Roberto De Zerbi made Liverpool 'regret' admission before Tottenham talks - 'It annoyed me'

Roberto De Zerbi is in talks to become Tottenham's new manager, with the Italian having been out of a job since leaving Marseille shortly after he was left fuming against Liverpool

Roberto De Zerbi is in talks to become Tottenham's new manager(Image: Getty Images)

Roberto De Zerbi looks to be edging closer to becoming Tottenham’s new manager as the crisis-ridden club launches an attempt to stay in the Premier League.

Spurs parted ways with interim boss Igor Tudor on Sunday after just 44 days in charge for the Croatian. During that time, Tudor lost five of his seven games in charge, and picked up just one point in the league.

Liverpool fans won’t need reminding where that point came, with the 1-1 draw at Anfield proving to be arguably the lowest moment of what has already been a disappointing season for Arne Slot’s side.

Although that kept Tudor in the job a little longer, the 47-year-old was on his way after a disastrous 3-0 defeat to fellow relegation rival Nottingham Forest, with De Zerbi now looking as though he could be heading to north London.

According to Sky Sports, Tottenham is progressing in talks with the former Brighton boss, with De Zerbi said to be open to taking the job after being offered a five-year contract.

The Italian left Marseille earlier this year, shortly after coming up against Liverpool in the Champions League. The Reds came out comfortable 3-0 winners that night thanks to goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo, with an own goal from Geronimo Rulli sandwiched in between.

Roberto De Zerbi was left annoyed by his Marseille side's performance against Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

De Zerbi didn’t take the defeat too well as he bemoaned the way in which his players approached the game, perhaps his first hints that he had become unsettled in France.

"I don't like the word 'regret'. We played badly, we didn't play well,” De Zerbi said after the game in January.

"We conceded a silly goal from a free-kick. It's true, we were playing against Liverpool... but knowing that, we should have done much more, especially in the first half. We didn't know how to deal with Liverpool.

"We had opportunities to do better. We didn't take them. The attitude, the will, was there, but it's not enough against Liverpool.

"We also need to understand football, how to play the ball out from the back, make fewer misplaced passes, and show more personality. We already knew our opponent was stronger, but we could still do better."

De Zerbi added: "It annoyed me that we didn't read the game properly. After the break, the game opened up, and when you give Liverpool space, you're bound to suffer."

De Zerbi won’t get the chance to exact some revenge on the Reds this season, with Liverpool and Tottenham having already played each other twice in the Premier League.

Should he take the job, he faces a huge task to keep Spurs up. They lie just a point above the relegation zone with seven games to go, with his first game potentially coming against Sunderland on April 12.