The 3 Tottenham players Roberto De Zerbi needs to step up during Rodrigo Bentancur's ban
Despite being in the relegation zone, still yet to win a Premier League match this season, Tottenham Hotspur supporters are starting to feel a bit more positive. Well, this was not the case 78 minutes into Saturday evening's trip to Old Trafford.
Spurs dominated throughout, squandering chance after chance after chance before, as everyone knew would happen, Bryan Mbeumo broke the deadlock for Manchester United. 12 minutes from the end, after a wild scissor challenge on Luke Shaw, he went head-to-head with Rodrigo Bentancur, the Uruguayan reacted and was sent off by referee Stuart Attwell.
This seemed to extinguish any hope of a point for Spurs until, in stoppage time, Dominic Solanke's deft header ensured it finished all square. Oddly, after full time, Roberto De Zerbi revealed he kissed Benatncur in the dressing room, stating "I liked the situation with Rodrigo's red card, we needed this moment in this situation".
Well, however much he enjoyed it, the 29 year old will be suspended for the next three matches, which will force a reshuffle, considering he has started four of six Premier League games thus far.
Premier League fixtures Rodrigo Bentancur will miss suspended
Monday 19 October: Coventry City (H). Kick off 8pm.
Saturday 24 October: Chelsea (A). Kick off 5:30pm.
Saturday 31 October. Crystal Palace (H). Kick off 5:30pm.
So, what will De Zerbi's midfield trio look like without Bentancur, and who does he need to shine?
Sandro Tonali
So far, Sandro Tonali is yet to justify the enormous expense Tottenham paid to bring him to the club. The Italian has started all six Premier League matches, but is yet to tangibly improve them, even if it was his cross that was turned home by Solanke in stoppage time on Saturday.
The 26 year old is not really that sort of player, but has, so far, not represented and upgrade on what Tottenham already had, really needing that to change.
Lucas Bergvall
The likes of Tonali, Bentancur, Mateus Fernandes and Conor Gallagher are much of a muchness, while Lucas Bergvall is the one capable of a moment of magic. Early in the summer, it was made clear that the 20 year old would like to explore a new challenge. However, after it transpired that Newcastle and Nottingham Forest were those interested, he perhaps realised the grass is not always greener.
The Swede though is yet to register a goal or an assist this season, after only scoring once throughout the entirety of last season, this at West Ham all the way back in September. He clearly holds himself in high regard, but now needs to start justifying this belief.
James Maddison
Of all Tottenham's long-term absentees, could James Maddison have the most transformational effect? They remain without Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Dejan Kuluševski, while fit again Mohammed Kudus looked lively at Old Trafford, but Maddison could be the man to change everything.
The Englishman's last eight appearances have all come off the bench, most-recently starting against Bodø/Glimt on 1 May 2025, the night he suffered a serious knee injury. Prior to this, that season, he accumulated 12 goals and 11 assists in all competitions, and a Maddison producing his best is exactly what this struggling Spurs side badly need.
