Former England international Paul Merson has described Saturday’s Premier League meeting between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa as a potential turning point for both sides.

Tottenham host Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with neither team having won in the league this season.

Spurs are also yet to score a Premier League goal, having collected two points from their opening four matches.

Merson said Tottenham’s main difficulties have been confidence and mindset, particularly when they fail to convert early pressure into goals.

He said Spurs started brightly against Everton in their previous league match, controlling possession and creating problems, but their inability to score affected the team’s confidence as the game progressed.

According to Merson, scoring an early goal could help Tottenham regain belief and change the way they approach matches.

Villa have also endured a difficult beginning to the campaign, including a defeat by Nottingham Forest in which they dominated possession but failed to score.

Merson, however, said he did not expect Villa to become relegation contenders, pointing to the quality of their squad and manager Unai Emery.

He nevertheless described the Tottenham fixture as an important game for both teams, saying the outcome could influence their momentum after the international break.

“It’s a big game for both teams because it’s a momentum swinger,” Merson said. “You win it, then you can kick on after the international break.”

The match is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. BST on Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Merson also discussed Arsenal’s title prospects in his Sky Sports column, expressing his view that the defending champions are capable of maintaining their strong start to the season.