Analysis: No instant impact for De Zerbipublished at 17:07 BST
17:07 BST
Phil McNulty Chief football writer
Image source, Getty Images
Roberto de Zerbi has no time to waste if he is to save Spurs from the ignominy of the drop, but he was unable to make the clouds of relegation hanging over this giant club lift on another dismal day.
Spurs now have to make up that two-point gap on West Ham United with only six games left, and he witnessed a display desperately lacking in inspiration on Wearside.
Sunderland were by far the more organised and threatening side, with Dominic Solanke wasting Spurs' best chance right on half-time when he was blocked at the near post.
De Zerbi was preparing to make changes when Sunderland went ahead with a goal that often sums up the fate of the struggling team, Nordi Mukiele's routine shot taking a huge deflection off Micky van de Ven to beat Antonin Kinsky.
Spurs were also unlucky to lose key defender and captain Cristian Romero following that clash with keeper Kinsky, the Argentine in tears as he went off.
De Zerbi would have been concerned at the lack of reaction from Spurs to going behind, a clear indicator of their lack of self-belief and confidence.
There is no escaping just how serious Spurs' predicament is – and they will have to produce much better than this in their next game at home to De Zerbi's old club Brighton.
The fact that Spurs have not win in the Premier League since victory at Crystal Palace on 28 December does not inspire confidence.
Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham: What De Zerbi saidpublished at 16:55 BST
16:55 BST
Media caption,
Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Sorry because we didn't deserve to lose the game. We played a good game, maybe not enough to win but we were unlucky in a few situations in the first half.
"I cannot say anything to players because they gave their best in terms of attitude and spirit. We can play better for sure and you can feel better. We have to work on that. My work is not so much on the pitch because they are good guys and I am sorry for them. I want to give them confidence in what they need.
"Tactically, we played a good first half. With the ball and without the ball. We don't have confidence to play great football but we did what we have been working on this week. The players can play better if they are feeling confident."
On keeping spirits high: "I can be a big brother, father, they don't need a coach. They don't need to improve football. They can play better and they will play better once we reach a different level of confidence."
On looking forward to the challenge: "Absolutely, I'm sure if we are able to win a game then everything will change."
Did you know?
Each of the last two Spurs managers have lost their first Premier League match in charge of the club (Igor Tudor against Arsenal in February, Roberto De Zerbi against Sunderland), this after none of the previous nine Spurs managers (including caretakers) had lost their first league match in charge of the club.
Tottenham remain one of just two teams in the Premier League this season who have failed to win a match after going behind, along with Wolves. Overall, Spurs have gone behind in 23 different matches, going on to lose 16 of those and draw the other seven.
Aged 20 years and 31 days, Archie Gray became the second-youngest Tottenham Hotspur player to make 50 appearances for the club in the Premier League, with only Aaron Lennon (20 years and 12 days) reaching this milestone more quickly for Spurs in the competition.
Sunderland v Tottenham: Team newspublished at 13:17 BST
13:17 BST
Image source, BBC Sport
Sunderland make four changes from the side that won at Newcastle United in the Tyne-Wear derby.
Robin Roefs returns in goal in place of Melker Ellborg, while Nordi Mukiele, Reinildo and Enzo Le Fee replace Lutsharel Geetruida, Trai Hume and Chemsidine Talbi.
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Sunderland v Tottenham" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Manchester City".
Tottenham in relatively unchartered relegation territorypublished at 12:31 BST
12:31 BST
Chris Collinson BBC Sport statistician
Image source, Getty Images
Tottenham will start a Premier League match in the bottom three for the first time since September 2011, when they travelled to Wolves in their third match of the 2011-12 season, having lost their first two fixtures.
They won that game 2-0 to move up to 13th place in the Premier League table.
In fairness, they had played just two games to everyone else's three games as their season-opener against Everton was postponed due to riots in Tottenham.
So, given how early on in the season that result was and the game in hand situation, what's far more relevant is the last time Tottenham were in the relegation zone beyond the first few games of a top-flight season.
The last time Tottenham started a Premier League match in the bottom three more than three games into a season was in January 2009. They started that home game against Portsmouth bottom of the table, but a 1-1 draw - thanks to Jermain Defoe's equaliser - moved them up to 16th place in the table.
It was the game where Harry Redknapp famously criticised Darren Bent for missing a late big chance to clinch all three points for Tottenham, saying: "My missus could've scored that one!"
Coincidentally, the last time Sunderland beat Tottenham came just over a year later, when they won 3-1 at the Stadium of Light in April 2010, and two of the Black Cats' goals were scored by Darren Bent (although he did also miss two penalties).
Sutton's predictions: Sunderland v Tottenhampublished at 10:15 BST
10:15 BST
What's Roberto de Zerbi going to do with Tottenham and how will he set them up?
I've read about when he went in at Brighton and how Lewis Dunk said it took the Seagulls players a while to get up to speed and adapt to his demands.
The whole situation is just odd, with De Zerbi securing a five-year contract despite only hanging around for more than two years at one of his previous eight clubs.
Good luck to him, but this is a difficult place for him to start.
Sunderland's form at the Stadium of Light has dipped a bit since they lost their unbeaten home record against Liverpool in February, but the Black Cats will be buoyant after beating Newcastle last time out.
If Spurs are going to play the type of football we associate with De Zerbi, they will be open, expansive and take risks - but will they have the confidence to do that?
Sunderland are the team that come into this game with belief. They've had a brilliant season and their incentive now must be to stay above Newcastle in the table.
Sunderland v Tottenham Hotspur: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 13:03 BST 11 April
13:03 BST 11 April
Jordan Butler BBC Sport journalist
Relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur make the trip north to Sunderland on Sunday. BBC Sport explores some of the key talking points surrounding this fixture.
All eyes will be on the dugout at the Stadium of Light this weekend as Tottenham's latest head coach attempts to save his new club from a disastrous relegation with only seven games of the season remaining.
"I have a big responsibility," admitted Roberto de Zerbi, who has signed a five-year contract with no relegation release clause. "For me, Tottenham, especially in this moment, is maybe the most important challenge in my career."
One of the many necessary steps towards securing safety for the Italian and his coaching staff will be to inject belief in a side lacking confidence and he will need to quickly bring an end to their 13-game winless streak in the league (D5, L8) – the club's worst run for 91 years.
The 46-year-old can perhaps lean on the fact that Spurs have been significantly better away in the Premier League than at home, with 20 of their 30 points coming on the road.
Does De Zerbi need time?
Some of the conversation around the Italian's appointment has centred on his propensity for slow starts, with time apparently needed to convey his methods to a new group of players, something that Spurs don't have. But at his past four clubs he has largely hit the ground running and he was victorious in his first league match with Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk and Marseille.
The obvious anomaly is Brighton where, not only did he take over in mid-season, but he also failed to win any of his opening five in charge. He did, however, accrue eight points from his first seven games on the south coast and if that form were replicated in his current role it would likely ensure Tottenham's top-flight survival.
An average of 36 points has been enough to stay up since the Premier League switched to a 38-game season in 1995-96. The necessary total stands at 33 points across the past 10 seasons. By that yardstick, one win would potentially be enough for De Zerbi, but even with a victory this weekend his work will be far from done.
Record in reach for Sunderland?
Sunderland achieved the magical 40-point mark with victory over Leeds United in early March and, unlike Tottenham, their top-flight status is all but assured for another year.
Regis le Bris's side can now set their sights on setting a new club record for most points in a Premier League season. They require another 16 to surpass the previous highest total set by Peter Reid's men in 1999-2000. Unlikely given there are 21 points remaining, but not impossible.
Sunderland have endured a dismal recent record against Tottenham in the top flight and they are winless in 15 previous meetings (D5, L10) since a 3-1 home victory in April 2010. Four of their five Premier League victories over the north London club have come at the Stadium of Light, including a memorable 1-0 triumph on the opening day of the 2007-08 season.
Michael Chopra scored a later winner for Roy Keane's newly promoted side that day and the win proved to be very important, as the Wearside club finished just three points above the relegation zone, while Spurs placed 11th. The opposite could well be true at the conclusion of 2025-26.
De Zerbi on Vicario's injury, battling relegation & bringing 'passion' to Spurspublished at 14:38 BST 10 April
14:38 BST 10 April
Nat Hayward BBC Sport journalist
Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light (14:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
On Thursday, Spurs confirmed Mohammed Kudus has been ruled out of a return this weekend, external after suffering a setback in his come back from a quad injury picked up in January which will "potentially" require surgery.
De Zerbi also confirmed Guglielmo Vicario is "not ready" to return yet, adding: "I hope he can come back next week, but I don't know yet." Rodrigo Bentancur is "working with us" but "not completely" and remains unavailable for selection.
Reflecting on his appointment, the Italian said: "Proud and happy to be here. Thanks to Vinai [Venkatesham] and Johan [Lange] who have shown me a big confidence. Now I have to work. Now we have to make points. I'm sure about the level of the players - many of them in the past I was close to bringing to my former teams. They are working very well. I'm not better than Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor because I consider them very good coaches. I try and bring myself, my character, my passion."
De Zerbi was asked if he had a message to the fans: "I haven't any message. In the last game they were fantastic before the game. The message for my staff and players is we have to deserve their support because the fans are suffering like us, like the players. There is just one club, one team. The players can change team but the fans, the club is unique. We need to make the fans happy with the right football, the right spirit and behaviour on the pitch."
On his style of football: "My style is one part about the style of play and one part about the character and personality. I want to give organisation with and without the ball. What I want to achieve immediately is the character, the right spirit and courage to play and attack because the DNA of this club and squad is to find the goal and score."
Asked why he has he only brought two of his former coaches with him as part of his coaching team, De Zerbi responded: "It is totally different this situation because we have no time to work like in Brighton, and I don't want to put confusion inside of the players."
On the chances of him and players staying if the club get relegated: "For sure I don't want a player if they don't want to stay. My contract is for five years. I want to say my opinion in the transfer market because I am a coach but I want to see the players happy to work in this club."
Fear, anger or excitement - how are Spurs fans feeling?published at 17:24 BST 9 April
17:24 BST 9 April
The Premier League's return this weekend brings trepidation for some and excitement for others.
Football's emotional rollercoaster becomes intense at this time of year, unless of course mid-table mediocrity has taken a grip of things in recent months.
So how are you feeling as a Spurs fan with just a handful of weeks left to go?
The league form reads: LLLLDL
The next three league fixtures are: Sunderland (a), Brighton (h) and Wolves (a)
What style tweaks might De Zerbi demand?published at 15:29 BST 9 April
15:29 BST 9 April
Umir Irfan Football tactics correspondent
Media caption,
Looking at Roberto de Zerbi's Brighton and Marseille sides, you soon notice how often they repeat certain patterns of play.
When building up, the idea is to draw opponents towards defenders on the ball before using quick passing routines to find free players facing forward. They are better positioned to play the ball up the pitch quickly into the attackers.
When it works, De Zerbi's sides turn possession in their own half into shots near the opposition's goal within a few seconds. It's an electrifying watch - but the level of potential attacking reward comes with great risk.
De Zerbi's approach requires defensive players to take responsibility with the ball - delaying actions until they have forced opponents to press them.
In a recent training clip, he was seen coaching his new players through concepts to make his tactics easier to implement. For central defenders under no pressure, the advice was to take many touches. De Zerbi's centre-backs often provoke opponents by placing their studs on top of the ball - a sort of psychological trick that causes a striker to leave their shape and engage.
Two central midfielders are usually in close proximity to the central defenders. The midfielders receiving passes are often tightly marked, and De Zerbi's advice for them this week was to take one or two touches.
The ball doesn't stay with these players long to minimise the risk of losing the ball in dangerous areas. They instead act as a wall to bounce the ball off to nearby team-mates, who have lost their marker and can play forward under less pressure.
Gossip: Spurs pushing for Traffordpublished at 08:18 BST 9 April
08:18 BST 9 April
Tottenham are pushing to sign Manchester City and England goalkeeper James Trafford this summer, with the 23-year-old a key target as the club prepares for a busy transfer window. (Teamtalk, external)
'Players must unite' - fan views on De Zerbi prioritiespublished at 17:01 BST 8 April
17:01 BST 8 April
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views on what Roberto de Zerbi should be looking to change or introduce in order to get some quick success as Tottenham prepare to take on their final seven Premier League fixtures of the season.
As the third man to take up a managerial position at the club in 2025-26, what does the Italian boss need to do differently to his predecessors to help the club avoid relegation?
Take a look at some of the data we unearthed on the post below this one and here are some of your suggestions:
Drew: He must look forensically at videos from the last 10 to 15 league games, identify anyone not putting a shift in, and not select them for the remainder of the season because they clearly have no desire to compete. It will be fate that either keeps Spurs up or sends Spurs down to the Championship. I hope he gives some of the youngsters a chance to shine.
John: Spurs must display more focused passion while playing. The manager must drop anyone not committed to the cause, no matter how important we think they are in this relegation battle. The team and its spirit come first, always!
Kevin: He needs to improve the team's mental stability. In every position, especially in the back line, we are playing very tentatively and it's got nothing to do with the players' technical skill sets.
Frank: I agree that the players must unite and put in effort but, after reading the gossip column, it looks like Bissouma, Vicario and Romero are all looking at get out options so it's hard to believe that they, and some of the others, are truly committed to the club.
Jamie: He needs to get the fans behind the team. Spurs fans sing all too often about hating Arsenal, we all know that. We need to concentrate on Tottenham and get behind the players to give them a lift and some support.
Where are De Zerbi's quick wins?published at 12:21 BST 8 April
12:21 BST 8 April
Luke Reddy BBC Sport senior journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Roberto de Zerbi will face the glare of the cameras at Sunderland on Sunday - the third man in Tottenham's dugout this season with the task of reviving the Europa League holders as they stare down the unthinkable prospect of relegation from the Premier League.
De Zerbi has - in some quarters - already been questioned by virtue of his methods requiring time before players adjust. Time is one thing Tottenham do not have.
So where might there be quick wins for Spurs and their new leader? Such are the fine margins between success and failure at the bottom of the table, a few subtle tweaks may be all that is needed to at least fall over the safety line and create room for a wider overhaul during the summer.
Stop making mistakes
Tottenham are ranked joint-bottom for errors leading to goals this season, on 12 with Aston Villa. Spurs are out on their own as the worst side in the league for errors leading to chances on 39. So, put simply, stop the errors. Can De Zerbi influence the mindset whereby some confidence is injected, paving the way for clearer decisions and fewer mistakes?
De Zerbi's Brighton side of 2023-24 were second-worst in the league for errors leading to goals (nine) and fifth-worst for errors leading to chances.
Be more incisive
Spurs - historically viewed as a creative, flair-rich club - are blunt this season. There are mitigating circumstances with game-changing attacking options injured on the sidelines. But, through the entire campaign, data from statisticians Opta shows Tottenham have played a total of 22 through balls. That is the worst figure in the league, behind Wolves on 24. For context, Manchester City have played 105. So can De Zerbi cut out the errors leading to chances at one end while encouraging his players to embrace a bit of risk at the other? This is a time for heroes and, in most comic books, heroes score goals or play through balls.
Brighton played with a bit more risk in De Zerbi's final season - their haul of 62 through balls put them 10th in the Premier League.
Embrace the Bale memories
We all remember the sight of Gareth Bale powering down the left flank, at pace, defenders shaking in peril as a fast break overwhelms them. It is a good job Spurs fans have such memories as, this season, their mark of 14 fast breaks is a league low. Some pace and ferocity on the counter have been sorely missing. De Zerbi would be wise to introduce it.
This looks unlikely to change as in his last season at Brighton, De Zerbi's side delivered 10 fast breaks - the lowest in the Premier League.
Corner kings - keep it going
There is something in the water in north London this season given the corner joy both Arsenal and Spurs have enjoyed. This facet of Tottenham's play is bang on point and that has to remain the case. They have scored 14 times from corners, with only Arsenal bettering the tally on 16. Whatever is being coached in this area, De Zerbi must welcome with open arms.
This is a bonus for De Zerbi to inherit as his last incarnation of a Brighton side were average when it came to scoring from corners, with seven goals in 2023-24.
So from a data perspective, the stand-out areas where crucial points can be edged Tottenham's way are focused on reducing errors, adding some bravery in cutting edge, breaking with a bit more zip and continuing to deliver from dead balls.
'Players must unite like never before' - fan views on Spurs run-inpublished at 10:41 BST 8 April
10:41 BST 8 April
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views on Spurs' Premier League run-in and whether they will avoid the drop.
Here are some of your comments:
Ricky: I think it's almost a certainty that the third relegation spot will go down to the last seconds of extra time in the very last game being played in the entire Premier League season, with the fate of all four clubs - Nottingham Forest,West Ham,Leeds and Spurs - hanging on the result. My specific prediction (or is it desperate hope) is that West Ham score a late winner against Leeds that sends Leeds down, but keeps themselves, Spurs and Forest up.
Mark: If Roberto de Zerbi comes in with an immediate lift that we've been missing, then we might be OK. Four away games out of seven is definitely a positive factor... sad to say.
John: Spurs have no excuse for the situation they are in. The players must unite like never before to save their club. Nobody can do it for them - don't depend on other clubs' results!
Image source, Getty Images
