Tottenham are building momentum after a bruising start to the season, with Roberto De Zerbi's squad responding well to the pressure that followed their 3-0 opening-day defeat at Brentford. The Carabao Cup provided an immediate opportunity to bounce back, and Spurs took it convincingly, beating Charlton Athletic 5-1 at home on Wednesday night. The result matters less for the competition itself and more for what it signals about the squad's capacity to recover.

The headline moment came from £85m signing Savio, who came off the bench to score on his debut. De Zerbi welcomed the contribution but wasted no time raising the bar, publicly challenging the Brazilian winger to reach double figures in goals if he wants to be considered elite. It is the kind of demand that signals genuine ambition, and it follows the manager's earlier admission that his side simply did not fight hard enough at Brentford.

The transfer activity surrounding the club adds further context. Savio's arrival from Manchester City was confirmed earlier in the week, and Tottenham have since agreed a loan deal for Egypt forward Omar Marmoush, also from City, with an obligation to buy for up to £60m. Maddison remains sidelined with a shoulder injury, which gives De Zerbi added reason to strengthen his options quickly. The Carabao Cup draw has also handed Spurs a third-round trip to Anfield to face Liverpool.

All of this builds toward Saturday's home Premier League fixture against Newcastle United, where three points would do much to settle nerves after that Brentford setback.