De Zerbi demands Tottenham response as pressure builds before Manchester United test

Roberto De Zerbi has called on Tottenham to turn their frustration into a reaction when they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Saturday.

Tottenham are still searching for their first Premier League win of the season after losing three of their opening five league matches. Their difficult start continued before the international break when they were beaten 3-2 at home by Aston Villa, while Liverpool also ended their League Cup campaign.

De Zerbi said the defeat by Villa had been particularly hard to take, but urged his players to use the disappointment as motivation to improve.

“I’ve been waiting for this game for three weeks. After the defeat at home against Aston Villa, personally I wanted to play the day after,” he said.

“It was difficult, it was very tough, especially the first week. But it is football. It is part of the situation in this moment. We have to react, to work in this moment.”

Tottenham did at least end a run of four successive league matches without scoring against Villa, finding the net twice in the game.

However, De Zerbi believes they need to be far more effective when chances arrive if they are to move clear of the relegation zone.

“We created chances to score many other goals in these seven games but we didn’t. We are working to improve in the last third, the assists and the finishing,” he said.

“We are fourth in the table for the team who brings the ball into the opponents’ area the most times.

“It is nothing but it shows we can arrive in the area. We are not good enough to score goals so far when we have clear chances.”

Saturday’s fixture carries extra importance because Manchester United have also endured a poor beginning under manager Michael Carrick. Both clubs are under pressure to produce a result, leading to the match being labelled the ‘El Sackicko’.

De Zerbi arrived late last season and helped Tottenham avoid relegation, but he accepts that achievement will offer little protection if the team cannot improve its results.

The Italian said Tottenham must show they are worthy of representing one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.

“We are Tottenham. United and Tottenham are still big clubs in the Premier League,” he said.

“We have to deserve to work in this club, playing better and making different results.”