Roberto de Zerbi’s first game as manager of relegation-threatened Tottenham, against Sunderland, ended in a crushing 1-0 defeat.
The enigmatic Italian had to parachute into the Spurs hotseat with seven games remaining to rescue the Londoners from a humiliating fate – a very different mission from his last time in charge in the Premier League at Brighton.
Incidentally, the Seagulls will be the visitors next week when their former manager takes charge of his first home game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but he will play from a position in the drop zone.
Tottenham remain winless in their last 14 Premier League games, the second-longest winning streak in the club’s history, but came close to going two points after Nordi Mukiele was fouled with a deflected shot in the second half at the Stadium of Light.
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Nordi Mukiele gives Sunderland the lead.
Spurs showed fleeting promise and De Zerbi’s imprints were evident in their effort, but Robin Roofs was only threatened once by Dominic Solanke. The striker wasted that effort, thereby giving Spurs a chance to gain a foothold in a match they were unable to properly influence.
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Jamie O’Hara was frustrated after Tottenham’s poor defending gave Sunderland a 1-0 lead.
In front of goal, Destiny Udogi deflected Kemsudine Talbi’s shot off the line, and captain Cristian Romero was sent off in tears with an undisclosed injury. His emotional state reflects the general situation at Spurs, with the unthinkable now becoming a very real prospect.
Meanwhile, Sunderland continue their impressive return to the Premier League, moving into the top half of the table. On an unforgettable afternoon for Tottenham Hotspur’s plight, their fortunes could not have been more contrasting.
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Tottenham defender Cristian Romero left the pitch in tears after the game due to injury.
Carragher: ‘Other relegation rivals have a better chance than Spurs’
Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports:
“Usually a new manager takes over and they say it’s his first game, but it had to go outside the box. With Igor Tudor, he had to go outside the box, and the same with Roberto de Zerbi, because of the situation they’re in.”
“I can’t believe it. Tottenham look like they’re going to lose.
“Other teams are aiming for something too. One point in 24 games?
“When you look at the result you would think it was a good game for Tottenham, but it was terrible. Tottenham would be a good game for any other club.
“Wolves are bottom of the league. Do you think Tottenham are going to go there and win? They have no chance.”
Wake up: Spurs’ sliding is real
Tottenham have not won in the Premier League since December
Analysis by Laura Hunter of Sky Sports:
What began as a promising day at the beginning of the Roberto de Zerbi era ended in a devastating reality. Is this Tottenham team really good enough to remain in the Premier League?
For much of this season, the story has been framed differently. As regular commentators, we have been asking the question: Are Tottenham really that bad a team to lose to? Most people would say no. However, that stance is rapidly changing.
Spurs are strong candidates for relegation. Perhaps, as Jamie Carragher has hypothesized, it’s a more convincing case than those around them, given their formality and level of trust.
Only Derby, Sunderland and Swindon Town started the calendar year in the top flight with longer winless periods than Spurs’ current winning streak, and all three were relegated in their respective campaigns. De Zerbi needs a miracle to avoid the same fate.
All the warning signs are there. And now what felt like an impossibly shocking event with little real substance actually feels very possible.
De Zerbi: “We didn’t deserve to lose”
Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi:
“I think we played a good game, but it wasn’t enough to win. We didn’t deserve to lose the game, but we have to accept it and we have to move on.”
“We played a good game, but we are struggling at this moment. We have the quality to bounce back from this difficult moment, so we have to be stronger.”
“We’re disappointed with the result and with (Cristian) Romero’s injury. I hope it’s not a big deal for us or for him.”
“We had three or four clear chances to score goals. Everything has become more difficult and we have to adapt to our style of play.
“We have to move forward. We have to be stronger than this moment. I spoke to the players five minutes ago and we said the same thing. It’s been a tough season and we’re going through tough moments for everyone.”
