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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Andy Schooler

Tottenham handed major injury boost as Roberto De Zerbi reveals bold attacking plan

Tottenham star Pedro Porro will be available to face Aston Villa this weekend.

The World Cup winner has missed Spurs’ last two games with a “muscular issue” but, after Tuesday night’s 3-1 Carabao Cup third-round defeat at Liverpool, manager Roberto de Zerbi confirmed the Spaniard would be ready for Saturday’s lunchtime Premier League contest in north London.

That game will see Spurs again bid to score their first league goal of the season and De Zerbi believes it is only a matter of time before things “click” for his side.

He said: “I believe in my players, I have a big confidence, a big opinion of my players, and when we arrive to find the click, to win a game, I think we enjoy with these players.”

Among them is the fit-again Mohammed Kudus, who made his first Tottenham start at Anfield since a long-term quad injury suffered in January.

De Zerbi is enthused by the Ghanaian’s return and suggested he is a key and versatile part of his attacking plans moving forward.

“Kudus is another (who is) great news for us, because he can play also as a number 10,” De Zerbi said. “We can play with Savio, Kudus, (Dominic) Solanke and (Omar) Marmoush.”

Huge miss: Tottenham have been without Pedro Porro due to a muscle injury (Getty)
Huge miss: Tottenham have been without Pedro Porro due to a muscle injury (Getty)

Add in midfielders and full-backs and De Zerbi said that Spurs are capable of playing with “eight attackers”.

His attacking philosophy was evident in his comments about another player on the comeback trail in James Maddison.

The England international has not started a game since May 2025 due to a cruciate ligament tear. He has made three substitute appearances so far this season having also battled a shoulder fracture.

“Maddison is for sure a different player, a special player,” said De Zerbi. “But he has to be fit, he has to be in the right physical condition, because the Premier League intensity, even tonight, is incredible. And then we can play with eight attackers.”

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