Solanke starts as Spurs rotate heavily following Brentford defeat

Dominic Solanke will make his first start for Tottenham Hotspur when they host Charlton Athletic in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, with manager Roberto De Zerbi making five changes as he seeks to lift spirits following Saturday's dispiriting 3-0 defeat at Brentford. The £65million summer signing leads the line in a significantly rotated side, while £85million Brazilian winger Savio has been named on the bench for what could be his Tottenham debut. The 22-year-old's involvement comes just a day after completing his move from Manchester City, though De Zerbi admitted uncertainty over whether the player would be ready to feature. Key injuries hit creativity James Maddison will miss the fixture after suffering a shoulder injury during the Brentford match, with De Zerbi confirming the midfielder will be sidelined for a couple of weeks. The setback continues a difficult run for Maddison, who missed an entire year with an ACL injury before returning only to injure his shoulder on Saturday. Mohammed Kudus also remains unavailable, leaving Tottenham short of creative options in attacking midfield. De Zerbi described Kudus as "not ready yet" to return from his own fitness issues. Defensive leaders rested New Tottenham captain Micky van de Ven and World Cup-winning right-back Pedro Porro have both been named on the bench, with De Zerbi opting to manage their workload. Ben Davies takes the captain's armband for his first minutes of the season, partnering Jan Paul van Hecke in central defence, while Destiny Udogie starts at left-back. In midfield, summer signing Mateus Fernandes starts alongside Rodrigo Bentancur, with youngsters Mikey Moore and Mathys Tel flanking Solanke. Lucas Bergvall completes the attacking quartet, potentially operating as a number 10 or with Fernandes pushing forward. Seventeen-year-old academy prospect Luca Williams-Barnett has been included on the bench and could earn minutes. No room for complacency The opposition should not be taken lightly. Charlton have won all three of their opening Championship fixtures and defeated West Ham at the Olympic Stadium at the weekend. Despite the gulf in league status, De Zerbi insisted he is treating the cup tie with the same seriousness as a Premier League match. "For me it's like the Premier League. We are not in the position to make differences," the Italian manager said. "We need to get used to winning the matches. We have to change the mood." De Zerbi acknowledged the mental challenge facing his squad, referencing last season's struggles when critics pointed out Tottenham hadn't won between December and the final weeks of the campaign. "I think the environment has to change, the players inside and the people inside have to change this mentality," he added. Transfer activity continues The match comes amid ongoing transfer business, with Tottenham set to sign Omar Marmoush on loan from Manchester City with an obligation to make the deal permanent for £50million plus another £10million in add-ons. The striker is Van City teammate of new arrival Savio. Speaking about Savio, De Zerbi expressed hope the Brazilian would contribute goals to the side, though the winger will have to wait for his opportunity from the bench. The confirmed Tottenham lineup features Kinsky in goal, with Gray, Van Hecke, Davies and Udogie across the back line, Bentancur and Fernandes in midfield, and Moore, Bergvall and Tel supporting Solanke in attack.

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Tottenham new signing Savio marked his debut with a goal off the bench as Spurs thrashed Charlton Athletic 5-1 to reach the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday night. The Brazil winger, who joined from Manchester City for an initial £75 million, received a standing ovation when he entered the match in the 71st minute with his side already leading 3-0.

Savio made an immediate impact, scoring just 11 minutes after coming on by dancing past two defenders before firing into the net from the edge of the box. He celebrated by lifting a corner flag in the air before the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium crowd. The Brazilian was also involved in Spurs' fifth goal in the 85th minute when his shot deflected off captain Ben Davies and trickled into the bottom corner.

The hosts had seized control with two quick goals before halftime. Mikey Moore opened the scoring in the 41st minute with a rasping drive into the top corner from the edge of the box, his first Spurs goal since January 2025. England forward Dominic Solanke doubled the lead in the 45th minute with a right-footed finish after turning inside the box.

Substitute Kevin Danso made it 3-0 in the 67th minute, heading home Mateus Fernandes' free-kick from 15 yards, though the Austria defender required treatment after being hurt while scoring. Charlton, who made 10 changes to their side and were backed by 6,000 travelling fans, grabbed a late consolation through Lloyd Jones in the 87th minute. Tottenham will now face Liverpool at Anfield in the third round.