Summer signing Omar Marmoush believes Tottenham are on the verge of finding the key to turn around their dismal start to the season.
Roberto De Zerbi’s team have picked up just two points from four Premier League fixtures, with their only goals coming in the Carabao Cup before a 3-1 defeat at Liverpool on Tuesday ended their run.
Encouraging signs were nevertheless evident at Anfield, where Spurs outperformed their hosts across various metrics – shots taken, shots on target, possession, touches in the opposition box – but not in the one that mattered most.
That was partly due to Giorgi Mamardashvili, Liverpool’s backup goalkeeper, who made three fine saves, including a brilliant stop from a deflected Marmoush strike with the score at 2-1 late in the second half.
“He made an unbelievable save and he was one of the best players on the pitch,” the on-loan Egypt international, for whom Spurs have an obligation to buy for £60 million at the end of the season, told the club’s website.
“Everyone can see we reach the goal so many times, we have so much quality on the pitch – and from the people who come off the bench to give us this last push – and when these small details click it will be very good.
“Every game we create more and more chances and I am sure we are very close.”
Tottenham’s goalscoring troubles are well documented, with Conor Gallagher’s 69th-minute header marking their first against top-flight opposition since the final day of last season. For a spell it put them in control, but they could not force an equaliser.
“These moments build the mentality and the team together. We are all one big family and we push together,” Marmoush added.
“These small glimpses of success give us another push and we have to build this confidence within us without these moments in order to proceed to other games and be very successful.
“All of us in the club – the staff, the fans, the coaching staff, everyone around us – we have to support each other in order to reach our goal because that’s the only way we can reach it.”
James Maddison made his third substitute appearance of the season, and while De Zerbi admits he can be the difference-maker, the midfielder is not yet ready to start.
“Maddison is for sure a different player, a special player but he has to be fit, he has to be in the right physical condition because the Premier League intensity is incredible,” he said.
De Zerbi did confirm, however, that defender Pedro Porro will be ready to face Aston Villa on Saturday after missing the last two matches with a muscular problem.
