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New Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has already been dealt an injury blow after midfielder Pape Sarr was unable to feature for Senegal in their friendly with Gambia.

De Zerbi was confirmed as Spurs head coach on Tuesday on a five-year deal, which does not contain a relegation release clause, the Press Association understands, despite the north London club being only one point above the Premier League bottom three. They travel to Sunderland after the latest break in Premier League fixtures.

With seven games left this season, De Zerbi has limited time to work with a team without a league win in 2026, but has immediately been affected by an ongoing injury crisis in N17.

Senegal midfielder Sarr joined up with his national team last week and featured in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Peru, but was left out of the squad to face Gambia on Tuesday due to a shoulder injury, according to Senegalese media.

Any potential injury to Sarr would be untimely for De Zerbi, who has already discovered a lengthy list of absentees at Tottenham’s Hotspur Way training ground, with Guglielmo Vicario, Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus all previously sidelined or currently unavailable.

It adds to an already-complicated start to life at Spurs after De Zerbi’s appointment faced opposition from sections of the fanbase.

Three supporters’ groups produced ‘No to De Zerbi’ statements last Friday, owing to past comments about Marseille forward Mason Greenwood.

Former Manchester United forward Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm over allegations relating to a woman after images and videos were posted online.

The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges in February 2023 owing to “a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light”, which meant there was “no realistic prospect of conviction”. Greenwood, who denied the charges, has since resumed his career and joined Marseille in 2024.

In November, De Zerbi described Greenwood as a “good guy”, who had paid a “heavy price” and added: “It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described.”

Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust explained on Tuesday they had “serious and far-reaching concerns” with this appointment. PA understands Spurs carefully considered and discussed the comments and sentiments around Greenwood with De Zerbi during negotiations.

Later on Tuesday, Spurs’ LGBTQI+ fan group Proud Lilywhites said: “Whilst we disagree with the managerial choice, in terms of culture and competence, we will continue to support the players without pretending to be comfortable with the appointment.

“Staying silent is not the answer. But choosing when and where to be vocal matters. “Managers come and go. Executives come and go. Players come and go. Fans remain. We are the constant in this club.

“We will continue to represent the views of our members to the club, alongside the other supporter associations. “This is not noise or reaction. It is a considered position and it is not going away.”

Spurs Reach added: “As a group of fans who care about inclusion, representation and how people are treated, this one doesn’t fully sit right with us, both culturally and in the bigger picture. “That said, we’re Spurs through and through… our support for the club we love, the community and each other goes way beyond any one appointment.”

Spurs could have a new manager by the time they face Sunderland in April, write PA.

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Roberto De Zerbi is set to take on the sizeable task of keeping Tottenham in the Premier League after talks between the parties reached an advanced stage, the Press Association understands.

Spurs - who face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light when the Premier League returns next month - turned attention back to De Zerbi after Igor Tudor’s departure on Sunday and, although PA understands the former Brighton boss initially preferred to wait until the summer to assess his options, he looks set to perform a U-turn and take over immediately.

Reports in De Zerbi’s homeland of Italy on Monday morning stated he was now willing to listen to Tottenham’s advances and had a five-year contract offer on the table, which would make the 46-year-old the club’s fourth head coach in the last 10 months.

De Zerbi has been linked with the Spurs vacancy for a number of years, firstly in 2023 and more recently over the last month after Thomas Frank left on February 11, but a break until the end of the season had been expected after he left Marseille in the same week.

Tottenham therefore turned to Tudor as interim head coach, but his shambolic 44-day reign produced five defeats in seven matches alongside a catalogue of questionable tactical choices and only increased the realistic threat of a first relegation since 1977.

It forced Spurs into one final roll of the dice and, with fans’ favourite Mauricio Pochettino contracted to lead the United States at this summer’s World Cup, De Zerbi has profited from being the best and most viable candidate currently on the market.

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Pochettino was asked on Monday if he had received any contact from Tottenham or Real Madrid, and told a press conference: “We have our full focus here on the World Cup.

“I think everyone knows that I am committed with the national team. I think there’s no a point to talk about the future. At the moment no (team) has approached.”

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First-team coach Bruno Saltor was tasked with taking training for the players not on international duty after Spurs moved on from Tudor on Sunday. However, PA understands Tottenham expected a new head coach would be hired by the middle of this week to give them 10 days to prepare for the April 12 trip to Sunderland – and that is set to be De Zerbi.

Sunderland will return to Premier League action when they host Spurs on the other side of the international break.

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Igor Tudor is reportedly set to leave his role as interim manager of Tottenham Hotspur - and a former Newcastle United boss could be in charge by the time the Premier League strugglers visit Sunderland next month.

The former Juventus and Croatia defender took charge of the North London club following Thomas Frank’s departure last month - but has struggled to make a positive impact as Spurs continue to look nervously over their shoulder at the Premier League relegation zone. Since marking his managerial bow with a 4-1 home defeat against arch rivals Arsenal, Tudor is yet to win any of his five Premier League fixtures in charge and has collected just a solitary point as his side battled to a 1-1 draw at Liverpool.

A single win came with a 3-2 home victory against La Liga club Atletico Madrid in the second leg of a Champions League round of 16 tie - but that was not enough to take Spurs into the quarter final after Tudor’s side suffered a 5-2 defeat in the first leg in the Spanish capital. Any positivity caused by last week’s win against Diego Simeone’s men quickly evaporated as Spurs marked their return to Premier League action with a dismal display in a 3-0 home defeat against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest that has left Spurs just one point and one place above the relegation zone.

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TeamTalk have now reported Tudor is expected to leave Spurs ‘by mutual consent’ after what they describe as ‘weeks of internal discussions’. The report also reveals there was an internal agreement that a change would be made if Spurs suffered a defeat in Sunday’s home game with Forest. Crucially, the report also states Tudor is ready to step away from the role following the sad passing of his father Mario.

Viable options

Spurs have been working to find a replacement and a shortlist has been drawn up that includes former Monaco manager Adi Hutter and former Newcastle United boss Chris Hughton. Both potential candidates are said to be ‘viable options’ to step in and that could mean the latter making an emotional return to a club he represented over 300 times during his playing career before spending 14 years as a reserve team manager, first team coach, caretaker manager and assistant manager.

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Hughton departed from Spurs in February 2008 when he was appointed as first team coach at Newcastle and he was handed a permanent role as Magpies boss just over a year later after spell as interim manager. Hughton remains the last manager to lead Newcastle to a home win in a Tyne-Wear derby meeting against Sunderland and that victory came back in October 2010.

Should Spurs go through with a change, the new interim manager’s first game in charge will come at Sunderland on Sunday, April 12 as the Black Cats look to increase their visitors relegation concerns and boost their own hopes of securing a place in European competition.

Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs is reportedly a target for Tottenham Hotspur.

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Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs is one of three Premier League stoppers on Tottenham Hotspur’s radar as they prepare themselves to replace current number one Guglielmo Vicario, according to reports.

The Dutchman has emerged as a standout performer for the Black Cats this season, having arrived on a permanent deal from NEC Nijmegen last summer. At the time of writing, he has kept eight top flight clean sheets, as well as recording the third-highest number of saves in the division since this arrival at the Stadium of Light.

And as per online outlet TEAMtalk, Roefs’ performances have piqued the interest of Spurs, who could be in the market for reinforcements between the sticks this summer. It is understood that current first choice Vicario is Juventus’ primary goalkeeping target heading into the end of the campaign, and as such, the North London outfit have identified Roefs, alongside Brighton and Hove Albion compatriot Bart Verbruggen and Manchester City understudy James Trafford, as potential alternatives.

With regards to Vicario’s possible exit, the Italian is reportedly valued at around £26 million - a figure which would fall within Juve’s budget. As for their subsequent recruitment plans, TEAMtalk stress that “there is no clear favourite in Spurs’ mind at present”, and that the situation is “open”.

Much will hinge, however, on whether or not Tottenham are able to avoid relegation this season. As things stand, the Champions League club are just four points clear of the bottom three with 11 matches left to play. Should the unthinkable happen and Spurs drop down to the Championship, then it goes without saying that they would fall out of any looming race for Roefs, or the other names mentioned.

Tottenham are not the only side to be touted as admirers of the Sunderland number one in recent days either. Over the weekend, it was reported that Chelsea are keen on the 23-year-old, with a £50 million effort to sign him mooted.

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What has Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs said about mounting transfer speculation?

Speaking in the aftermath of Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Fulham, Roefs was asked for his thoughts on the speculation over his future on Wearside, to which he responded: “I don't know. I don't know what to make of it. I don't hear anything from it from my agents. As long as I don't know anything about it, they can read or write what they want. I don't know.

“Obviously, it's a compliment, I think, if people write it about you. I'm really not into this. It's my first season in the Premier League, my first season here. I'm really enjoying every single minute of it, so I'm not thinking of anything else.”

West Ham face a defensive headache after a £17m centre-back suffered a serious injury in the FA Cup

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West Ham United could be forced to cope without Konstantinos Mavropanos for their upcoming Premier League fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland after the defender suffered a worrying injury in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Head coach Nuno Espírito Santo was dealt a setback during West Ham’s tie with Queens Park Rangers, when one of his preferred centre-backs was forced off midway through the first half. Mavropanos, who has worked his way into the starting line-up in recent weeks, was stretchered off following a heavy collision inside the QPR penalty area.

The 28-year-old had started West Ham’s recent league matches against Wolves and Nottingham Forest and was again selected from the outset at Loftus Road, with Nuno opting for a back three alongside Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo. However, shortly before half-time, Mavropanos went up to challenge for a corner and appeared to clash heads with a QPR defender’s knee.

Play was halted for several minutes as medical staff attended to the Greece international, before he was eventually taken from the pitch on a stretcher and driven off in a medical buggy. Supporters from both sides applauded as he left the field, with the incident immediately raising concerns over a potential head injury. While the full extent of the problem is still to be confirmed, concussion protocols mean Mavropanos is likely to face a mandatory period on the sidelines. That would rule him out of West Ham’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur next weekend, and also place his availability in doubt for Sunderland’s visit to the London Stadium on January 24.

Any absence would come as a blow for Nuno, who has frequently relied on a three-centre-back system since taking charge. West Ham have already struggled defensively this season, conceding 43 goals in the Premier League, and losing a regular starter would further complicate matters. It is not the first time Mavropanos has been sidelined this campaign. He previously missed league fixtures against Leeds United, Newcastle United, Burnley and AFC Bournemouth during October and November. West Ham signed the defender from VfB Stuttgart in 2023 for a reported £17million, and he has since gone on to make 83 appearances for the club.

What did Le Bris say after the Everton game?

Régis Le Bris has sought to ease fears surrounding Brian Brobbey’s fitness while confirming that Bertrand Traoré is a concern ahead of Crystal Palace’s trip to the Stadium of Light next weekend.

Brobbey was introduced for Eliezer Mayenda during the second half of Sunderland’s FA Cup third-round tie at Hill Dickinson Stadium, before being withdrawn at the interval of extra time as the Black Cats went on to beat Everton on penalties. Speaking after the game, Le Bris stressed that the decision to remove the striker was purely precautionary.

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Sunderland were able to call on Noah Sadiki for the full 120 minutes following his recent return from the Africa Cup of Nations, but Reinildo Mandava and Traoré were both absent from the squad. While Reinildo is expected to return to contention for next Saturday, Traoré has emerged as an early doubt, with the extent of his issue still unclear.

“We are not too worried about Brian because it was tightness in his hamstrings,” Le Bris said. “We have had this previously with him, so we didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks. With Reinildo and Bertrand, we will see. Rei might be available next week, but Bertrand has come back with an injury that we will have to assess. It is an injury issue he has come back with, but we don’t really know any more than that yet.”

Sunderland will also be without Habib Diarra and Chemsdine Talbi for the visit of Crystal Palace, after both Senegal and Morocco reached the AFCON semi-finals. The pair are set to feature either in the third-place play-off next Saturday or the final next Sunday, depending on results in the last four.

Sunderland supporters once again turned an away day into something memorable as the Black Cats took on Tottenham Hotspur in north London.

From early arrivals around the stadium to the final moments after the whistle, the away end was packed with colour, noise and belief. Despite a difficult opening period on the pitch, the backing never wavered, with travelling fans responding to every tackle, block and break forward as Sunderland grew into the game. When the equaliser arrived late on, the reaction was instant – limbs everywhere, flags raised and voices lifted in unison.

There was also a real sense of connection at full-time. Players made their way over to acknowledge the supporters who had made the journey, soaking in the applause after another gritty Premier League display on the road. It was a reminder of how closely this group and its fanbase have travelled together over the past two seasons.

These photos capture the moments you might have missed – the anticipation, the tension, the celebrations and the pride – as Sunderland fans once again made their presence felt at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Courtesy of Chris Fryatt.

Brian Brobbey’s brilliant goal secured a point for Sunderland at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

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Brian Brobbey says a simple half-time chat was key to Sunderland's spirited fightback at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

The Black Cats trailed1-0 at the break following a goal from Ben Davies, and in truth were probably fortunate to get to the interval just one down. Sunderland rallied impressively in the second half and scored a deserved equaliser when Brobbey thumped home an excellent finish on his weaker foot following a fine team move and 1-2 with Enzo Le Fée.

Brobbey says the team lacked energy in the first half and told each other at the interval that they needed to step up.

"It was frustrating in the first half, but in the second half we showed character," Brobbey said.

"Probably in the first half we didn't have a lot of energy after the Man City game, but when we went back in the dressing room we talked with each other we said that we needed to step up and that's what we did."

Brobbey's goal was his third of the campaign but just as significantly, Wilson Isidor'a absence with a minor injury meant it was the first time he had completed 90 minutes since joining from Ajax on deadline day. The striker said he was pleased with his progress and determined to keep going.

"It was a really good finish but also the build up play was really good, from the back first and then the 1-2 with Enzo," Brobbey said.

"Sometimes you just need one moment in a game and we were able to find each other. It was good to play 90 minutes, my first 90 minutes, I'm really happy with that and I just need to continue. I'm feeling stronger with every game, when you start playing most of the games you can start to connect with everyone. I'm feeling good. The Premier League is much tougher but it's OK, I'm getting used to it, and so now I just need to keep on going. I think it's best the league in the world and I'm enjoying it, for sure."

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Régis Le Bris on what changed for Sunderland at half time against Spurs

"We said, just switch on, do simple things well, because I think tactically we were OK," Le Bris said of Sunderland's half-time summit.

"It was just a question of being more composed with the ball, the ability to win the first contact, because they went direct, as expected, against our man-for-man press. And we didn't win the first contact, the second ball, so the balance of the game was like that. And we had the character and the quality to switch on, and I think it's positive."

Your next Sunderland read: Phil Smith’s Sunderland player ratings from Spurs fightback

Ex-Sunderland midfielder Teemu Tainio explains why the club’s size and intensity only hit him after arriving

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Former Sunderland midfielder Teemu Tainio has reflected on his move to Wearside, his memories of playing for the Black Cats, and the path his career has taken since leaving the Stadium of Light.

Tainio joined Sunderland in 2008 for a reported €3million (£2.6million), becoming the club’s first summer signing and the first Finnish player to represent the Black Cats. His arrival came after a difficult decision to leave Tottenham Hotspur, where opportunities had become limited.

“It was a huge disappointment to leave the club I had dreamt about playing for. When Juande Ramos came in, I knew my game time would be limited. I could have stayed at Spurs longer, sat on the bench. But I’m not that kind of guy… I wanted to be playing,” Tainio said. “Sunderland came in for me, and I travelled there to speak to Roy Keane, who was the head coach at the time. He really wanted to sign me, and as someone who had such a great playing career playing in the same position as me, that meant a lot.”

Tainio spent two seasons on Wearside, featuring during a challenging period for the club, but he retains a strong affection for Sunderland and its supporters. “We had a difficult first season when I was at Sunderland, but we were able to stay in the Premier League,” he said.

“Going there, I saw how big a club Sunderland is. I think people only appreciate just how big they are when they go there. As someone who grew up supporting Spurs, I knew how massive the north London derby was. But my word, Sunderland-Newcastle… what a massive rivalry there is between those two and games between them are intense to say the least!”

After leaving Sunderland in August 2010 by mutual consent, Tainio went on to have spells with Birmingham City, Ajax and later Major League Soccer, before turning his attention to life beyond playing. “After I retired from playing, I actually did a year of scouting work for Spurs,” he explained. “I travelled for the club mainly across Scandinavia, but also in other parts of Europe.

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“Then I started to coach. I started with youth teams. I then went back to one of my former clubs, FC Haka. They were struggling a bit, and I wanted to get them back to the top division in Finland. I became manager, and we were able to get the club promoted back to the top flight with a record-breaking season. I stayed for five years, and then it was time to try something new.”

His coaching career has since taken him across Europe and onto the international stage. “My former colleague (Toni Koskela) became a manager in Cyprus (with AEL Limassol), and he asked me if I wanted to become his assistant, and I said, ‘Why not!’ We were only there for about four months, unfortunately, as there were a lot of problems,” Tainio said. “After that, I spent some time with the Finland national team as an assistant. I was in that role when we played against England at Wembley in September 2024, and Harry Kane got his 100th England cap.”

Most recently, Tainio has been working in Estonia, while considering his next move in the game. “My most recent coaching job was in Estonia (with Tallinna Kalev). There has been some interest in me since, but I have wanted to calm things down and take a bit of time before taking my next coaching role.”

Sunderland drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

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Former Sunderland defenders Matthew Kilgallon and Wes Brown have heaped praise on the Black Cats following their impressive return to life in the Premier League.

A 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon leaves Regis Le Bris’ side eighth in the top flight table, four points off the top four, and having now played every other side in the division, the newly promoted club have earned positive results against the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United, amongst others.

And taking all of their recent work into account, both Kilgallon and Brown have hailed Sunderland for their stellar efforts this term.

What have Matthew Kilgallon and Wes Brown said about Sunderland?

Speaking to Stadium Astro, when asked how impressed he had been with his former club of late, Kilgallon said: “Absolutely outstanding, and brilliant for the city as well. Football up there is absolutely massive and I’m so happy for them. I loved my time at Sunderland, it was great.

“Some of the football they are playing, and what they've made the Stadium of Light, they've made it a real place to go where people are struggling. They don't want to go there, do they? Some of the football they're playing is fantastic, the recruitment of the players they've brought in, I mean, they found some gems there, haven't they? And lads that have played in the Championship have stepped up into that Premier League, they're playing a great way.”

He added: “[Granit] Xhaka, what a signing he's been. I'm sure people thought, ‘Oh, is he too old, can he still do it?’. He has been absolutely brilliant for Sunderland in that centre mid and I think he's just set a standard and he's been a real leader on and off the pitch. I think all the lads are learning from him and have followed his ways, and they just look a real, real good team.”

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For his part, Brown agreed wholeheartedly with his fellow pundit, replying: “I think when they first started, obviously, when they got promoted beginning of this season, you're just hoping they get some points on the board and they go from there, but it is much bigger than that. The togetherness of the team, they've made it very difficult playing at home, and then they've took a step forward, where they're beating some of the bigger teams and the crowd’s behind them, and now they've got this momentum going.

“I think, like what Matt said, Xhaka has been massive, just controlling them all and making everything feel comfortable, and really digging in hard when it needs to be. But there's always been a spirit in Sunderland where if you work hard you get the reward, and they've definitely been doing that this season with some great quality as well. You're looking back at the first half of the season, and you've got to say, they've been the exceptional team of the season for me.”

Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka reacts on social media after the draw with Tottenham in north London

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Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka sent a defiant message to supporters after the 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, underlining the belief and momentum building within Régis Le Bris’ side.

Posting on Instagram in the hours after full-time, Xhaka shared a powerful action shot from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, showing him roaring in celebration in front of the away end, clad in Sunderland’s blue kit. Alongside the image, the Switzerland international wrote: “Keeping the unbeaten run going. #GX34” – a short but pointed message that quickly resonated with supporters.

The post attracted significant engagement, amassing more than 78,000 likes within the first 15 hours, with Sunderland fans and team-mates alike responding in the comments. Several Black Cats players publicly backed their captain, while supporters echoed Xhaka’s message of steady progress and resilience as Sunderland extended their unbeaten run to five matches.

Xhaka’s message came after another gritty display from Sunderland, who recovered from a difficult first half in north London to claim a deserved point. Tottenham had dominated the opening stages and went ahead through Ben Davies, leaving Sunderland under sustained pressure before the break. Le Bris’ side struggled to impose themselves early on and were forced to dig deep to stay within touching distance.

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The second half, however, saw a clear shift. Sunderland grew in confidence, tightened up defensively and began to pose more of a threat in transition. Enzo Le Fée struck the post as the visitors sensed an opportunity, while Tottenham became increasingly nervy protecting their narrow lead. The equaliser arrived with 10 minutes remaining when Brian Brobbey produced a decisive moment. After smart link-up play on the edge of the box, Brobbey smashed an emphatic finish past Guglielmo Vicario, sparking wild celebrations in the away end and visible frustration among the home crowd.

Xhaka was central throughout, leading by example in midfield and marshalling his team through a testing opening period before Sunderland’s revival. His post-match message reflected the collective mindset within the squad – calm, grounded, but quietly confident about the direction of travel. With Sunderland now sitting on 30 points after 20 Premier League games, the message from the captain carried added weight. Few would have predicted such a position at this stage of the season, particularly given the disruption caused by injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations.

What did Le Bris say after the game?

Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris admitted his side were fortunate to still be in the game at half-time, before praising their response in a hard-earned 1-1 draw away to Tottenham Hotspur. The Black Cats struggled to gain control during a difficult first half and went in behind, but a much-improved second-half display was rewarded when Brian Brobbey struck late on to earn a point in north London.

Asked what he said to his players at the break, Le Bris was candid about Sunderland’s performance and the fine margins involved. “We had a lack of energy and just one needle down, it was possible to switch on, which probably we were a bit lucky because in a Premier League game, when you don't play at your best, you should be punished. And it wasn't the case, so we were still alive,” he said.

“And we said, just switch on, do simple things well, because I think tactically we were OK. It was just a question of being more composed with the ball, the ability to win the first contact, because they went direct, as expected, against our man-for-man press. And we didn't win the first contact, the second ball, so the balance of the game was like that. And we had the character and the quality to switch on, and I think it's positive.”

Le Bris’ tactical tweaks and substitutions proved decisive after the interval, with Sunderland gaining a foothold as Spurs’ early dominance faded. The head coach explained the thinking behind his changes, including the introduction of Dan Ballard, who had been managing an injury.

“Absolutely. It wasn't possible to play with Ballard in the first half because of his injury. We didn't want to rush the process,” Le Bris said. “I think in this game, especially when you go directly to Richarlison, once, twice but 20 times, I don't know how many, you need two strong centre-backs with a specific profile.”

Le Brs added after the game: “Nordi and Omar did well, but Ballard is a weapon in that case, so he helped. And Nordi, I think, was good on the right side as well, to deliver crosses and to use the big spaces. Finally, to deliver this key pass at the end.”