It has been a brutal start to the 2026/27 Premier League season for Tottenham Hotspur, who are winless in five games and only have two points in the table from their 0-0 draws to Everton and Nottingham Forest, which were honestly disappointing results, too. Spurs have only scored in one of their five games, putting two consolation goals past Aston Villa in a game that they were already losing 3-0.
Tottenham must now try to get a point against a Manchester United side that has struggled this season but finished third in the 2025/26 campaign under Michael Carrick. If Spurs can't get a win in October with Coventry, Chelsea, and Crystal Palace on the horizon after this battle with the Red Devils, then Roberto De Zerbi is going to face real pressure for his job after a summer of nearly 400 million pounds in signings.
Ahead of the big game, former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson pointed out one thing De Zerbi needs to make sure he has his team doing against Man United. Robinson said, via Chris Cowlin, “I think it's a very winnable game for Tottenham. I think there's a performance on the way. There is a plethora of attacking quality in the squad, undoubted. Spurs have made some very clever signings and I believe they are one performance away from going on a run. I think it's more of a mental block than anything. I'm still not backing against Tottenham having a really good season. The key on Saturday? Playing to your strengths. Tottenham have the players who can hurt, press high up the field, play on the front foot and take the game to Manchester United. So, play to your strengths and, for me, that absolutely gets you a result.”
Tottenham have the players to press
It's an optimistic and useful bit of guidance from a former top goalkeeper in the Premier League, and Robinson is right about how Tottenham need to keep focusing on their own identity and strengths to win games.
Spurs are great in possession and commanding games with their passing and ability to progress up the pitch, which was not the case at all before under Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor. But because they are not scoring goals and not really creating clear chances, which may not improve soon as James Maddison remains questionable to start.
So they can manufacture their own playmaking by pressing. And they have great athletes who can press. Omar Marmoush, Savio, and Mohammed Kudus are phenomenal talents who have the speed, agility, and work rate to harry the defenders, and they can create their own plays amongst each other by being more aggressive and pressing this Manchester United back line. Yes, it is risky, but it is a risk Spurs have to take and go back to that well that Ange Postecoglou was actually using successfully for Spurs.
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