Tottenham Hotspur play their first Premier League home game under Roberto De Zerbi on Saturday evening when Newcastle United visit North London.

Spurs recovered from a chastening 3-0 opening-day defeat at Brentford by thrashing Charlton 5-1 in the EFL Cup, while Matthias Jaissle’s Newcastle followed their dramatic 2-2 draw with Liverpool by beating West Brom 3-2 in midweek. Both managers are reshaping ambitious squads, but neither has yet found the defensive control to match the attacking talent at their disposal.

De Zerbi already has major decisions to make

Given the scale of Tottenham’s summer investment, their performance at Brentford was an alarming way to begin the new campaign. Four new signings started, but Spurs were comprehensively beaten and failed to score. Wednesday’s EFL Cup tie offered an immediate opportunity to reset, and a 5-1 victory over Charlton provided exactly the response De Zerbi needed.

Savio was particularly impressive. The £85m signing came off the bench to contribute a goal and an assist, putting himself firmly in contention for a first Premier League start. Mikey Moore, Dominic Solanke, Kevin Danso and Ben Davies also scored as Spurs eventually overwhelmed their Championship opponents.

De Zerbi could now make further changes to an attack that struggled badly at Brentford. Omar Marmoush completed his move from Manchester City on Thursday and is available to make his debut, while Savio could be promoted into the starting XI. Mohammed Kudus may also return to the squad after spending more than seven months out with a thigh injury.

The midfield has undergone an equally dramatic transformation. Former Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali joined Spurs for a club-record £100m this summer and should face his old club, potentially alongside Mateus Fernandes and Conor Gallagher.

Tottenham are still dealing with several absences. Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski and Wilson Odobert are ruled out with knee injuries, James Maddison requires a late assessment on his shoulder problem and Pape Sarr’s situation remains uncertain amid speculation over his future.

Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro should return to the defence after appearing from the bench against Charlton. Home advantage has regularly helped Spurs settle quickly at the start of a season. They have won their first home league match in each of the past five campaigns, scoring 14 goals and conceding only once. Newcastle, though, have proved an awkward opponent.

Jaissle’s Newcastle are exciting but still vulnerable

Newcastle’s opening two competitive matches under Jaissle have produced nine goals, which perhaps tells us plenty about the direction the new manager wants to take them.

They were seconds away from beating Liverpool before conceding a 99th-minute penalty in a 2-2 draw, then survived a surprisingly difficult EFL Cup evening against West Brom.

Bazoumana Touré scored his first Newcastle goal before being withdrawn at half time, with replacement Harvey Barnes striking twice to secure a 3-2 victory.

There was another significant development before that match when Newcastle presented £50m midfielder Nico Gonzalez to the St James’ Park crowd. He could make his full debut on Saturday, potentially replacing either Lewis Miley or Sean Steur.

Jaissle has spoken about producing positive, entertaining football with his youthful squad following Newcastle’s disappointing 12th-place finish last season. The early evidence certainly suggests that his team will attack, although finding greater control will be essential.

Newcastle have developed a costly habit of allowing opponents back into matches. Since the beginning of last season, they have dropped 29 points from winning positions, more than any other Premier League club.

Their away record is another concern. Newcastle have won only four of their last 22 Premier League matches outside St James’ Park, losing 12.

Trips to Tottenham have proved an exception. The Magpies have won three of their last four visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and six of their previous eight league meetings with Spurs overall.

Anthony Elanga should retain his place after scoring against Liverpool, already surpassing his league goal total from the whole of last season. Barnes is pushing strongly for a start after his midweek double, while Touré should also be available despite experiencing some discomfort against West Brom. Jaissle remains without William Osula, Dan Burn, Joelinton and Tino Livramento.

Verdict: Neither defence inspires enough confidence

There is an unusual amount of change surrounding both clubs, making their attacking potential easier to trust than their defensive organisation at this stage.

Tottenham should look very different from the side that lost at Brentford. Savio’s performance against Charlton gives De Zerbi another dangerous wide option, while Marmoush could immediately add greater variety to the attack. The return to North London should help too, given Spurs’ excellent recent record in their first home fixture.

Newcastle have reasons for confidence of their own. Their recent record against Tottenham is excellent, and Spurs have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of the last 14 meetings between the clubs.

There has never been a goalless draw in 62 Premier League meetings between these sides, and little about either team’s opening performances suggests that sequence will end here.

Tottenham should improve significantly from their opening defeat, but Newcastle possess enough pace and attacking quality to exploit De Zerbi’s developing side. With neither defence yet looking settled, an open game could finish with neither team able to pull away.

Tip

Draw and both teams to score.