Tottenham's head coach, Roberto De Zerbi, has voiced strong support for struggling striker Dominic Solanke ahead of a Carabao Cup third-round trip to Liverpool, insisting the club had left "no stone unturned" in trying to fix their goalscoring troubles. Spurs remain winless in 17 visits to Anfield and have failed to score in the league on their last four visits, while Solanke has struggled for form and fitness after a pre-season injury, making him a target for criticism following an ineffective display in the goalless draw with Everton.

De Zerbi, who recalled being struck by Solanke's quality while playing against him for Bournemouth in 2023, said he believes the 29-year-old can score 10-15 goals this season and described him as a "sensitive" but smart player who needs confidence restored. Tottenham paid £55m for Solanke after he scored 19 Premier League goals for Bournemouth in 2023-24, and he has since added 12 more for Spurs, though the club's cup form has been poor aside from a 5-1 win over Charlton. De Zerbi also outlined efforts to strengthen the squad's mentality through video analysis, extra training and team dinners, and confirmed Sandro Tonali and Pedro Porro will miss the Liverpool match, while Destiny Udogie returns and Mohammed Kudus is fit to start.