Tottenham XI vs Aston Villa: Starting lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Premier League today | OneFootball

Spurs handed huge boost in bid to claim first top-flight win this season

Tottenham have Sandro Tonali and Pedro Porro back for today’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa.

Despite improving performances, Spurs remain without a single goal or victory in the top-flight this season after four games and were dumped out of the Carabao Cup in the third round by Liverpool on Tuesday.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi will desperately want to head into an extended three-week international break with some momentum and knows his side have a good opportunity to kick-start their season by inflicting more pain on Aston Villa.

Unai Emery’s side are also without a league win this season but secured their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round with a 3-1 win over Coventry on Wednesday.

While Spurs’ main issues on the pitch have come in attack, they have also struggled for fitness again, with De Zerbi bemoaning an unstructured pre-season that has left his players physically off the mark.

The club’s revamped medical team have also taken a more cautious approach to player returns, keen to avoid a repeat of the injury crisis that has derailed their last two seasons.

De Zerbi has therefore struggled to name a settled starting lineup so far this term, with first-choice full-backs Porro and Destiny Udogie both left out as a precaution as Spurs drew 0-0 at home to Everton last weekend.

Injury boost: Tottenham will have Sandro Tonali back against Aston Villa

Porro and Udogie both return to the squad against Villa, however, with Udogie impressive even as Tottenham fell 3-1 to Liverpool at Anfield. Porro starts, but Udogie is on the bench.

Tonali missed the trip to Merseyside with an unspecified knock, but has returned to training and starts.

James Maddison is being managed carefully and is still yet to start a game this season.

Dejan Kulusevski is back in first-team training, but is not involved as he continues to build up his match fitness after almost 18 months on the sidelines.

Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk remains out with an ankle injury suffered in training until after the international break. Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons are long-term absentees.