Roberto De Zerbi believes Tottenham has shown significant improvement since the international break, but he insists the team needs to adopt a “nastier” edge to sustain their positive momentum.
Spurs recently secured a 2-0 victory against a 10-man Crystal Palace, marking their first three consecutive wins in the Premier League since February 2025.
This success contrasts sharply with their performance before the extended international break in September, when they briefly found themselves at the bottom of the league standings.
Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke scored in the match against Palace, who played with ten men after Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off for a reckless challenge on Micky van de Ven in the 13th minute.
Tottenham will be traveling to Elland Road to take on Leeds United on Saturday, and De Zerbi mentioned that only a few aspects of his team need adjustment to reach their full potential.
“I was pleased with our performance as we demonstrated maturity and clear strategies, managing to limit the opponent’s counter-attacks, conceding only one in the second half,” he noted.
“We created numerous opportunities, but to achieve perfection, we need to be more aggressive. This aspect often depends on individuals—if I’m playing as the number nine or ten, my goal is to find the net.”
“I’m not dissatisfied, and our physical condition is enhancing. If we compare Tottenham’s form before and after the international break, it’s clear we’re functioning more cohesively as a team now.”
Through the lens at Hotspur Way. @Betano_UK https://t.co/i36IylMMJ5
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 4, 2026
In contrast, Leeds suffered a 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth, who have now achieved six consecutive wins without conceding.
Leeds only have themselves to blame for their struggles, with James Trafford making a critical error leading to Bournemouth’s first goal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Harry Wilson failed to capitalize on golden opportunities before Trafford’s misplaced pass was intercepted by Justin Kluivert, setting up Evanilson for the opening goal.
Bournemouth added a second through Amine Adli in stoppage time, but Daniel Farke defended his goalkeeper, downplaying the mistake.
“It was something we caused ourselves, a self-inflicted error that proved crucial. Overall, I think we performed well away from home,” Farke commented. “There’s no need to dwell on it.”
“He’s a fantastic young goalkeeper who has earned us points this season. Football has its ups and downs, and he will ultimately help us more than he costs us. We share our victories and defeats, so my advice is for him to avoid watching that match again; frustrating days happen.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Leeds – Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Calvert-Lewin remains Leeds’ primary attacking threat despite having a goal overturned against Bournemouth, and his contributions off the ball often go unrecognized.
This season, he leads the Premier League in high-pressure situations within the opposition’s penalty box (118), and ranks third in off-the-ball runs finishing in the box (75).
Tottenham – Mohammed Kudus
Since the start of last season, only Bruno Fernandes (22), Rayan Cherki (14), Jarrod Bowen (11), and Declan Rice (10) have registered more Premier League assists than Kudus (eight).
Additionally, out of the nine players with the most dribbles in the Premier League this season (17+), four represent Spurs, with Kudus jointly second with 21.
COMEBACK = COMPLETE! https://t.co/GmpyQIDPnY
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 3, 2026
MATCH PREDICTION: LEEDS WIN
Despite the Opta supercomputer giving Leeds a slight edge, they have historically struggled against Spurs, tallying only five points in their last 13 Premier League encounters (W1 D2 L10) and failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 16 meetings.
Leeds remain winless in their last five league matches (D3 L2). Their defeat to Bournemouth puts them in a precarious position, but they haven’t lost back-to-back league games since early last year.
Playing at Elland Road may work in their favor, as Leeds is unbeaten in their last eight Premier League home matches (W4 D4), their longest unbeaten home run since 2001.
Tottenham, however, has secured four wins from their last five Premier League visits to Leeds’ ground (L1), including victories in the last three encounters. These recent matches coincided with managerial changes for Leeds—Marcelo Bielsa in February 2022 and Sam Allardyce in May 2023.
De Zerbi’s squad has effectively won their last three Premier League outings, maintaining clean sheets in two of those victories. Their last run of four consecutive wins was between September and October 2023, and they last recorded three wins without conceding in May 2022.
They’ll aim to improve their performance in front of goal. Spurs rank fourth in the Premier League for total shots (148) but are in the lower half for expected goals (11.7). Remarkably, they also have the lowest xG per shot of any team this term (0.08).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Leeds – 41.7%
Draw – 26.7%
Tottenham – 31.6%
Fan Take: This matchup is crucial for both teams, with Spurs looking to solidify their resurgence and Leeds battling to regain their form. The outcome could significantly impact each club’s season trajectory and their efforts to claim a more prominent position in the league standings.
Source: www.soccernews.com
