Robertson tells Tottenham to shed relegation hangover after worst start in 17 years

Robertson demands a fresh start from struggling Spurs

Andy Robertson has urged Tottenham’s players to forget the disappointment of the last two seasons as they attempt to recover from a disastrous start to the Premier League campaign.

Tottenham will spend the international break bottom of the table with just two points from five matches. It is the first time they have occupied last place at least five games into a season since 2008-09.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side ended a goalless start to the campaign against Aston Villa on Saturday, but still lost 3-2. The result also underlined Tottenham’s difficult record at their stadium: they have now lost 50 of their 141 Premier League matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs finished 17th in each of the previous two seasons and only avoided relegation by two points on the final day of the latter campaign. The club subsequently spent more than £300 million on new players during the summer transfer window.

“Maybe we’re still guilty of carrying that weight of last season on our shoulders,” Robertson said on The Overlaps’ Stick to Football podcast.

“We need to now try and get Tottenham back to where we believe they belong,” he added, saying the responsibility fell on the manager, the new arrivals and the existing squad to move beyond the club’s recent struggles.

Robertson joined Tottenham on a free transfer after nine years at Liverpool, where he won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two EFL Cups. He said Tottenham was his preferred destination once it became clear that his Liverpool contract would not be renewed.

The defender also revealed that conversations with De Zerbi during the summer convinced him of the manager’s ambition. Robertson said De Zerbi wanted to win trophies but understood that Tottenham needed to show progress quickly.

Tottenham’s next Premier League fixture is away to Manchester United on October 10. United have also made a poor start, taking five points from their first five matches.