Sunderland Echo

Here was everything you might have missed before, during and after Sunderland’s Premier League trip to Tottenham Hotspur

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Sunderland arrived in north London sitting seventh in the table on 29 points, firmly in the top-half conversation as the season moved beyond its halfway point. Tottenham, meanwhile, began the afternoon down in 13th on 26 points, knowing a home win would close the gap and pull them back towards the European places.

It made for an intriguing backdrop at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Sunderland travelled south with confidence after another strong run of results, while Spurs were searching for consistency and momentum in front of their own supporters. From the early build-up and team news to the tactical battles on the pitch and the moments that unfolded away from the main action, there was plenty that went unnoticed as the night developed.

Here is a closer look at the moments you may have missed before kick-off, during the 90 minutes and after the final whistle:

Milestone game between Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur

This fixture also marked a small but significant milestone in Sunderland’s history, with the senior side making their first-ever visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. While Sunderland’s under-21s had previously played a cup final at the venue a couple of years earlier, this was the first time the club’s first team had taken to the pitch in N17. It added another chapter to a long and well-established rivalry between the two clubs, stretching back well over a century.

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Heading into the night, the historical numbers slightly favoured Spurs. Across all competitions, Sunderland had won 38 meetings with Tottenham, drawn 31 and lost 50, with the first encounter between the sides coming in the FA Cup back in February 1899. That long-running relationship had spanned league battles, cup ties and contrasting eras for both clubs. This meeting, though, felt very much of the present. A modern stadium, two sides separated by just three points in the Premier League table.

Granit Xhaka faces familiar foe after Arsenal days

There was also extra attention on Granit Xhaka, who returned to north London facing familiar opposition after his years with Arsenal. Having been a central figure in Arsenal’s rivalry with Tottenham, the Sunderland captain cut a recognisable figure from the opening whistle, marshalling those around him and embracing the edge that comes with the fixture.

Every touch was greeted with noise from the stands, underlining the spotlight on a player who knows this ground and this opponent better than most in the Sunderland squad. Xhaka’s presence added another layer to the occasion, bringing experience of high-pressure north London encounters into a Sunderland side still writing its own Premier League story.

Sunderland handed double injury boost before Tottenham game

Sunderland were handed a timely injury boost ahead of the trip to Tottenham, with Régis Le Bris able to welcome Dan Ballard back into the matchday squad.

Ballard had missed the previous two Premier League fixtures with an ankle issue, but scans showed no significant damage, and the centre-back made sufficient progress to return. With Sunderland’s squad stretched by a number of absences due to the Africa Cup of Nations, his availability came as a major lift during the most demanding spell of the season so far.

There was further encouragement for the Black Cats with Brian Brobbey deemed fit enough to keep his place in the starting XI. The striker had been withdrawn in the second half against Manchester City after feeling some muscle discomfort, though Le Bris had played down any injury concerns post-match, and those fears proved unfounded. As a result, Le Bris opted to name an unchanged side to face Tottenham Hotspur, though Wilson Isidor was a surprise omission from the squad with what Le Bris described as a minor injury.

Dennis Cirkin starts against former club in the Premier League

There was a familiar subplot involving Dennis Cirkin, who lined up against his former club Tottenham Hotspur. Cirkin came through the Spurs academy before joining Sunderland in 2021 and has since featured for the club in League One, the Championship and now the Premier League.

The 23-year-old has been linked with a return to north London on several occasions since leaving Spurs, though a move has never materialised. His long-term future remains a talking point, with Cirkin currently out of contract at Sunderland at the end of the season. Former Tottenham player Romaine Mundle was also on the bench for the Black Cats and replaced Cirkin in the second half with Le Bris’ side chasing the game.

Xhaka moment plus Mukiele and Alderete injury scares

Sunderland made a difficult start to the game and found themselves 1-0 down at half-time after a poor first-half by Le Bris’ men. After just two minutes, Nordi Mukiele was left nursing an early injury issue following a awkward fall, prompting early concern among the travelling Sunderland supporters. After brief treatment, the defender was able to continue.

Around 20 minutes in, Granit Xhaka slipped slightly as he moved across to take a corner, drawing a loud reaction from the Spurs crowd behind the goal. The Sunderland skipper appeared to take it in good humour, sharing a quick smile with supporters at that end. Three minutes later, with Tottenham pressing once again, there were further nerves in the away end as Omar Alderete went down holding his head. Play was halted, but after treatment the centre-back was able to carry on.

Le Bris tinkers during second half as Brobbey goes mad

Sunderland continued to chase the game in a disjointed second half, with Le Bris forced into several adjustments as the match wore on. Just after the hour mark, Le Bris made his first change, with Romaine Mundle introduced in place of Cirkin. The reshuffle saw Hume switch across to left-back, while Geertruida dropped into right-back.

Six minutes later, further changes followed as Adingra made way for Ballard, who slotted in at centre-back, with Nordi Mukiele shifting out to right-back and Geertruida pushed forward into midfield – another example of Le Bris tinkering in search of control. With 15 minutes remaining, tensions briefly rose when Brobbey clashed off the ball with Pedro Porro. Brobbey looked frustrated and was perhaps fortunate to escape a booking after his arm strayed close to his opponent’s face.

However, it was Brobbey who smashed home Sunderland’s equaliser with 10 minutes remaining. The Dutch striker celebrated with real gusto in front of the Spurs supporters behind the goal, a reaction that drew clear annoyance from the home crowd as Sunderland hauled themselves level late on. Chris Rigg replaced Mayenda after the goal.

Tensions flare after full-time whistle

There were brief tensions after the final whistle as tempers flared between the two sides. Geertrudia was involved in an exchange with Guglielmo Vicario, but the situation was quickly calmed without further incident. Tottenham were booed off by sections of the home crowd at full-time.

Sunderland’s travelling supporters once again made their presence felt as the Black Cats earned a hard-fought point away at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

From well before kick-off, the away end was in full voice, with red and white shirts dotted across the stands and flags held high as fans soaked up another Premier League night on the road. Despite a difficult opening to the game, the noise never dropped, with Sunderland followers urging the side on through a challenging first half and responding in kind as the performance improved after the break.

The equaliser sparked wild celebrations in the away section, with limbs everywhere as supporters celebrated a moment that felt fully deserved after the team’s second-half response. Long after the final whistle, Régis Le Bris’ players made their way over to applaud those who had travelled south, acknowledging the backing that continues to follow them home and away.

From pre-match scenes outside the ground to the final exchanges at full-time, these photos capture the colour, emotion and pride of Sunderland supporters in north London – another reminder of the connection between team and fans during an impressive Premier League campaign. Photos courtesy of Chris Fryatt.

Sunderland battled their way to a 1-1 draw at Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

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Sunderland stretched their impressive recent form to just one defeat in their last eight games with a hard-earned draw at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

The Black Cats appeared to be on their way to what would have been a rare defeat after Micky van de Ven fired Spurs in front on the half-hour mark and their advantage remained in place until the final ten minutes of the game. However, with nerves visible amongst the home faithful, Regis Le Bris’ side started to put their hosts under pressure and they got their rewards when Brian Brobbey crashed home a stunning equaliser as the former Ajax man rounded off a neat passing move.

The draw means Sunderland have lost just four of their 20 league games since they returned to the Premier League with a dramatic Championship play-off final win against Sheffield United in May - and there are high hopes Le Bris and his players can continue what would be viewed as an unlikely push for European competition during the final five months of the season.

As it stands following the draw in North London, Sunderland are sitting in eighth place in the table and are now just four points shy of the top four as they now focus their attention on Wednesday night’s return to the capital as they face Brentford. But where are Sunderland predicted to finish in this season’s Premier League and is a push for Europe a realistic possibility? We take a look at a predicted final table pieced together by the stats experts at Opta.

Opta’s latest predicted final Premier League table

What did Regis Le Bris say about Spurs 1-1 Sunderland?

Speaking after Sunday afternoon’s draw, the Black Cats boss: “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.

“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.”

Sunderland were back in Premier League action as they faced Spurs on Sunday afternoon.

Ben Davies scored in the first half to give Spurs a deserved lead, but the visitors battled back well and equalised thanks to a brilliant effort from Brian Brobbey. Here’s how we rated all the Black Cats involved on the day...

Sunderland fought back to claim a 1-1 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

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Had you told Sunderland fans at the break that this game would end with the visitors looking the most likely to win it, they might have struggled to believe you.

A stretched squad had looked lethargic and been comprehensively outplayed in the first half, deservedly finding themselves behind from Ben Davies’s close-range strike. It had looked for all the world like one game too far for Sunderland but somehow, as they so often do, Regis Le Bris’s side dug in and found another gear. The head coach’s changes proved key, Nordi Mukiele powering the side with some excellent attacking play from right back as Dan Ballard made his return from injury in the second half.

Brian Brobbey’s brilliant strike secured a deserved equaliser and as Spurs wobbled, it looked as if Sunderland might well snatch a remarkable winger. That wasn’t to be the case, but this fourth draw in succession was once again very much a point gained for the Black Cats.

Spurs had come into the game with their head coach Thomas Frank under increasing pressure from the club's fanbase after some insipid recent displays, but the warning signs for the visitors were there from a very early stage. The hosts had gone with an attacking line up and their desire to press aggressively was notable, with Sunderland struggling to escape the pressure.

Though Robin Roefs did not have any major early saves to make, half chances for Richarlison and Tel reflected a positive start from Frank's side. Sunderland looked lethargic, almost from the off second to most loose balls and outdone in 1-v-1 duels. The hosts had their best chance yet 25 minutes in when Sunderland were caught out by a quick free kick launched deep into their half from Pedro Porro. Spurs were 3-v-2 and worked it to Tel, who cuts inside and curled an effort just wide of the far post. Such lapses were typical of Sunderland's first half, and another granted the hosts a deserved opener. Romero was left free to chest down a corner at the back post, and had time to cut it back into the heart of the Sunderland box. Van de Ven turned it towards goal and Ben Davies showed good footwork to do the rest, turning the ball over the line. Sunderland could have few complaints about the scoreline.

Le Bris's side did begin to enjoy a little more possession as the half developed, and Trai Hume had Vicario concerned briefly when a long throw dropped to him 20 yards out and he whistled an effort just over the bar.

On the whole, though. Spurs had been dominant across the pitch and too powerful in possession for a seemingly tired Sunderland side.

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Perhaps stung by some harsh words at the interval, Sunderland came out with noticeably more purpose nad interval after the break. That led to opportunities for Spurs on the break, with Richarlison spurning one golden opportunity to cross for a simple tap-in at the back post, but the visitors were at least in a contest and offering a threat of their own. They actually carved out some decent openings, Brobbey’s effort deflected wide after a loose pass from Romero allowed him to play a 1-2 with Mayenda.

The decibels in the away end were beginning to rise significantly as Adingra curled an effort just wide of the far post from the second phase of a corner, Sunderland sensing that they might be able to take something from the game even if the threat on the break was clear.

Le Bris changed shape as the game headed towards its final stages, bringing on Ballard and Mundle. That saw Hume move across to left back and significantly, Mukiele out to right back. With Spurs dropping deeper and Sunderland beginning to get on top of the game, Mukiele was getting into good positions to cross. One shooting opportunity just evaded Mundle before another wonderful delivery was headed onto the foot of the post. Moments later, Mukiele’s pass inside allowed Le Fee and Brobbey to play a 1-2, the latter then gathering the ball and smashing an effort into the top corner on his weaker left foot.

In the moments that followed it looked as if Sunderland would go on to win it, but Spurs steadied and had one good late chance when substitute Palhinha nodded just wide of the far post. Sunderland were in the end happy to take a point that at one stage looked beyond them.

Every player wants to play, so that feeling is normal. That’s not just me, all the players want to play. But sometimes you have to be patient and wait for your moment, and today it was a good game for me. I was back in the starting XI and I tried to do my best to help the team. That is always the most important thing. It’s always a little bit frustrating when you don’t play, but that’s part of football, you have to wait and keep working.

Sometimes, you just have to wait. Everybody wants to play, but sometimes when the team is getting good results, you have to wait. Then when you play, you just have to do your best. Today was a good game because I played for 90 minutes and I was very happy about that. I’m always ready to play, even if it’s ten or 15 minutes, you have to be ready to play. I was ready, and I’m very happy.

They are a tough challenge, in a great place with a great stadium. So another exciting challenge for the squad. It will be important to recover quickly, but they played the same time so they won’t have the advantage. Reset, recover properly and go again.

When you play a good game like that I think the mood is positive and it’s easier to recover quickly. So for the squad at the minute we were really frustrated after Leeds, for different reasons, but I still think it was a good point. Today the mood is a bit different, but we can’t be complacent it’s impossible, so let’s see.

I think [Regis Le Bris] has done fantastically. Very, very impressive. The first season in the Premier League, and also, as you say, with changing a lot of players. It's been very clear what they want to do. They understand that when you go up in the Premier League, you need to defend very well. They're very good on set-pieces. They're very good.

They fight, they run, and now they've got the confidence and done very well against a lot of teams, but also away from home. So it's going to be a tough test.

Sunderland are looking to build on an excellent point against Manchester City when they travel to face Spurs on Sunday afternoon (3pm kick off).

Both Régis Le Bris and Thomas Frank have a lengthy list of absentees for the game - here we bring you up to speed with all the latest team news from both camps as we have it...

Sunderland face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

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Jeff Stelling has backed Sunderland to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to five matches with a draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

The Black Cats make the long trip down to the capital off the back of a wholly impressive 0-0 stalemate with Manchester City on New Year’s Day, with Regis Le Bris’ men mustering a battling defensive display to preserve their clean sheet, while also threatening on numerous occasions at the other end.

For their part, Spurs were also held to 0-0 draw on Thursday, with head coach Thomas Frank subjected to the ire of his side’s travelling support after they failed to find a way past his old club, Brentford.

What has Jeff Stelling said ahead of Tottenham Hotspur vs Sunderland?

And speaking to talkSPORT ahead of this weekend’s game, Stelling has predicted another sharing of the spoils in North London. He said: “The last of the three o’clock kick-offs sees Spurs welcome Sunderland to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs are still to persuade me they can finish above Sunderland this season, and their form at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, well, it regularly incurs the wrath of the home faithful. All Spurs’ home defeats though, have been by the odd goal.

“Sunderland, well they’ve got absentees haven’t they, with the African Cup of Nations - little short in terms of numbers, but not short in terms of spirit. I’m going Spurs 1-1 Sunderland.”

What did Regis Le Bris say about Sunderland draw vs Man City?

Reflecting on his side’s display against Man City, and how it differed from when the Premier League title contenders won 3-0 at the Etihad when the two sides met in early December, Le Bris told a post-match press conference: "One more good point against one of the best teams in Europe.

"With many threats, they can score from everywhere, from different phases. I think we defended well. We were bold to press high, a bit more consistent in the midblock, I think. In the defensive third, we were consistent. It was like a hybrid system. We used this system at Liverpool once. I thought it was a good option today, because if you drop too early in your back five, you can't face, over the full game, their ability to manage the ball and create chances. I think it went well. With the ball, I think we showed many good things as well.

"We struggled when we played away against City to escape their counter-press, they were impressive. They were good again today, but I think we were better this time. I think this point helped us to manage the ball and to breathe, because it's important to have the ball. We created chances as well. Our low build-up was good, especially during the first half.

"I think we are learning and I think from the first game against this team to the second one, we showed that we adjusted many things and I think it shows that those players are ready to learn and to change different things to be more competitive, which is really positive."

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Le Bris also praised his squad for stepping in and maintaining the level of performance despite having a large number of senior players absent due to suspension and AFCON commitments. He said: "I told you before the AFCON that we don't have to set a limit before because I think we have many good players.

"Obviously, they have to learn, they have to show their quality on the pitch. But what we see every day on the training pitch, they have good profiles and if you give them the structure, the confidence, great leaders, I think they can play well. For example, Dennis [Cirkin], Eli [Mayenda] today were good."

Sunderland have been credited with an interest in Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson.

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Sunderland and Everton are amongst the clubs looking to hijack Crystal Palace’s £35 million deal to sign Brennan Johnson from Tottenham Hotspur, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Reports emerged on Tuesday revealing that the Eagles have already reached a full agreement with Spurs over a financial package for the Wales international ahead of the January transfer window opening, with the understanding being that it is now up to the player whether or not he wants to complete a switch to Selhurst Park.

And to that end, Romano claims that a number of Premier League sides, including the Black Cats, are also interested in signing Johnson.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Sunderland’s transfer interest in Brennan Johnson?

Addressing Palace’s bid to sign Johnson on his YouTube channel, Romano explained: “Brennan Johnson has to decide whether he wants to go to Crystal Palace or wait for other opportunities.

“It is my understanding that Bournemouth are ready to pay the transfer fee, and there are also Sunderland and Everton calling in the last 24 hours. So now Brennan Johnson has to decide what he wants to do in terms of technical project, in terms of contract, in terms of city - he’s based in London, obviously.”

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What has Thomas Frank said about Brennan Johnson’s future at Tottenham?

For his part, Tottenham boss Thomas Frank remained elusive on Johnson’s future in a press conference ahead of his side’s clash with Brentford on New Year’s Day. He said: “Again, this is the third time, I think, I get that question. There’s rumours out there. In general, I will not comment on that - no matter if we want to sign or sell a player, or get a staff member in or out. I have no interest in commenting either way.”

Asked whether Johnson would be part of his squad for Thursday’s fixture, Frank replied: “He contributed to a very good and important win against Crystal Palace [on Sunday]. He trained very well today. I expect him fully to be available and able to play against Brentford.”

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Johnson signed for Tottenham from boyhood club Nottingham Forest in 2023 for a fee of around £47.5 million, and has since gone on to register 27 goals and 18 assists in 107 appearances. Last term, he finished the campaign as Spurs’ top scorer, with 18 goals in all competitions, including the winner in the Europa League final in May. Predominantly operating as right winger but also capable of playing on the opposite flank, this season the 24-year-old has found the back of the net four times in 21 outings across all competitions.

Sunderland reportedly weigh January sale as Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth register transfer interest

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Sunderland are reportedly willing to consider offers for 23-year-old defender Dennis Cirkin in January – but only if their valuation is met, according to SportsBoom.

Cirkin, who joined the Black Cats from Tottenham Hotspur in 2021, is reportedly attracting interest from his former club, with Spurs said to be closely monitoring the situation ahead of the winter transfer window. The London side inserted a sell-on clause when he moved to Wearside, and have been repeatedly linked with bringing the left-back back to north London.

SportsBoom also claims that Bournemouth have reportedly made initial enquiries to establish whether Sunderland would be open to a sale. The Premier League club are believed to be assessing several left-back options and view Cirkin as a player with long-term potential if he can return to full fitness. Cirkin’s current deal expires next summer, placing Sunderland in a position where a decision on his future is fast approaching. The Black Cats are thought to be open to a renewal if the defender can put his injury troubles behind him and prove his reliability across the second half of the season.

The 23-year-old has endured a frustrating run with injuries over the past 18 months, limiting his starts and reducing his impact during Régis Le Bris’ early months in charge. However, when fully fit, Cirkin has been among the club’s most consistent performers, playing a vital role in the rise from League One to the Premier League. Sunderland are not believed to be actively pushing Cirkin out the door, but the club is increasingly pragmatic in the transfer market and would reportedly listen to significant offers.

Much will depend on his fitness trajectory in the coming weeks and whether Spurs or Bournemouth choose to firm up their interest with formal bids once January opens. For now, Cirkin’s future remains one of the key Sunderland storylines heading into the winter window – with multiple Premier League clubs watching the situation closely.

Cirkin recently completed two full 90 minutes for Sunderland’s youth side as he continues to build rhythm ahead of his eventual Premier League return. U21s lead coach Graeme Murty was quick to highlight both his quality and his leadership. “I think Dennis, if you talk to him, if you spend any time with Dennis, you realise overall what a good human being he is. He's a great lad, and I think he brings a real steady head but high standards to our group and he's fantastic for the players to work with,” Murty said.

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“He talks to them really respectfully, he teaches them really well and he's just really giving of his time. So we just want to thank all the first-team players, really. When they come in, they are, as you would hope, really, really good guys who are understanding of our young players and want them to do well, which sometimes isn't always the case. But with these guys, you get the perception that they want to be in the team, they want to make an impact, and they want our young players to succeed.”