The sight of Cristian Romero limping off in tears away at the Stadium of Light may prove to be the defining image of Tottenham Hotspur's season, with things going from bad to worse for new boss Roberto De Zerbi.
So often painted as the villain in north London, having picked up six red cards in a turbulent Spurs career to date, the World Cup winner was undoubtedly the victim on this occasion, suffering a cruel blow following a nasty collision with goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky.
Had the roles been reversed, there would likely have been outcry and even punishment directed toward Romero, although intriguingly, Brian Brobbey appears to have walked away scot-free despite what looked like a blatant push on the Argentine.
Alas, that is water under the bridge now, with the bigger concern likely to be what this all means for the Tottenham skipper's long-term future at N17...
Why Romero may not play for Spurs again after Sunderland
Even the most ardent critic of Romero would find it difficult not to have been moved by his emotional exit on Sunday afternoon, the polarising centre-back having come off worse from that second-half incident, forcing De Zerbi into a change.
At a time when the Spurs ranks are already depleted, the news regarding the severity of the 27-year-old's couldn't have been worse, with the defender looking set to miss the remainder of the campaign.
He is expected to miss up to eight weeks with 'a high-grade partial tear of his medial cruciate ligament', as per BBC Sport, essentially ruling him out of the next six games, and threatening his World Cup hopes.
If Romero is to remain absent for the rest of the relegation run-in, there is a high chance that the trip to Wearside will have been his last outing for the club, according to reports.
The ex-Atalanta man has long been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid, with that La Liga switch likely to again be on the table heading into this summer, amid suggestions that he has already agreed personal terms with Diego Simeone's side.
Whether Spurs survive or not, it appears almost certain that Romero will be elsewhere next season, having endured a miserable final campaign after the highs of last season's Europa League triumph.
The mercurial centre-back was magnificent on that night in Bilbao, but he's drifted into liability territory since then - and he's not the only one.
Spurs' new Romero could also be on his way this summer
If there was to be any positive from Sunday's 1-0 loss to the Black Cats, it might well have been the performance of the aforementioned Kinsky in the sticks, with the Czech 'keeper shaking off his Madrid woes to put in a largely solid performance on the day.
From Granit Xhaka's first inswinging corner, the 23-year-old was up to the task, while having been remarkably calm in possession considering the circumstances, completed 20 of his 21 passes inside his own half.
Now under the tutelage of a manager who previously ousted Robert Sanchez in favour of Jason Steele due to the Englishman's superior ball-playing quality at Brighton and Hove Albion, Kinsky could well be De Zerbi's long-term pick in the sticks.
Indeed, after that improved showing, it appears unlikely that usual number one, Guglielmo Vicario, will come back into the mix upon his return from injury, with the Italian recently undergoing hernia surgery.
With just six games of the season to play, Vicario - like Romero - could have pulled on a Spurs shirt for the final time, not least considering he is a target for Inter Milan, ahead of a summer return to Serie A.
Like Romero before him, the 29-year-old had been plucked from Italy's top-flight back in the summer of 2023, initially proving an instant favourite as Hugo Lloris' successor in north London.
Speaking after the chaotic 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in the November, pundit Jamie Carragher hailed Vicario as an "absolute revelation", with the ex-Empoli almost keeping the Blues at bay on his own for much of the proceedings.
Much like his captain, who notably saw red against Manchester United earlier this year for a reckless lunge on Casemiro, there has been an erratic quality to Vicario's game for a long while now, be it his tame attempted save at Anfield, or his involvement in Fulham's bizarre goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier in the campaign.
Meant to be one of the experienced heads in this team, in a similar mould to Romero, Vicario's decline has been stark of late, while - if those reports are to be believed - he already has one eye on his next destination.
That therein lies the problem, or part of it, at Spurs, too many players in flux, too many dreaming of a move elsewhere.
Be it Romero, Vicario or other senior figures in the squad, they may have ambitions of a high-profile, marquee switch to an elite club, ignoring the fact that their performances don't warrant such a reward.
In any case, be it through injury or mere selection, Tottenham's number one might not be seen in sticks again.