will support him until the end. His physical condition is not good enough,” the coach said.

These public statements, unusually direct for a manager in post for such a short time, illustrate the scale of the crisis taking hold in north London. Tottenham have no time to waste: pressure is mounting on a squad expected to aim far higher than the relegation zone.