Sandro Tonali will play no part in the Carabao Cup third-round tie at Liverpool. The Italy midfielder picked up a knock in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Everton and, when Roberto De Zerbi read out his list of absentees on Monday, Tonali was on it.

“There is not Sandro Tonali because he felt a knock,” the head coach told reporters.

Losing him hurts more than most. Tottenham broke their transfer record to prise the Italy international out of Newcastle in the summer, in a deal worth up to £100m, and he was supposed to anchor the new head coach’s midfield.

Pedro Porro’s muscular problem keeps the Spain right-back out, and Dejan Kulusevski is still working his way back from the kneecap injury that has kept him sidelined since the end of last season. Destiny Udogie, at least, is fit again after his own muscle issue.

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“Pedro is still not available. Udogie, yes [he is available],” De Zerbi added.

Spurs set an unwanted 144-year first

Tottenham travel north having played four Premier League matches this season and scored precisely zero. Two draws and two defeats have delivered two points, and, as the club’s own supporter statisticians pointed out, never in Tottenham’s 144-year history have Spurs failed to score in each of the opening four league games of a domestic season.

Saturday’s stalemate against Everton at home was another flat afternoon. A low visiting block, few clear openings, and impatient noise from the stands well before the final whistle.

De Zerbi will not ‘pray’ for Richarlison to stay

The head coach also confronted the Richarlison situation, which has hung over Tottenham’s opening month. The Brazilian pushed for a summer exit that did not materialise, and De Zerbi did not soften the tone when asked whether the relationship could be repaired.

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“At the start of this season I spoke to him many times to convince him to stay and he didn’t want to. I can’t go every day to pray for him to stay,” he told Sportsmole.

He described the rift as one “between the player and the club”.

Kick-off at Anfield is at 8pm local time, with a place in the fourth round on the line.

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