Roberto De Zerbi says Pedro Porro, Sandro Tonali and James Maddison are all available for Tottenham's meeting with Aston Villa on Saturday. The manager also said all three are ready, while Maddison’s return has been handled carefully after limited time back with the group.
Maddison's return is still being managed
De Zerbi said Maddison has been working with the team for the last 10 to 15 days, and that lines up with the caution around him. He has made only 2 Premier League appearances this season, so Tottenham are getting him back into the mix without pretending he is fully up to speed yet.
Tonali missed the midweek Carabao Cup defeat at Anfield with a minor knock, so his availability is a timely lift as well. Porro's presence matters too, even if his season rating is a steady 6.59 rather than anything flashy. Tonali's own league rating sits at 6.45.
Tottenham's bigger problem still waits
The news is positive, but it arrives with Tottenham still without a Premier League win this season. They have also gone four league games without scoring, which is why simply getting bodies back is only part of the job.
De Zerbi has still said he expects Tottenham to be in the top four, and that is the standard he is holding them to. Against Villa on 19 September, the immediate task is less about the long view and more about whether this injury boost turns into a result.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
