Tottenham Hotspur’s latest defeat to Sunderland leaves them firmly in the relegation zone with six games remaining, and we have now identified the winners and losers from that clash.
It was far from the ideal start for Roberto De Zerbi in the Tottenham Hotspur dugout, with the new Spurs manager suffering a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on his debut.
That defeat now leaves Tottenham firmly in the bottom three as we head into the final six games of the league season.
Spurs will be desperate to pick up points now, with failure to do so sure to send them down to the Championship. Following the latest defeat to Sunderland, we have now highlighted two winners and four losers from that game.
Antonin Kinsky delivers standout display in Tottenham return
One player who can definitely be proud of his display today is Antonin Kinsky, who made his Premier League debut against Sunderland.
It will have been a nervous one for the 23-year-old, who would have had his howlers against Atletico Madrid a few weeks back in his mind.
However, today it was a completely different display from the Czech international, who looked assured at the back.
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He kept things simple with the ball at his feet, while also making a few crucial saves to keep his side in the game. Doing all of this while Vicario is out will for sure boost his chances of challenging the Italian.
Destiny Udogie excels despite Spurs defeat to Sunderland
The Italian full-back is another whose performance today places him among our two biggest winners from the game.
Destiny Udogie was really good at left-back for Tottenham, offering both offensive and defensive cover. Not only did he function as a traditional full-back, but he also inverted when needed.
When he got forward, Udogie made sure to offer some creativity, putting in good crosses into the box, some of which caused trouble for the Sunderland defence.
When defending his own goal, he was also as good, with few openings coming from his side of the pitch. After such a display, Djed Spence might just struggle to get into this Spurs team.
As for the losers from Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham…
Cristian Romero injury blow for Tottenham
The Tottenham captain did start the game really well against the Black Cats, often getting tight on Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey.
He also got in a few interceptions, tackles and blocks as he played with much-needed intensity and fight, striving to live up to his promise after the Nottingham Forest defeat.
However, Cristian Romero’s day was cut short after he picked up an injury following a collision with his own goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky.
He was forced off and, given Spurs’ luck on the injury front, the Argentine could well be looking at an extended spell on the sidelines and may not be able to help his side in all six games left this season.
Xavi Simons struggles for minutes in Tottenham vs Sunderland
It is still early days under De Zerbi, but if his first XI is anything to go by, then Xavi Simons might be a little worried about his chances under the new boss.
The Dutchman was barely involved in this game, only coming on in the 85th minute, which is disappointing given that Spurs were chasing the game and in need of a goal.
His impact off the bench was also not encouraging, as he barely had any influence on proceedings when he came on.
Richarlison struggles to convert Spurs’ best chances
Against Sunderland, we saw De Zerbi put out a strong XI with plenty of potential to grab goals. All three of Solanke, Muani and Richarlison were on the pitch and, in the first half, these players did have a couple of chances.
However, most of them fell to Richarlison, who barely made the most of them, with many of his efforts falling into the tame category. It felt like an opportunity to make an impression in front of his new boss, but it was not to be on the day.
Conor Gallagher flattered to deceive for Tottenham
Conor Gallagher was another thrown in from the start, this time playing in the pivot role alongside Archie Gray.
The Englishman put in a decent display in the first half, making a few challenges while marshalling the middle of the park for Spurs.
In the second half, he looked to carry on from where he left off, but his influence slowly faded as the game wore on.
He could certainly have done better for the Sunderland goal, as he was easily run past by Mukiele before he let fly.