Roberto De Zerbi believes it will take multiple transfer windows for Tottenham to undo all the damage that has been done to the club over the last two years, following a dire start to their Premier League season.

Spurs were beaten 2-0 by Newcastle United in their first home game of the Premier League campaign on Saturday, with Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa on target.

That result, which came off the back of a dismal 3-0 defeat to Brentford on matchday one, leaves De Zerbi's men bottom of the table without a point or a goal.

It is the third time Tottenham have started a league campaign by losing their opening two matches without scoring, previously doing so in the 1947-48 (2nd tier) and 1974-75 (top tier) seasons.

And since the start of last term, no team has lost more home Premier League games than Spurs' 11, with Wolves the only other club to match that figure.

Spurs have spent heavily throughout the current transfer window, with this week's double capture of Savinho and Omar Marmoush from Manchester City taking their outlay beyond £350m, including their obligation to make Marmoush's loan permanent for a reported £60m.

De Zerbi still wants another addition before the window slams shut on Tuesday, but he has called for patience as Spurs rebuild after back-to-back 17th-place finishes. 

"We are not panicking. I know where we are going. I know what the plan is and what the difficult problems could have been," he told Sky Sports.

"I'm sorry to the fans and players for the result, but we have to improve. To change the last two years... it's impossible to do that in 10 days or one transfer window.

"We have to work hard on the pitch. We have to find the connection between the players because last season, before the end, we were in the Championship. 

"We stayed up together; now we have to be calm."

De Zerbi also felt Saturday's result flattered Newcastle, who scored from their only two shots on target and lost the expected goals (xG) battle by 1.04 to 0.75.

"I think for 60 or 65 minutes we played better than Newcastle. We had a chance to score, but we didn't. After they scored, we lost our distances," the Italian said.

"We had more chances and shot more on goal. We are not a team yet. We have to improve a few things. 

"Forget the result, I'm not angry. We are working well. We were unlucky today, especially with the result."

A trip to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest is up next for Spurs, who then host Everton and Aston Villa either side of an EFL Cup third-round tie at Liverpool.