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De Zerbi reveals Spurs plans ahead of Liverpool Carabao Cup clash
15th September, 2026 08:26 PM
Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has backed his squad to respond positively when they face Liverpool in the third round of the Carabao Cup at Anfield on Tuesday night, September 15, 2026.
Spurs are still searching for their first Premier League victory and have yet to find the back of the net in the competition this season, but De Zerbi insists he remains confident in the quality available to him.
The Italian coach confirmed that Destiny Udogie is available for the trip to Merseyside, while Pedro Porro, Sandro Tonali, Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison will not feature.
On Richarlison, De Zerbi said: “No, I’m sorry, but we have the qualities enough to score goals and we had on Saturday the chance, the situation good enough to score.”
He added that the Brazilian’s situation had not changed despite the Carabao Cup providing an opportunity for players outside Tottenham’s Premier League squad.
“I said last press conference, I know what happened in the last 45 days. It’s not right if I explained. It’s not my behaviour. It’s the relationship and the problem is with the player and the club. And I stay inside of the club. It’s not coach and club. It’s coach and club together because at the start of this season, I spoke with him many times to convince him to stay and he didn’t want to. I can’t go every day to pray for him to stay.”
De Zerbi also addressed Tottenham’s struggles in front of goal, accepting that responsibility ultimately falls on him and his coaching staff.
“We didn’t win any games so far, yes. We have to improve. We are sorry. We are disappointed for that, but I think also we have other positive things, like I said, we didn’t score goals, we didn’t suffer nothing, in both of the last two games.”
The manager believes Spurs created enough opportunities during their recent matches but failed to make the decisive choices needed in the final third.
“Sometimes we didn’t shoot. We didn’t make the best decision. Maybe we played with a rush. We didn’t take the best decision, but the quality of the players is clear for me, and my responsibility is to work better, to analyse the details when we made mistakes and to improve.”
De Zerbi singled out Dominic Solanke as a player capable of solving Tottenham’s goalscoring problems, although he wants the striker to continue improving his fitness.
“Solanke is a good player, I think, yes. I’m sure, yes. He has to improve his physical condition and to stay positive because he’s able to score many goals with us.”
He also challenged several of his attacking players to make more runs into dangerous areas and become greater threats around the opposition goal.
“My style has been to score goals, to attack and I don’t want to change, but you can find a situation where we are already in the right situation to score, and sometimes you have to work something more. You have to create more chances, more potential chances.”
De Zerbi backs young players
The Spurs boss could use the Carabao Cup tie to give some of his less experienced players valuable minutes, although he stopped short of confirming his starting line-up.
Asked about Luca Williams-Barnett and Malachi Hardy, De Zerbi said: “I don’t know, Luca. We have to see because many players need to play. Maybe not 90 minutes, but 30 minutes. A real game is important.”
He also explained that the competition for places means he has difficult decisions to make, rather than a shortage of options.
“No, it’s not difficult, because I’m lucky to have these players and I’m convinced 100% of the quality of the players. I love the players as players, as qualities of the players and as a guy. It’s difficult, because there are many, many good players, but not for the other problems.”
James Maddison is another player whose fitness will be closely monitored. The midfielder has not started a competitive match since last year, but De Zerbi believes he remains an important member of the squad.
“Yes, he’s another important player for us. He has to stay in good physical condition. In the last press conference we spoke about the change, the intensity of the Premier League and he needs to work hard, like he’s done.”
De Zerbi wants cup competitions taken seriously
With Tottenham absent from European competition this season, De Zerbi sees the Carabao Cup and FA Cup as important opportunities for the club.
“I would like to go far in the Carabao and FA Cup. I would like to play with the same attitude of Premier League and maybe score some goals more, but the attitude and the spirit, I want to see the same.”
The manager has also been working with his players on their decision-making in the final third, believing small improvements could have a significant impact.
“If you analyse the first 30 minutes there are many, many chances where just one different detail, just better passes, just better decisions and it would change the history of that game.”
However, he stressed that his players should not become overly concerned about correcting every mistake.
“I think if they enjoy on the pitch, they follow the instructions but not my instructions the instructions of the team, they are not rushed, they put attention and focus on the last pass or the last decision, I think the goal is natural for the players and for the team.”
Liverpool reunion
Tuesday’s encounter will have added significance for De Zerbi, whose first Premier League match in England as Brighton manager came against Liverpool and ended in a 3-3 draw.
However, he believes the circumstances at Tottenham are considerably different from those he encountered at Brighton.
“Yes, if we speak about the football and the style of football, but Brighton was totally different because there was already a group, there was the soul of the team, the spirit of the team and the DNA of the team. I was lucky because I signed with Brighton after Potter and Potter worked very well. This season we have to restart and rebuild everything, so it’s different.”
De Zerbi insists his recent discussions with players, including Mathys Tel, are aimed at helping them understand tactical details rather than criticising them.
On his conversation with Tel after the previous match, he explained: “Because during the game, at the end of the game, I was explaining the body shape and he didn’t hear because during the game, he’s focused on the ball, focused on the game. And just to explain, no other things. Mathys Tel is a big talent, and if I have to say something on the pitch, I thought to say in that moment, to explain myself, before the end of the game.”
Spurs will now attempt to put their recent difficulties behind them when they take on Liverpool in what promises to be a demanding Carabao Cup encounter at Anfield.
