Tottenham Hotspur secured their first Premier League win of the season, beating Coventry 3-1. After the match, Tottenham Hotspur head coach De Zerbi spoke to the club's official media about the importance of the victory, the team's performance, player confidence, and injury status.
Reporter: Roberto, thank you for the interview. Can you talk about the importance of securing these three points tonight?
De Zerbi: First, it's very important for our position in the table, because looking at the table has been painful for us. We deserved this win. We deserved to win today, and also in the previous few matches. I don't think we played particularly well today; in some previous matches, our performance was much better. But it's not entirely our fault; we also have to acknowledge Coventry's performance.
They played with a low block, with players close together and a very compact formation, and our passing speed wasn't high enough. I think our play in the first half was too predictable. Playing with a back three is a possibility, but we did it because of injury issues in midfield, and many midfielders are injured. Perhaps you don't know, Gallagher was unavailable early this week, and Matheus Fernandes was still in Portugal until Thursday or Friday.
Reporter: How satisfied are you with the attitude shown by the players?
De Zerbi: Very satisfied, but I think we are reaching a turning point. And it's not just about tonight; we've been showing this change since our previous match at Old Trafford. I think at Old Trafford, we showed a response after the red card and conceding a goal. The same was true today, because we showed our character and our ability to react. We proved that we didn't want to accept a draw, nor the score after conceding a goal. This is very important, even crucial.
Reporter: I think there was another difference tonight, which is that when the team can finish shots like that, the overall performance seems less important. James Maddison's goal was fantastic, and Omar Marmoush performed exceptionally well. They did what the team had been unable to fully achieve in previous weeks, even when performing very well.
De Zerbi: I don't think the players believe in themselves as much as I believe in them. Because I truly believe, and I don't want to say too much more, but I do feel that we have a very good squad with many excellent players. I'm also happy for Tosin Adarabioyo, because he deserves playing time. His character, his behavior, and his mentality are all excellent. He is a very important player in the locker room, arguably crucial. At Old Trafford, Senesi also played very well. What we need to do is believe in ourselves more and continue to work hard with this mindset.
Reporter: Two more questions. There were some very noteworthy moments tonight. What a wonderful moment for Dejan Kulusevski in this stadium.
De Zerbi: Yes, he is a unique player and a fantastic person. He is a role model for all of us. I brought Kulusevski on, especially in the final stages of the game, because I knew the fans wanted to see him on the pitch. I think at this stage, we really need strong support from the fans.
Reporter: One last question, Roberto. Several players were substituted tonight, including Tosin, Andy Robertson, and Omar Marmoush. Are their injuries serious?
De Zerbi: No, there are no serious issues. Both Tosin and Robertson just had some minor problems. I don't think they will have any problem playing in Saturday's match.
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