De Zerbi says Spurs must become a team before Coventry visit

De Zerbi calls for unity as Tottenham seek first league win

Roberto De Zerbi says Tottenham need to act like a team as they prepare to host Coventry City on Monday, with the manager hoping a warm-weather training camp in Marbella has helped bring his struggling squad together.

Tottenham are bottom of the Premier League with three points after six matches and have yet to win this season. Their latest outing brought a measure of encouragement: they recovered from a goal down to draw with Manchester United despite Rodrigo Bentancur’s dismissal for headbutting Luke Shaw.

“It’s more about the players being with each other,” De Zerbi said of the Marbella trip. “They have to feel that they are a team.” He added that Spurs had shown character at Old Trafford, particularly after the red card, and called on them to bring that spirit to their home support.

De Zerbi said the club could still “change the history of this season – and last season as well” if the players show character from the start. Tottenham’s attacking numbers offer grounds for optimism: they have recorded 182 touches in opposition penalty areas and completed 770 passes in the final third in the Premier League this season. But their 3.6% shot conversion rate is the league’s lowest, and they have scored three goals from 6.6 expected goals.

Coventry arrive with momentum

Coventry’s start to life in the top flight looked difficult after four straight defeats, but Frank Lampard’s side have responded with wins over Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United. They beat Forest 1-0 and Newcastle 4-1, and Lampard said his players should travel to north London believing in themselves and seeking to reproduce their purpose against Newcastle.

Lampard acknowledged Tottenham’s quality and the expectations that come with playing at home, but said Coventry would concentrate on their own progress rather than comparisons. The visitors’ recent run means they will pose a significant test to a Spurs side still searching for its first league victory.

Solanke and Cherif in focus

Dominic Solanke earned Tottenham a point at Manchester United with a late equaliser. The preview notes that he has not been on the winning side in any of the last eight Premier League matches in which he has scored.

For Coventry, Sidiki Cherif scored in his first Premier League start against Newcastle. The preview’s historical comparison points to the rarity of a Coventry player scoring in each of his first two Premier League starts.

Tottenham are favoured in the pre-match forecast, with a 51.3% win probability against 23.9% for Coventry and 24.8% for a draw. The figures underline the opportunity for Spurs, but Coventry’s two consecutive victories give them reason to approach the match with confidence.