Unai Emery has backed Roberto De Zerbi to excel with Tottenham despite a difficult start to the Premier League campaign.

Ahead of Aston Villa’s game against Tottenham, Unai Emery offered a surprising vote of confidence to under-fire opposing manager Roberto De Zerbi.

While public pressure has mounted following a sluggish opening stretch of matches, the Spanish tactician dismissed external panic.

Unai Emery backs Tottenham to finish top four

Speaking to the media in quotes shared by Fabrizio Romano, Emery made his ultimate projection clear: “I expect Tottenham to be in top four at the end of the season.”

Emery doubled down on his praise for the coaching pedigree in North London, emphasising that high-level frameworks require an adjustment period. “De Zerbi is a fantastic manager, he needs time. The players are fantastic as well,” Emery added.

? Unai Emery: “I expect Tottenham to be in top four at the end of the season”. ???

“De Zerbi is a fantastic manager, he needs time. The players are fantastic as well”. pic.twitter.com/2IEFaEMTth

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 18, 2026

De Zerbi has built an exciting team

The vote of confidence arrives as Tottenham attempts to translate heavy summer investment into tangible on-field success.

De Zerbi’s side has spent heavily to reshape the squad, bringing in high-profile profiles meant to elevate the club into regular Champions League contention.

Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

While those signings have yet to consistently produce positive results, leaving supporters frustrated by early dropped points, the underlying tactical blueprint remains ambitious.

De Zerbi’s trademark style relies on intense positional play, high-risk buildup, and fluid attacking rotations.

Although results have lagged behind expectations to everyone’s disappointment, the performances indicate that it is only a matter of time before they start scoring and winning games.

Emery’s assessment highlights a shared managerial perspective: early-season anomalies rarely dictate a club’s final trajectory.

With a talented roster and an experienced technical staff, Tottenham retains all the necessary tools to turn their campaign around and bridge the gap to the Premier League summit.