Tottenham Hotspur are in crisis. A 3-2 home defeat to Aston Villa on September 19 left the club rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, winless after five matches and with just two points to show from a summer of heavy investment. The result drew boos from supporters inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Roberto De Zerbi's reaction was equally damning. The Italian publicly branded his squad the most mentally fragile he has ever managed, and reports confirmed he refused to address his players in the dressing room after the final whistle. Former professionals have not held back either, with Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard warning that another relegation battle could be looming if results do not improve quickly.

The injury list is making De Zerbi's task harder. James Maddison remains sidelined with ACL damage, and Danny Murphy told GOAL the playmaker has been missed terribly given his unique ability to unlock defences. Mykhailo Mudryk, who joined from Chelsea in the summer, has also picked up a knock since returning from a lengthy ban. On a more positive note, De Zerbi described Dejan Kulusevski as being like a new signing after the Swedish midfielder returned to full training following nearly two years out.

With the next fixture a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on October 10, the pressure on De Zerbi and his players to find a response is growing by the day.