Tottenham Hotspur will return from the international break with a trip to Manchester United, and recent history suggests Roberto De Zerbi’s side will need to be wary of their first game back.Spurs are not back in Premier League action until October 10, when they travel to Old Trafford for a 5.30pm kick-off following an extended international window.The break gives De Zerbi some valuable time to work with those players who have remained at Hotspur Way, although a sizeable contingent of the Tottenham squad are away representing their countries.When everyone returns, Spurs will be looking to improve on a surprisingly poor recent record immediately after international duty. Saturday 10th October Premier League Manchester UnitedManchester United17:30TottenhamTottenhamCredit: @thatfootballphotog / InstagramTottenham have lost four of their last five games after international breaksLooking back at the five most recent international breaks, Tottenham have won just one of their first Premier League matches back.That victory came away to West Ham in September 2025, with Spurs losing the other four against Chelsea, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Sunderland.International breakFirst Premier League game backResultMarch 2025Chelsea 1-0 TottenhamLostSeptember 2025West Ham 0-3 TottenhamWonOctober 2025Tottenham 1-2 Aston VillaLostNovember 2025Arsenal 4-1 TottenhamLostMarch 2026Sunderland 1-0 TottenhamLostThat leaves Tottenham with just three points from a possible 15, having scored five goals and conceded eight across those matches.There is some important context behind those numbers, with four of the five games being played away from home and trips to Chelsea and Arsenal included in that run.Regardless, the record is still a significant change from what had previously been a strength for Spurs.Ahead of the 3-0 win over West Ham last September, Tottenham had won five of their previous eight Premier League games immediately after an international break. Victory at the London Stadium subsequently made it six wins from nine, but Spurs have lost all three of their first league games back since.West Ham win stands out from Tottenham’s recent recordTottenham’s only victory in this five-game sequence was also comfortably their most convincing performance.Thomas Frank’s side returned from the September 2025 international break with a 3-0 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium, with Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven all scoring during the second half.It was also Xavi Simons’ first Tottenham appearance following his summer move, while Bergvall was handed a start in midfield.West Ham were reduced to ten men when Tomas Soucek was sent off shortly after Sarr’s opener, but Spurs still produced the sort of performance they have struggled to repeat immediately after subsequent international breaks.The next one ended in a 2-1 home defeat against Aston Villa despite Rodrigo Bentancur giving Tottenham the lead after only five minutes.That was followed by the worst result of the sequence as Spurs were beaten 4-1 by Arsenal at the Emirates following the November international break.De Zerbi has already experienced Tottenham’s post-break problemThe most recent defeat is particularly relevant ahead of the trip to Manchester United because De Zerbi was in charge of it.Tottenham appointed the Italian during the March international break and his first match as Spurs head coach took his side tto Sunderland on April 12 which certainly did not go to plan.Tottenham created opportunities at the Stadium of Light but were unable to take them, eventually suffering a 1-0 defeat that continued their battle against relegation.As SpursWeb highlighted after De Zerbi’s Tottenham debut, the change in head coach was unable to produce the immediate response Spurs desperately needed.De Zerbi was encouraged by elements of the performance, particularly Tottenham’s first half, but admitted afterwards that his side needed to show more energy, passion and enthusiasm.This time the circumstances are very different. De Zerbi has had an entire summer to reshape the squad and implement his ideas, rather than inheriting a team in the middle of a relegation battle. The players now should firmly know what is expected of them.Does Tottenham’s international break record really matter?Five matches is still a relatively small sample and Tottenham’s record should not be viewed in isolation.Four of the five fixtures were away from home, while Chelsea and Arsenal are among the most difficult away trips Spurs face in any Premier League season. The Sunderland defeat also came during an exceptional period, with De Zerbi taking charge of his first match after being appointed during the international break.Tottenham went from winning six of nine Premier League games immediately after international breaks to losing their next three, while their overall record across the most recent five stands at four defeats and only one victory.De Zerbi will also have to manage the usual complications that come with international football, with some players returning to Hotspur Way having travelled considerable distances and played multiple matches for their countries.The Tottenham head coach will need to assess those players carefully before deciding on his starting XI at Old Trafford.There is no reason to suggest an international break automatically makes Tottenham less likely to win, particularly given the quality of opposition they have faced during this sequence, but their recent record certainly leaves room for improvement.De Zerbi has already experienced one disappointing return from international duty as Tottenham head coach. Victory over Manchester United would ensure the second one ends very differently and hopefully secure a first league win of the 26/27 season.The post What Tottenham's last five post-international break matches tell us before Man Utd - Opinion appeared first on Spurs Web.