Roberto De Zerbi has been warned the pressure could crank up on him if Tottenham Hotspur lose this weekend.

However, former Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy believes De Zerbi will not be sacked before November despite Spurs' winless start to the season.

Roberto De Zerbi looks on during Tottenham Hotspur's defeat to Liverpool
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De Zerbi has been warned he could come under pressure if Spurs lose to Aston Villa this weekendCredit: AFP

The north London outfit have taken just two points from their opening four Premier League matches without scoring a goal.

Meanwhile, Spurs were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Liverpool on Tuesday night.

Murphy has labelled their 3-1 defeat at Anfield a 'little bit embarrassing' but still expects Spurs to finish in the top half this term.

De Zerbi's side host Aston Villa on Saturday, live on talkSPORT, in their final match before the international break.

Murphy backs De Zerbi

Another loss would not be enough for the Italian to be sacked, though, according to Murphy.

Instead, he expects the Spurs hierarchy to give him up to another two months once the club returns to action in October.

Speaking on White & Jordan, Murphy admitted: "They’ll climb up the table. I still think they’ll be in the top half.

"I am surprised how poorly they’ve started, but actually the turnover of players, a lot of new players have come in, some of them late. He’s not yet established his best 11.

"There’s a few decisions when you watch them play. I’ve done most of the games where it’s kind of a little bit baffling, but they’ve got enough.

"It’s just about getting through this initial bad spell. Last night didn’t help.

Tottenham Hotspur players look dejected during their defeat to Liverpool
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Murphy has labelled Spurs' defeat to Liverpool a 'little bit embarrasing'Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

"I think he picked a strong team, which he should have done because he’s under a bit of pressure.

"He’s got a lot of quality and competition for places, but he picked a really strong team and they played okay.

"They missed a couple of big chances in the first half which can change momentum in a game, but to lose 3-1 it’s a little embarrassing.

"There comes a point with every manager at every club where the fans will start and if they lose to Villa at the weekend before the international break, all of a sudden amazingly he’s under pressure.

"Even if they lose at the weekend, I still think they’ll give him a month or two after they get back from the international break."

What's next for Spurs?

Spurs face a three-week gap between matches after Saturday's 12:30pm kick-off against Villa due to the season's first international break.

Roberto De Zerbi looks dejected after Tottenham Hotspur's defeat to Liverpool
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De Zerbi's side are yet to score or win in the Premier League this seasonCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

Following the match, their next fixture will be away to Manchester United on October 10.

Heading into the weekend, Spurs sit 17th in the Premier League after back-to-back goalless draws against Nottingham Forest and Everton.

Those results follow defeats to Brentford and Newcastle United to start the season.

De Zerbi was appointed Spurs manager in March on a five-year deal through to the summer of 2031.

Having guided the club to three wins from seven matches to end the season, he secured their top-flight survival on the final day of the campaign.

A home win over Everton saw Spurs finish two points clear of London rivals West Ham, who were relegated to the Championship.

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