De Zerbi Already Knows When Williams-Barnett Will Make First Spurs Start

Roberto De Zerbi and Tottenham Hotspur’s fortunes are looking up after securing three successive Premier League victories, and these results aren’t the only reasons for the North London club to be positive about the future.

The Lilywhites ran out 2-0 winners over Crystal Palace on Saturday evening, dismantling the ten-man Eagles in a game in which they racked up 34 shots. Goals from Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke sealed the deal, and while there were plenty of positive performances from senior players, a youngster who came off the bench grabbed the headlines.

Luca Williams Barnett was introduced in the 88th minute in place of Mathys Tel for his Premier League debut. Despite only being on the pitch for a matter of minutes, the 18-year-old Spurs academy graduate’s cameo was so electric that many Tottenham supporters are urging De Zerbi to start using him regularly in the league.

Weaving in and out of a compact Palace defence, Williams-Barnett’s mazy dribble in the dying embers set Mohammed Kudus up for a tap-in, which the Ghanaian conspired to miss from three yards out, denying the Spurs youngster a debut assist.

This moment of magic from the starlet alone was enough to get Tottenham fans excited about the prospect of the young winger leading their team’s attack for several years to come.

However, while supporters advocate for Williams-Barnett to make his first Premier League start away at Elland Road this weekend, De Zerbi has to be cautious with the youngster’s integration into the first team and pick the right time for him to be given this opportunity.

De Zerbi Must Hold Fire on Williams-Barnett First Start

Leeds away is a tough match, with Elland Road’s cauldron atmosphere making this one of the most intimidating fixtures for Premier League teams each season.

Throwing an 18-year-old with two minutes of top-flight football to his name into this environment would perhaps be a baptism of fire for the prodigy. It might even do the player more harm than good, particularly if things don’t go well for him.

Williams-Barnett certainly looks to be an outstanding talent, but trying to impose himself on a physical Leeds side at Elland Road, from the beginning of the game, is very different to coming on against ten-man Palace at home when the three points are already wrapped up.

Instead, De Zerbi should hold fire and wait until after the international break to blood the teenager from the start of a league game.

In fact, the Italian may already have a specific fixture in mind for Williams-Barnett’s first Premier League start. The Lilywhites entertain Ipswich Town in their first match after this two-week break, and this could be the perfect opportunity to unleash his wonderkid.

Ipswich currently sit 14th and have conceded more goals than any other side in the league bar Palace. Gary O’Neil’s outfit have been more competent than many expected at the start of the campaign, but they’re open defensively, and thus, this should be a relatively routine victory for the North Londoners.

A home match against a probable relegation candidate is a good time for Williams-Barnett to be handed the keys on the left-hand side of Spurs’ attack. De Zerbi can grant the wide man the freedom to express himself against the Tractor Boys, instructing him to attack Ipswich right-back Abdoul Ouattara at every opportunity, without worrying about more holistic, tactical and structural aspects of the game.

This specific match and conditions should be conducive to a young player’s success, so it’s the ideal occasion for Williams-Barnett to be given his big day.

Should he thrive in this environment, De Zerbi can up the ante with a more challenging test after this, perhaps away at the Stadium of Light the following week.

All Statistics via FotMob – correct as of 05/11/2026