De Zerbi slams Tottenham players after Villa defeat

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi delivered a scathing assessment of his team's performance following a 3-2 home defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday, September 19, 2026. The loss left the club winless in its first five Premier League matches and in the relegation zone heading into the international break. De Zerbi was particularly critical of midfielder Mateus Fernandes, an £85 million summer signing from West Ham United, whom he substituted at halftime. "I have big confidence in Mateus but I didn't like his performance today," De Zerbi stated. "It's not an attack on him because I love him. I just want more from him." The manager also demanded more from striker Dominic Solanke, noting the forward's physical condition was "not good enough" and that he lacked confidence. De Zerbi expressed deep frustration with the manner of the defeat, especially the second goal conceded to Nicolas Jackson. "We can't lose this game in this way, absolutely. We can't concede the second goal. We can't lose balance," he said.