Tottenham Hotspur v Everton: Spurs Seek First League Win Amid Injury Woes

Tottenham Hotspur walk back into their own stadium on Saturday with an awkward statistic hanging over them: three games played, no wins, and just a single Premier League point on the board.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side sit 18th, already staring up at a congested table. The mood is not yet panicked, but the warning lights are flickering. Another blank, like last weekend’s goalless stalemate at Forest, would bring an unwanted piece of history – four straight league matches without a goal for the first time in the club’s existence.

The venue, at least, offers a sliver of comfort. Spurs’ only win and only clean sheet in their last 12 top-flight home fixtures came against these very opponents. It is thin evidence, but in a start like this, De Zerbi will take any foothold he can find.

Spurs’ injury puzzle

The search for a spark is complicated by a growing injury list.

James Maddison, the natural conductor of this Tottenham side, trained before the trip to Forest but did not make the squad. His shoulder problem, picked up in the opening-day defeat to Brentford, still hangs over the team sheet. He remains a doubt, and without him the hosts lose both guile and authority between the lines.

Out wide, the situation is no kinder. Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons are all still working their way back from knee injuries, leaving De Zerbi short of natural wide playmakers and forced to lean again on those who are fit enough to go.

The most frustrating setback may be Mykhaylo Mudryk’s. After finally making his first competitive appearance in more than 600 days against Forest, his comeback has been abruptly halted by a new ankle injury. The diagnosis is brutal: six to eight weeks out, just when he looked ready to rejoin the conversation.

All of that strips away options and narrows the tactical picture. It also piles pressure on those who remain available.

Savio, Tel and Kudus carry the attacking burden

With the treatment room full, De Zerbi is expected to stick with Savio and Mathys Tel in the wide attacking roles. Both bring energy and direct running, both can stretch a game, and both now shoulder responsibility that, in a healthier squad, would be spread far more evenly.

Through the middle, Mohammed Kudus is being eased back after his own lengthy absence. His minutes are being managed, but his presence, even in bursts, gives Spurs something they have badly lacked in these opening weeks: unpredictability in the final third.

The pressure finally told against Forest in terms of fitness, not goals. On Saturday, De Zerbi needs that pressure to tell in the penalty area instead.

Predicted Tottenham XI

Barring late surprises, Tottenham are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1:

Kinsky; Porro, Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Robertson; Tonali, Bentancur; Savio, Fernandes, Tel; Solanke.

It is a side with enough technical quality to control long spells, but one still searching for rhythm, fluency and, above all, end product.

Kick-off and TV details

The Premier League clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium kicks off at 17:30 on Saturday, 12 September 2026.

In the UK, the match will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event.

Tottenham are still waiting for their first league win and their first real statement of the season. With the table already beginning to stretch, how many more chances can they afford to waste?