EPL: De Zerbi loses first Spurs game at Sunderland

Roberto De Zerbi began his tenure at Tottenham Hotspur with defeat, as Spurs fell to Sunderland, deepening their Premier League relegation concerns.

The Italian took charge following the dismissal of Igor Tudor, but was unable to halt a worrying run of form. Spurs are now winless in 14 league matches and have yet to record a victory in 2026.

Deflected goal proves decisive

The game was settled by a scrappy moment, with Nordi Mukiele’s long-range effort taking a heavy deflection off Micky van de Ven, leaving goalkeeper Antonín Kinský with no chance.

Despite showing effort, Tottenham lacked cutting edge in attack and struggled to create clear opportunities throughout the contest.

Injury adds to concerns

Spurs’ problems were compounded by an injury to captain Cristian Romero, who appeared to suffer a concussion after a collision involving Sunderland forward Brian Brobbey.

The setback further disrupted De Zerbi’s side during a match already short on quality.

Relegation pressure mounts

The defeat leaves Tottenham in the relegation zone, two points behind West Ham United, who boosted their survival hopes with a 4-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

With results failing to improve, De Zerbi faces an immediate challenge to stabilise performances and steer Spurs away from a potential drop.