Tottenham Hotspur Endures Worst Premier League Start in 51 Years Under De Zerbi

Tottenham Hotspur entered the 2026-27 Premier League season with renewed optimism. The club had narrowly avoided relegation the previous year but responded with a massive summer spending spree, reportedly investing between £300 and £380 million in new signings, according to Sky Sports and World News CNA.

Roberto De Zerbi, hired to inject fresh ideas and energy, was given the backing to build his ideal squad. The goal was to turn last season's struggles into a new era of success. Spirits were high as the season began, with fans and pundits alike watching closely to see if the investment would pay off.

The optimism faded quickly. On August 22, Tottenham suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Brentford in their Premier League opener. The team looked disjointed and failed to threaten, despite the new arrivals.

A week later, on August 29, Spurs hosted Newcastle United. The match ended in another defeat, with Newcastle scoring twice in the second half. According to BBC and ESPN FC, this left Tottenham without a win or even a goal after two games. Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa were the scorers for Newcastle, while Tottenham's big-money signings struggled to make an impact.

Sky Sports and Guardian Sport reported that De Zerbi highlighted the team's mentality as the biggest problem, admitting that changing the attitude in the squad was a major challenge. The Guardian noted that, despite a strong start in the Newcastle match, Spurs collapsed in the second half, raising questions about their resilience and ability to adapt.

Fanpage and La Repubblica pointed out that this is Tottenham's worst start to a league campaign in 51 years, dating back to the 1974-75 season. The pressure on De Zerbi grew as pundits, including Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports, criticized the performances and questioned whether the new signings could gel quickly enough.

As of the end of August, Tottenham sits at the bottom of the Premier League table. The team has lost both opening matches without scoring a single goal, despite a record transfer outlay.

De Zerbi remains calm in public, insisting that building the right mentality will take time and cannot be bought, as reported by La Repubblica. However, criticism is mounting, and the pressure for immediate results is growing among fans and media.

With the transfer deadline approaching, De Zerbi is reportedly seeking at least one more signing, according to the Guardian. Whether this final addition can spark a turnaround is uncertain. The next few fixtures will reveal if Tottenham can recover or if a crisis is looming.