Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi may have dropped a hint about who is likely to start in the number‑ten role against Manchester United this weekend.This weekend presents a crucial opportunity for Tottenham Hotspur to secure their first three points of the season after a winless run in their opening five Premier League matches.Victory is far from guaranteed, however, as they face fellow top-six rivals Manchester United, who themselves are desperate for wins having collected just five points from their first five fixtures.Spurs head into Saturday’s clash following a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa, while United were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw with Fulham.Roberto De Zerbi has been boosted by the availability of Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke, who had been doubts after picking up minor knocks with the Netherlands. Yet, despite that positive news, it appears James Maddison may not be involved against the Red Devils.Credit: @tristram pearson/InstagramRoberto De Zerbi hints at Tottenham number 10 selectionMaddison has not started a game for Tottenham in over a year, with his last start coming back in May 2025. His absence has not been down to form but rather injuries, including a long-term ACL setback.In recent months, he has featured from the bench, including this season where he has played 59 minutes in the Premier League. With the three-week international break providing time to work on his fitness, expectations were high that Maddison would be ready to start against United.J. MaddisonTottenham – Premier League (2026 – 2027)Appearances3Minutes Played59Average Rating6.44Goals0Assists0Passes53Key Passes0Pass Accuracy (%)88.00Yellow Cards0Red Cards0Stats correct as of 9 October 2026.However, De Zerbi has hinted otherwise, suggesting the midfielder still has lingering fitness issues and is unlikely to start. He also name-dropped Gallagher while discussing number 10 options, with the former Atletico Madrid man having spent the last two weeks training at Hotspur Way.Speaking to the official Tottenham platform, De Zerbi said: “He’s available but he lost 3-4 days at the end of last week and start of this. James is a special player for us. Gallagher, as a 10, also he’s playing well.“We’re both frustrated because he wants to be on the pitch. Not a big injury and tomorrow he can play but the Premier League is tough and you need to be fit and in the right condition to run and fight.“He is working well and this is the way. The way is to complete 3/4/5 weeks in a row without feeling pain and problems and then he’s a normal player.”Gallagher could be key for Spurs against UnitedWhile Tottenham could benefit from Maddison’s creativity, the statistics may favour a midfield with Conor Gallagher in the number 10 role.Last week, United produced a lacklustre performance, covering just 110.2 kilometres – a low figure compared to Fulham, who ran 6.5 km more and looked the stronger side throughout. Tottenham have covered more distance than United this season, although only by 0.2km per game. That stat certainly has to improve if they are to beat United this weekend.PL RankTeamDistance CoveredDistance Rank1Manchester City11.2 km18th2Arsenal18.7 km1st3Brighton & Hove Albion14.3 km10th4Brentford17.5 km3rd5Leeds United14.6 km9th6Liverpool10.3 km20th7Everton13.6 km12th8Hull City14.2 km11th9Newcastle United14.9 km6th10Chelsea13.5 km13th11Ipswich Town14.8 km7th12Manchester United11.9 km16th13Nottingham Forest12.5 km14th14Sunderland14.7 km8th15Crystal Palace15.2 km5th16Aston Villa11.5 km17th17AFC Bournemouth15.4 km4th18Coventry City10.5 km19th19Fulham18.5 km2nd20Tottenham Hotspur12.1 km15thOf course, given the Red Devils’ poor running statistics, this match could play right into Gallagher’s strengths as his relentless work rate and energy would give Spurs a crucial edge against a side that struggles to cover ground effectively.Even if Maddison does not start, he is still expected to remain an option from the bench, offering Tottenham another creative outlet should they need it.READ MORE: Tottenham may have just given a Jan Paul van Hecke injury hint from official videoThe post De Zerbi hints at who will start as Tottenham 10 amid James Maddison fitness concerns appeared first on Spurs Web.