Tottenham Hotspur have everything to play for in the final seven games of the 2025/26 Premier League season, because after West Ham United made short work of the worst team in the league, Wolves, by winning 4-0, the Lilywhites are officially in 18th place and in the relegation zone for the first time this campaign.
Spurs have to win. Sunderland are a tough team defensively and have outperformed expectations in their return to the English top flight after making a number of shrewd budget summer signings, but Tottenham have more quality and should be beating them even with all the injuries.
Of course, part of the optimism comes from a tactical upgrade in the manager's seat after Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham were able to successfully convince risky hot head Roberto De Zerbi to join them on a massive contract.
Antonin Kinsky will be in goal
De Zerbi inherits a depleted team, and right when he took the job, he learned that he won't even be getting his best player, winger Mohammed Kudus, back for either this weekend battle with Sunderland - or for the rest of the 2025/26 season.
Tottenham Hotspur will also miss two more key players against the Black Cats, as De Zerbi revealed to reporters at the press conference before the game. Guglielmo Vicario seemed like he could play after getting hernia surgery done, but he will not, in fact, make it in time for the first matchup after the March international break. Meanwhile, another Serie A grad, Rodrigo Bentancur, will still not be back yet.
Roberto De Zerbi said of Bentancur and Vicario's injuries, via Football.London's Alasdair Gold, "Vicario is not ready for this game. I hope he can come back next week but I don't know yet. Bentancur is working with us but not completely but we have enough to fight, to play, to make points."
Rodrigo Bentancur still being out injured in the midfield with that hamstring tear of his is not a big deal for Tottenham. They have been better without him in the starting lineup, and while he is a decent depth guy, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray are superior players in the middle of the park for De Zerbi to work with.
The real headliner is Guglielmo Vicario still being out. He has been terrible this season, and while young Antonin Kinsky's errors against Atletico Madrid stick out, Vic in his previous injured state was just as bad. But a healthy Vicario is a good keeper, and if Kinsky can't get it together against Sunderland, people will point to his absence as a huge blow for Spurs.