Socceroos teen sensation Lucas Herrington made his first Premier League start as his side Hull went down 2-1 to Newcastle United.
Herrington, who joined Hull from American side Colorado Rapids in £12.6m ($33m) move ahead of the season, played all 90 minutes for the Tigers and was among their better performers.
Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!
It’s a significant step for the 19-year-old, who had come off the bench in Hull’s previous four Premier League outings.
Newcastle started fast with two goals inside the first seven minutes through Joe Willock and Lewis Hall for a 2-1 win.
Konstantinos Tzolakis saved Yoane Wissa’s penalty before half-time to keep Hull alive and they produced a nervy finish at St. James’ Park when Mohamed-Ali Cho pulled a goal back.
SPURS COACHES LASHES FRAGILE STARS
“In my 14 years as a coach, I’ve never seen a team like us.”
Roberto De Zerbi has been left in disbelief at how ‘fragile’ his Tottenham side is after their misery continued on Saturday.
Spurs were beaten 3-2 by Aston Villa to drop into the Premier League relegation zone on an embarrassing afternoon.
De Zerbi’s side looked to be heading for a 3-0 loss, which would have seen them go five games without scoring a single goalafter seeing Mohammed Kudus‘ tap-in ruled out by VAR.
But late strikes from Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke made the result look a lot more respectable on paper.
In reality though, it was another very rough day for Tottenham, who spent over £300million on transfers over the summer – and their manager seems as confused as their fans.
What has De Zerbi said about Tottenham’s defeat to Aston Villa? Speaking post-match, De Zerbi admitted that he is baffledby his own players following their third loss of the season.
“It’s a mental aspect for sure, but they have the right mentality,” the Italian told talkSPORT. “They work very well, theyare good players.
“It’s difficult to explain because, in my career, 14 years as a coach, I’ve never seen one team like us. So fragile, so inconsistent.
“You’re good, or you’re bad. You can’t be very good in the first 30, 40 minutes, and then concede like this in this way.
“It’s tough to accept for me.” De Zerbi has managed nine clubs in his 14 years on the touchline, but he is facing the toughestchallenge of his career at Spurs.
What else did De Zerbi say?
The Tottenham manager was also asked if he could explain the 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon.
To which he admitted: “Listen, I’m a coach, but I do not have all the answers…for your question, I have no answer.
“I can say what I think, what I’ve seen today and I saw my team in the first half play very well, we had chances to score.
“We didn’t score and then we conceded the first goal…we have to stay closer and stay stronger, more compact.
“In the second half, after Kudus’ goal, I don’t know if the players lost energy…now we have to explain another defeat.” DeZerbi added: “Maybe the communication between the players [is the problem], maybe the leaders have to be stronger.
“We need leaders to drive and lead the team…I don’t know, I want to speak with the players when I stay with them.
“With Newcastle it was the same, in Liverpool it was the same, with Everton it was the same…we have to find the solutions.” Spurs have played 14 games in total under De Zerbi, winning on just four occasions and losing six in all competitions.
His points-per-game average in North London is 1.14, which is his lowest since 2018 when he was Benevento boss.
Across all of his matches at Tottenham, his side have conceded 19 goals and only managed to score 16.This season, their twogoals in the loss to Aston Villa are their only goals in the Premier League after five games, of which they have failed to win one – losing three and drawing two.
CHAMPIONS STUNNED AS RED-CARD DRAMA ERUPTS
Mikel Arteta said Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat by Brighton on Saturday was a “big lesson” for the defending Premier League champions after they were beaten for the first time this season.
Brighton dominated from the off at the Amex Stadium and punched holes in Arsenal’s normally resolute defence thanks to long-range strikes from Pascal Gross and Charalampos Kostoulas before half-time.
Chema Andres rose highest to head in a third from a corner early in the second period as Arsenal lost by more than two goalsfor the first time in over three years.
“Extremely disappointed. First of all I think we have to congratulate Brighton for the victory, I think they deserve it,” said Arteta.
“I think they were the better team. From our side there were certain basics that you need to accomplish in football, especiallyin the Premier League, that we were very far from.” The Gunners have been tipped to cruise to the title after ending their 22-year wait to be crowned champions of England last season.
Arsenal started the campaign in ominous fashion, winning all seven games before Saturday in all competitions.
But Arteta said defeat served a timely reminder ahead of a three-week international break of how tough the season will be.
“It’s a big lesson for us,” added the Spaniard.
“That’s not going to take away what the team has done and the boys have done in the last six or seven weeks since coming backfrom the World Cup.
“With 18 players coming back, what we’ve done and the way we’ve competed and the amount of games we’ve won has been remarkable.
“But this is a big lesson for all of us to understand what it takes to win at this level.”
It could have been even worse for the Gunner with skipper Declan Rice escaping a red card for lashing out in frustration.
In the last few moments of the clash at the Amex Stadium, with the Brighton fans bouncing, the midfielder kicked out.
Malick Yalcouye leant into the England international, slightly nudging him, which caused a reaction.
Rice then chased down Yalcouye and swiped his legs from underneath him, sending him down to the ground.
TalkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook said on commentary: “Declan Rice goes through the back of Yalcouye off the ball! That looked a bit nasty!”
Co-commentator Troy Deeney then said: “Declan’s just lost his temper there. There’s no real need for it, there’s a little push in the back.
“And as Yalcouye walks across him, he has a little swipe at his legs.” Crook went on to ask: “Is that not a red card?
To which Deeney replied: “You’d have to ask [Mikel] Arteta if he’d want that as a red card after his conference last weekabout referees.”
Rice was given a yellow card for the act.