Roberto De Zerbi backs struggling Tottenham star Dominic Solanke to end goal drought in crunch Liverpool clash

De Zerbi has publicly backed Solanke to rediscover his scoring touch, insisting he has "big, big confidence" in the striker despite a frustrating run of form. Solanke, who joined Spurs in a £55 million move from Bournemouth back in 2024, has struggled to find the net recently as Tottenham have failed to score in their last four Premier League outings.

Speaking ahead of the Carabao Cup third-round clash against Liverpool, De Zerbi offered a deep insight into the forward's character and potential. "Dom is a sensitive guy," the Italian tactician explained. "He needs to feel full confidence – and from myself, he has big, big confidence. I believe he can score 10-15 goals, for sure. He’s already scored in Bournemouth so why not he can score in Tottenham? It’s the same sport. Sensitive because he’s a smart guy. Sensitive guys are smart. Maybe [he has had] many injuries, maybe he doesn’t feel in the best physical condition, maybe he would like to do something different on the pitch. But now he’s not fit yet. He has to play."

The pressure is mounting on the Spurs attack, which has looked blunt in recent weeks, including a disappointing 0-0 draw at home against Everton. De Zerbi has been proactive in his attempts to fix the issue, implementing intense video analysis sessions and even taking the squad out for team-bonding dinners. The manager noted that the quality of the players is clear and that he is focusing on the fine details of their decision-making in the final third to turn their fortunes around.

"Today in the meeting with the players we spoke about the last third of the pitch and I said now I want to create individual clips for all players, for after dinner for the players to go home and work and improve - as a joke. But if you analyse the first 30 minutes there are many, many chances where just one different detail, better passes, better decisions and it would change the history of that game," he stated.

Beyond tactical tweaks and personnel changes, De Zerbi is demanding a psychological shift from his players to break the cycle of inconsistency that has plagued the club. He emphasized the importance of self-belief and stability, warning against the culture of constant change that often hampers progress at major clubs.

"If we want to change from the last two or three seasons we have to be stronger here. We have to believe in the quality of the players and the decisions we made one month ago. Or we change. You can change players or change coaches … change, change, change and nothing changes. Or you stay with the head, stay humble and with the right spirit to work. I believe in my players. I hope they believe in themselves like I believe in them," De Zerbi said.

The trip to Anfield presents a daunting challenge for a Tottenham side that has not won at the stadium in 17 matches. De Zerbi will be forced to shuffle his pack due to several absences in his squad. Midfielder Sandro Tonali is set to miss the Liverpool game after picking up a knock, while Pedro Porro and James Maddison remain unavailable for selection. However, there was better news regarding Destiny Udogie, who is back in contention, and Mohammed Kudus, who is now deemed ready to start. One notable exclusion continues to be Richarlison. Despite being eligible to play in the Carabao Cup, the Brazilian forward will not be involved in the matchday squad.