Roberto de Zerbi’s reign as Tottenham Hotspur’s new head coach started with a defeat at Sunderland that plunges them deeper into relegation trouble.
Italian De Zerbi took charge after predecessor Igor Tudor was sacked after only 44 days in charge – but it was the same old story as Spurs could not end a winless sequence in the Premier League which now stretches to 14 games, with none in 2026.
De Zerbi’s new charges were not short of endeavour but quality was sorely lacking and the goal that started their downfall typified a scrappy game when Nordi Mukiele’s 20-yard shot took a big deflection off Spurs defender Micky van de Ven to leave keeper Antonin Kinsky helpless.
Spurs then lost captain Cristian Romero through injury after he was nudged into keeper Kinsky by Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey.
It is a result that leaves Spurs in the bottom three, two points behind West Ham United after the Hammers’ 4-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday.
