Tottenham Hotspur's summer signing Mateus Fernandes began Saturday's Premier League clash at the City Ground from the substitutes' bench, as Roberto De Zerbi's side settled for a goalless draw against Nottingham Forest. The result marked Spurs' first point of the new season.
Conor Gallagher was preferred in the No.10 role ahead of the £85 million arrival, with Fernandes only introduced in the 83rd minute. The 22-year-old struggled to make an impact after coming on, registering the fewest touches of any Tottenham player on the pitch during the match.
The decision to leave Fernandes out of the starting lineup sparked speculation over a possible fitness issue, given that the former West Ham midfielder has had difficulties staying fully fit since his move to north London in the summer transfer window. However, De Zerbi moved to clarify after the match that Fernandes was fully available for selection, insisting the call was purely tactical.
The Italian coach explained that he opted for Gallagher because of the specific physical demands he anticipated from facing Forest at the City Ground. "I have experience to know enough what is this stadium. This stadium is England football and Gallagher he knows better this type of game," De Zerbi said. He added that he remains confident in Fernandes' long-term prospects at the club, stating, "Mateus will become for sure in my time at Tottenham one of the best players but I'm lucky because I have many good players and I have to find the right first XI [for each game]."
Tottenham's midfield trio for the match — Gallagher, Sandro Tonali and Rodrigo Bentancur — covered a combined distance of 31.9km as they worked to control the midfield battle in what was a scrappy, tightly contested encounter. De Zerbi expressed satisfaction with how his team performed overall, particularly in grinding out a point on the road.
Beyond the Fernandes situation, De Zerbi also touched on the performances of two other attacking options who featured in the match. Mathys Tel, the young French winger, had a difficult outing, with the manager pointing to poor decision-making in the final third as the main issue. Meanwhile, Mykhailo Mudryk made his debut for the club but was unable to make a telling contribution during his time on the pitch as a substitute.
De Zerbi suggested that Mudryk, in particular, will require patience as he settles into life at Tottenham following his move to the club. "He [Mudryk] is not ready yet. He's working to reach the best physical condition. He needs time, he needs work," the coach said. He went on to group Mudryk with Tel as players who possess significant untapped potential, despite their struggles on Saturday. "In that position, we have Tel, big potential. But also Mathys takes too many wrong decisions, and Mudryk. So, two big players, two big potential players," De Zerbi added.
The draw leaves Tottenham still searching for their first win of the campaign, though De Zerbi's comments suggest he is taking a long-term view of his squad's development, particularly regarding his high-profile summer recruits. With Fernandes, Tel and Mudryk all still adapting to their new surroundings, the Italian manager appears willing to be patient as he looks to integrate his new arrivals while continuing to rely on more experienced options like Gallagher in matches he deems tactically demanding.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.