In the aftermath of the defeat at the Stadium of Light, De Zerbi raised eyebrows by suggesting that his tactical input might not be the primary requirement for a squad currently lacking in confidence. Despite his new team languishing down in 18th in the table, the former Brighton and Marseille boss insisted that the players' technical ability is not the issue.
"I can be a big brother, father, they don't need a coach," De Zerbi told the BBC. "They don't need to improve football. They can play better and they will play better once we reach a different level of confidence. 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."
The match itself was a frustration-filled afternoon for the visitors. The game remained deadlocked until the hour mark when Nordi Mukiele’s deflected shot wrong-footed Antonin Kinsky to put Sunderland ahead. The hosts held on for the win, but De Zerbi was pleased with his side's application.
"Sorry because we didn't deserve to lose the game," De Zerbi said during his post-match press conference. "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."
To make matters worse for Spurs, captain Cristian Romero was forced off the pitch in tears following a collision with Kinsky. The Argentine defender appeared devastated as he made his way to the dressing room, sparking fears over his availability for both Tottenham's survival fight and the upcoming World Cup. With Spurs winless streak in the Premier League now stretching to 14 games, the potential loss of their leader would be a significant psychological hit.
De Zerbi remains adamant that a single result could flip the momentum. He praised the tactical discipline Spurs showed in the first half and urged his players to maintain their belief despite the 105-day wait for a league victory.
"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. Absolutely, I'm sure if we are able to win a game then everything will change," he concluded.