Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Wed 1 April 2026 14:30, UK

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Roberto De Zerbi will take charge of his first Tottenham Hotspur match next week when his side travel to Sunderland.

The Lilywhites confirmed the appointment of the Italian on Tuesday, with a staggering five-year deal signed.

The former Brighton boss’s first task will be to keep Tottenham in the Premier League, with interim manager Igor Tudor having left them just one point above the relegation zone.

De Zerbi was available after leaving Marseille in February, and arrives as a well-regarded tactician.

As Tottenham manager, however, he will need to produce instant results in a seven-match run which will be defining for the club’s future.

How does Roberto De Zerbi fare against Premier League opponents?

Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness exclusively told Football Insider that De Zerbi’s Tottenham contract is surprising, with the boat clearly pushed out to bring in the Italian.

The 46-year-old was reportedly the first choice for decision-makers, who have been attracted to his style of play and his Premier League experience.

De Zerbi was in charge of Brighton for two years, and produced the best-ever top-flight league finish in the club’s history.

In that time, he managed matches against many of the teams Tottenham will face in their final seven Premier League games, but not Sunderland.

De Zerbi’s first match in charge will be against an opponent he has never faced. The same can, of course, be said for his second match, which will be against his former side, Brighton.

The rest are all opponents that the Italian is familiar with. Up first, Wolves, who the manager has taken on five times, winning three, drawing once and losing once.

Interestingly, that one loss was the only to come outside of the Premier League – it was in the FA Cup, and it was the last time he managed a team against them.

De Zerbi’s record against Aston Villa is less attractive. One win and three losses, although the win came in the last encounter.

Leeds United have only been an opponent once, in a game that was drawn, and Chelsea were faced five times, with two wins and three losses. The 46-year-old does have a win at Stamford Bridge under his belt already, though.

Finally, Everton have always been a difficult clash, too, with De Zerbi having just one win from four games. That victory came at the first time of asking, with a loss and two draws following.

De Zerbi’s concerning Brighton start

De Zerbi’s Tottenham arrival largely boils down to these seven games. Despite what they say, if the North London club go down, who is to say what will happen?

With that in mind, decision-makers surely noted the start that the Italian endured during his tenure with Brighton.

The Seagulls had been flying under Graham Potter before he left for Chelsea, winning four of their opening six Premier League games.

De Zerbi’s appointment coincided with a run of five games without victory, with three of those going down as losses.

Brighton would win their next two and recover to have a superb season, but Tottenham do not have the same type of time – a run of five games without victory could relegate them.

Decision-makers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are taking an almighty risk, and the fate of the club potentially depends on how much they know what they are doing.