Roberto De Zerbi, Tottenham's manager, revealed after the game that Mykhailo Mudryk was not started because he believed Manor Gallagher would be better suited to the physical tempo of the game, despite Mudryk being a £85m signing. De Zerbi admitted that Mudryk is still working on reaching his best physical condition and needs time to adapt. The team's midfielders covered 31.9km during the goalless match against Tottenham, with Gallagher being one of them. De Zerbi was impressed with the overall performance but expressed concerns about Mathys Tel's decision-making and Mudryk's lack of readiness.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event.
Claims extracted
12
claim-shaped sentences
Uncertain
8%
1 of 12 hedged
Leaning
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Publisher trust
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Narrative spread
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No political leaning scored for article 4803 · logged 2026-09-05
The 22-year-old was introduced in the 83rd minute but struggled to impose himself on the game, taking the fewest touches of any Spurs player on the pitch.
asserted
old → introduce → pitch
Fernandes’ exclusion from the starting lineup prompted talk that he may have picked up an injury, with the former West Ham man having struggled for fitness since arriving in north London this summer.
uncertain
man → start → London
De Zerbi, though, admitted after the game that the Portuguese was fit and that the decision not to start him was taken as he believed Gallagher would be better suited to the physical tempo of the game.
asserted
Gallagher → admit → game
A scrappy encounter ended goalless, with Spurs’ midfield three of Gallagher, Sandro Tonali and Rodrigo Bentancur covering 31.9km between them as they battled for control in the centre of the park.
"I have experience to know enough what is this stadium.
asserted
what → end → experience
This stadium is England football and Gallagher he knows better this type of game.
asserted
he → know → game
Mateus will become for sure in my time at Tottenham one of the best players but I'm lucky because I have many good players and I have to find the right first XI [for each game],” De Zerbi said.
asserted
Zerbi → become → game
The Italian was impressed with his team’s performance as they held on for their first point of the season.
asserted
they → hold → season
However, he went on to add that there was a lot more to come from Mathys Tel - the young French winger endured a difficult afternoon as his decision-making let him down in the final third - while suggesting that debutant Mykhailo Mudryk will take time to adapt after an ineffectual cameo off the bench.
asserted
Mudryk → go → bench
He's working to reach the best physical condition.
asserted
He → work → condition
He needs time, he needs work.
asserted
he → need → work
In that position, we have Tel, big potential.
asserted
we → have → Tel
But also Mathys takes too many wrong decisions, and Mudryk.
asserted
Mathys → take → decisions
