NEW year, same old Spurs.
Thomas Frank had been hoping for a fresh start in 2026 at home after the annus horribilis that was the last 12 months in the Premier League.
Yet once again Tottenham found a way to shoot themselves in the foot in N17 as Brian Brobbey’s belter earned Sunderland a point.
Spurs had rolled back the years earlier in the game as 32-year-old Ben Davies, signed from Swansea 12 years ago, gave them the lead on his 198th Premier League start for the club.
The Welshman poked in from a corner, taking Tottenham’s tally of Prem goals from that scenario to nine this term – two short of division-best Arsenal.
Yet Brobbey’s blast ensured three points once again evaded Spurs on their own turf, having won just four of their 18 home league games in 2025.
Mohammed Kudus limping off in the first half was also painfully reminiscent of Spurs last year, when injuries crippled their league ambitions.
It also came just two days on from Brennan Johnson’s sale to Crystal Palace, meaning there is no obvious cover at right wing.
Frank will no doubt be cursing his luck over that, and praying the damage is not too bad.
But there was little he could blame for his side squandering three points here as Spurs went into their shells and got what they deserved.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK
Davies was not the only Spurs player to be afforded a rare start.
Mathys Tel made the line-up for the first time since October and looked like a man on a mission to impress Frank.
Whether or not the young Frenchman would have done that with an effort from range in the opening couple of minutes only the Dane could answer.
That is because shooting from outside the box has largely been outlawed under percentages-man Frank, who feels the old adage of ‘you can’t win the raffle if you don’t buy a ticket’ as statistically flawed.
Still, Tel’s early stinger was too hot for Robin Roefs to handle at the first attempt, with the Sunderland stopper having to gather the loose effort before a Spurs player reached it first.
Already without playmakers Xavi Simons, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, Frank suffered more creative crock woe when Kudus fell down holding his thigh in the 16th minute.
Captain Cristian Romero instantly signalled to the bench that a substitution was required and off limped the Ghanaian, with Randal Kolo Muani sent on in his place.
Still, Spurs shook off the Kudus blow and took the lead on the half-hour and from yet another set-piece.
Sunderland can only have themselves to blame knowing that a) Frank’s Spurs are really rather good from dead-ball situations and b) so is Romero.
Yet they somehow gave the Argentine so much space at the far post that not only could he take Tel’s corner down with his chest but also lay it off for centre-back partner Micky van de Ven.
At first it looked as if Van de Ven had added his seventh goal of the season as his shot found its way into the net.
But instead it was only an assist as veteran Davies helped divert the ball past the unwitting Sunderland defenders.
It was Davies first goal since December 2023, when he struck a consolation in a 4-2 defeat at Brighton, the first really terrible performance of the Ange Postecoglou era.
And with this yet another goal from a corner, the ‘set-piece again ole ole’ chant – the tune for which has been sung so many times but with Johnson’s last name in it, on account of his Europa League winner – emerged from the South Stand.
Muani had handed Van de Ven a note when he came on from the coaching staff which the Dutchman intermittently looked at throughout the game, presumably with Sunderland’s set-piece instructions.
There was little Spurs needed to do to prevent one attempted corner delivery though from pantomime villain Granit Xhaka, booed throughout for his Arsenal allegiances.
The Swiss drew mocking cheers from the home fans when slipping over while attempting to take a corner and, in fairness to Xhaka, even he was laughing.
For a brief second we had not one but two Spurs academy graduates on the pitch.
Ironically, they were both for Sunderland as Romaine Mundle came on for Dennis Cirkin, underlining why Tottenham feel they need to get more out of their in-house production line.
It was around that time that Spurs started to lose control, dropping further back and giving their visitors confidence they could get something out of the game.
Enzo Le Fee very nearly put Sunderland on level terms when heading against a post.
Minutes later, it was 1-1 as Brobbey exchanged a clever one-two with Le Fee before smacking the ball into the top corner with his left foot.
The frustration at losing another three points seemed to get to Rodrigo Bentancur as the Uruguayan had some Argie-bargie with Lutsharel Geertruida and had to be split up – before resuming their heated debate after the final whistle.
Boos predictably rang out at full-time with angry Spurs fans upset of seeing more of the same so soon into the New Year.
