Tottenham need points, not excuses. Four league games into the season, they are still waiting for a first win, and Roberto De Zerbi heads into the Aston Villa match with a squad that finally looks a little less stretched.
The headline is straightforward. Sandro Tonali is available again after missing the 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool with what De Zerbi had labelled a “minor knock”. Given Tottenham’s careful handling of the midfielder since his club-record £100 million move from Newcastle, there was no appetite to take risks in midweek.
Tonali has featured in every Premier League game so far, though full sharpness has remained an ongoing issue. Spurs’ medical staff have been cautious all season with players carrying any injury concern, and that approach has not changed.
Tonali and Porro boost for Spurs
There is also positive news on Pedro Porro. The vice-captain has missed the past two matches with a muscular problem, but he is now back in contention. De Zerbi offered a clear update when asked about his options, saying: “Porro, Tonali, and [James] Maddison are all available to play.
“Normally, we have to understand the situation, but all of them are ready.”
That matters because Tottenham have looked short of control and short of rhythm. Porro gives them drive from wide areas, Tonali gives them presence in midfield, and both have been missed.
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James Maddison still building fitness
Maddison is available, though there is an obvious caveat. De Zerbi made it clear that training with the squad and being ready to start at Premier League intensity are not the same thing.
He said: “Listen, James is working with the team the last 10, 15 days, maybe less than 15 days. And even if he is a technical player, he needs to be fit, to stay in a good condition.
“When he arrives to the best condition, it’s very important for us.
“As a personality, as a characteristic, as a quality, as an experience. The quality of his passes are different…
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