Roberto De Zerbi has lavished praise on a Tottenham Hotspur star ahead of the Everton clash, suggesting that he has ‘suffered’ due to the team’s struggles this season.
The Lilywhites are set to play what is arguably the biggest game in their modern history, with their place in the Premier League in doubt ahead of their final game of the season.
De Zerbi’s men need a point to ensure the club does not drop below the top tier of English football for the first time since 1978.
Spurs fans have been angered by the fact that Cristian Romero has flown to Argentina instead of being with his teammates for the big game, but the Tottenham boss has now heaped praise on another of the Lilywhites’ main leaders.
Roberto De Zerbi claims Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven is the best left centre-back in England
Micky van de Ven has worn the captain’s armband in Romero’s absence, and the Dutchman has certainly led from the front over recent weeks.
The 25-year-old has fallen short of his high standards this season, but De Zerbi believes that is down to the team’s struggles, insisting he does not doubt the former Wolfsburg man’s quality.
When asked about his relationship with Van de Ven, the Italian told Football.London: “Great. I think he is the best centre-back in the Premier League. We talk a lot of time because I think he suffered, maybe too much for the situation of Tottenham this season. He’s a sensitive guy, he’s a good guy and in my time, I think he played amazingly. And for that, I’d answer he’s the best central back, left centre in the Premier League.”
De Zerbi wants Spurs players to ignore West Ham’s fortunes on Sunday
There could be some big drama on Sunday, with Tottenham fans likely to chear on Leeds against West Ham while the Hammers fans will be hoping Everton do them a favour.
However, De Zerbi has told his troops he does not want them to pay any attention to what is going on in East London.
When asked about the expected cheers and noises from the crowd at N17 depending on the developments at the London Stadium, the 46-year-old responded: “No, I want to stay focused on ourselves, on our performance, on what we can do on the pitch because it’s in our hands.”
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