Pedro Porro Returns as Tottenham Seeks First Premier League Goal

Pedro Porro will be back in the fight for Tottenham this weekend as Roberto De Zerbi leans even harder into his all‑out attacking vision.

The Spaniard, described as having had a “muscular issue”, has missed Spurs’ last two matches but has been cleared to face Aston Villa in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off in north London. De Zerbi delivered the update in the wake of Tuesday night’s 3-1 Carabao Cup third-round defeat at Liverpool, a result that only sharpens the focus on Tottenham’s Premier League struggles.

Spurs are still hunting their first league goal of the season. The wait is becoming awkward. De Zerbi, though, refuses to blink.

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

That “click” is the obsession now. And De Zerbi is starting to get some of his key pieces back.

Mohammed Kudus, sidelined since January with a serious quad injury, finally made his first Tottenham start at Anfield. The Ghanaian’s return changes the shape of De Zerbi’s attack and, in his mind, the ceiling of this team.

“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.”

That is not a cautious manager talking. That is someone ready to flood the pitch with forwards.

De Zerbi even went a step further, pointing out that with the right blend of midfielders and full-backs, Spurs can effectively line up with “eight attackers”. It is a bold claim for a side yet to score in the league, but it underlines his refusal to retreat into safety-first football.

At the heart of that vision sits another comeback story: James Maddison.

The England international has not started a match since May 2025 after suffering a cruciate ligament tear and then dealing with a shoulder fracture. This season he has been eased back with three substitute appearances, but his manager still talks about him in almost reverential tones.

“Maddison is for sure a different player, a special player,” De Zerbi said. “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.”

Porro returning, Kudus fit, Maddison edging closer to full sharpness. The pieces are there. Now comes the real test: can De Zerbi’s fearless, front-loaded Tottenham finally turn all that attacking theory into a first Premier League goal – and a first Premier League win – before the tension really starts to bite?