Roberto De Zerbi has been named Premier League Manager of the Month for October, after Tottenham took 10 points from a possible 12 and moved up to 11th with 12 points. He says the award is best understood through the draw with Manchester United, which he believes changed how his side behaved and played.
The award and the October run
Tottenham's month included a 1-1 draw with Manchester United and wins over Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. The sequence was enough for October's monthly prize, and it also gave the club a clearer route away from the poor start De Zerbi referred to.
The numbers are plain enough. Spurs collected 10 points from a possible 12 in October, and the run that brought the award was built on the draw against United followed by four straight wins in league play.
De Zerbi's explanation
Speaking to standard.co.uk, De Zerbi said: "I feel good, I am happy. I want to say thanks to my players, to my club because it is not my credit but you know when you are a coach you work with many, many people and it's right to say thank you for everybody,".
He then pointed to the turning point. "The first five games in this season were not good enough and from Manchester United game we changed things - we changed behaviour, we changed quality of the play, we changed the quality of performance of the players and for this reaction I am very proud," he said.
The manager's own version of the story is straightforward: the award matters, but the shift in behaviour after the United game is what he wants remembered. Spurs are now in 11th on 12 points, with the month that earned him the prize still the clearest evidence of a change in their level.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
