Tottenham Hotspur’s three-game winning run in the Premier League came to a disappointing end at Elland Road on Saturday lunchtime. Noah Okafor scored immediately after coming off the bench to earn Leeds United a 1-0 win.

Spurs were pretty solid defensively until Okafor’s goal, but their problems up top once got exposed. Omar Marmoush and Dominic Solanke were anonymous at Elland Road, with the former registering two shots. Leeds United goalkeeper James Trafford had a comfortable afternoon as he was not tested often enough.

This pretty much sums things up for the Lilywhites ahead of the January transfer window. While the recent winning run helped lift the mood around N17, it is clear this Tottenham side is still far from the finished article.

Alan Shearer names signing Tottenham must make in January

“Yeah, totally agree.

“I think as much as De Zerbi will say about Tottenham, this, that, and the other, what they massively need is a centre-forward with the work that he’s trying to do and doing, unless they get someone in January who’s going to give them that extra bit of quality in the centre-forward position, then I just think they’ll keep on banging their head against a brick wall.

“I mean, I thought they were poor yesterday, Spurs. I was expecting so much more from them.”

Indeed, the Lilywhites are among the sides with the fewest goals scored in the Premier League (10). That is a big concern for De Zerbi, especially with Marmoush having struggled to impress since arriving on a season-long loan from Manchester City. The Egyptian international does not look a major threat up front and has scored just once in nine appearances for the club.

Solanke, too, has misfired since the start of the season, with the England international’s stoppage-time header vs. Manchester United the only league goal he’s scored this season. De Zerbi has no further options in his ranks after deciding to exile Richarlison from his 25-man Premier League squad.

Whether it is Solanke, Marmoush or any other combination up top, the North London club’s attackers are not delivering the goods at all. Thus, what Shearer is saying is spot on, and Tottenham’s hierarchy must loosen their purse strings on a quality striker in the upcoming transfer window.