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It was a case of new manager but familiar story for Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland in what was Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge.

After the disastrous caretaker spell of Igor Tudor, Spurs stepped up their interest in the Italian coach - whom had been a target to take the job permanently in the summer - this season, to save the club from relegation.

But, after slipping into the Premier League's bottom three on Friday night, courtesy of West Ham's thumping 4-0 win over Wolves, Spurs could not make their way out of it as they lost at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

With six games to go, Tottenham find themselves in all sorts of bother, two points adrift of safety now and with their survival no longer in their own hands.

The Spurs squad do not have a great deal of time to get used to the Italian's methods in N17, they need results and quickly if they are to avoid relegation from the English top flight for the first time since 1977.

What De Zerbi can do, however, is make different choices when it comes to his starting lineup - albeit dealing with the horrid injury crisis that he inherited that may only get longer after Cristian Romero trudged off the pitch in tears on Sunday.

Frontman Has Failed To Shine For Spurs All Season

There are a couple of players that should not pull on the Tottenham shirt again.

The first of those is Randal Kolo Muani. The Frenchman has endured a difficult campaign in north London and De Zerbi even mentioned his poor season in his first press conference ahead of the game with Sunderland.

"Kolo Muani I know he is not playing a great season, but he is a good player," he admitted. The new boss took the 'good player' part of that instead of the 'not playing a great season' angle to hand Kolo Muani a start against the Black Cats and while he showed a bit of attacking intent - which is more than can be said for Dominic Solanke on the day - he hardly set the world alight.

Too often he lost the ball when in promising positions, or when a pass was on, and far too often he threw himself to the ground when staying on his feet would have been a better option.

Kolo Muani has never really shown this season that he is up for the fight and has come in for criticism from the Spurs fanbase.

Only on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, what desire does he need to have? He knows he will be elsewhere come next season.

Mathys Tel has shown more in recent weeks - and in the 30 minutes after he came on for this countryman on Sunday - to deserve a sgtart in the final six games.

Tottenham Midfielder Made Things Worse When He Came On

The other player in a similar position is Joao Palhinha.

Now the Portuguese is not one that you can accuse of lacking fight, his whole game is built around winning tackles, making interceptions and battling the opposition.

And he is a leader, too. But while Spurs were hardly free-flowing against Sunderland, they were much more placid and stagnant in the final 30 minutes, after Sunderland went a goal up and De Zerbi made changes, than they were beforehand.

Taking off Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall - admittedly the Swede was playing in the wrong position - for Palhinha and Pape Matar Sarr was a huge mistake.

Palhinha is another who has oft been criticised by supporters this season for being too pragmatic, too defensive in a Thomas Frank system and, like Kolo Muani, is only on loan this season.

He will return to Bayern Munich in the summer, although there could be talk of a permanent move to Spurs when the transfer window opens, but it is not a move that makes any sense under De Zerbi now and why he should also not pull the shirt on again.

Tottenham have an agreement in principle in place for Liverpool defender Andy Robertson to join if they stay in the Premier League, GIVEMESPORT understands.

Robertson will leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season and almost joined Spurs in the January transfer window.

The terms of that proposed transfer remain in place, but nothing will be signed unless Spurs secure their place in the Premier League for next season. Roberto De Zerbi's side are currently in the relegation zone, two points adrift of safety with six games left.

Why Spurs Did Not Complete Robertson Transfer In January

Spurs have held a long-standing interest in the 32-year-old but were unable to complete a transfer in January due to Liverpool not sourcing a replacement. Efforts were made to bring back Kostas Tsimikas from Roma but the Italian side could not find a new full-back of their own and Liverpool did not have a mid-season recall clause to end the loan.

And Spurs' move to bring De Zerbi to the club has not changed their stance on signing the Scotland international.

Robertson's professionalism was noted over the winter. The Scotland international did not agitate for a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, nor did he want to leave Liverpool in a weaker position in the second-half of the season.

Robertson was not offered a new contract at Liverpool with all parties accepting a natural parting of ways was best. This was partly down to Robertson's own desire to be a first-team regular, which Liverpool could not guarantee him having signed Milos Kerkez over the summer.

Roberto De Zerbi Is On Board With Adding Leadership To The Spurs Dressing Room

Robertson has made 374 appearances for Liverpool since joining from Hull City in 2017, winning nine trophies including two Premier League titles and the 2018/19 Champions League.

And according to Mohamed Salah he will be leaving the Reds as a "legend". Speaking after the decision was made, Salah said: "It’s been an honour to be your teammate and your friend. You’ve won it all and you leave as a legend. I’m sure we will meet again."

Robertson does have other suitors, including in Italy and France, but Spurs are the clear frontrunners to sign him providing they are a Premier League club next season. In the same way Robertson has remained loyal to Liverpool, and respectful of the club's best interests, he is expected to stay true to his word and sign for Spurs if they can stay up, having made that conditional commitment over the winter.

Tottenham had made their intentions clear to sign Robertson mainly to add more leadership to the dressing room, having lost Son Heung-min in the summer and with Ben Davies likely to leave the club this summer.

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero was seen in tears after picking up an injury against Sunderland, and reliable journalist Alasdair Gold has now provided an update on his issue.

Things went from bad to worse for Spurs against Sunderland as Romero collided with Antonin Kinsky, with both players needing treatment for a lengthy period.

Romero certainly came off worse, and despite getting up and walking, he was seen in tears as he slowly made his way to the side of the pitch to be substituted.

Spurs succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Sunderland, meaning their hopes of surviving the drop have taken a double blow, with Romero also suffering an injury.

It's a worrying time for Tottenham, and new manager Roberto De Zerbi needs to find a way of turning things around drastically with just six Premier League games remaining.

Reporting on X, Football.London journalist Gold has confirmed that Romero's season with Tottenham is now over after picking up a knee injury against Sunderland.

BBC reporter Sami Mokbel has also confirmed the news, suggesting that his World Cup place is in doubt.

GIVEMESPORT correspondent Ben Jacobs reported that Romero had a scan today, and looks set to be out for up to eight weeks. Although he could be available to play a part in the World Cup, Argentina might not be willing to take a risk on the defender.

De Zerbi Can't Believe His Luck

De Zerbi is already having a torrid time at Tottenham, losing his first game in charge of the club.

The Spurs boss was already dealt an injury blow before even playing his first game, with Mohammed Kudus suffering a setback.

Kudus was edging closer to a return to action, but he's now set to be on the treatment table for a little longer.

Now, De Zerbi has just lost his captain with six games to go, and it's looking like an incredibly worrying situation for Spurs heading into the final weeks of the season.

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has been ruled out for between five and eight weeks due to a knee injury sustained against Sunderland, according to reports in Argentina.

Romero was seen leaving the pitch against Sunderland in tears after a clash with his own goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky.

It looked like a worrying injury for the Spurs defender, but Roberto De Zerbi was unable to provide a clear update when speaking to the media after the game.

Any injury sustained so close to the end of the season is always going to be a major blow.

Tottenham having Romero unavailable for even two or three games could be crucial as they look to avoid being relegated from the Premier League over the next few weeks.

Tottenham Injury Blow: Cristian Romero

According to Argentine journalist Martin Arevalo, Romero has a knee injury that could see him on the treatment table for between five to eight weeks.

Arevalo confirms the good news for Argentina, with Romero likely to be fit for the World Cup later this year, but Tottenham fans won't be best pleased.

It's a huge blow for them in their fight to remain in the Premier League, as they sit in the relegation zone with just six games remaining.

Journalist Gustavo Edul has provided an update himself, suggesting his season is over due to being out for six weeks.

One Tottenham Star Needs to Step Up

One player who needs to step up in the absence of Romero is Micky van de Ven.

The Dutch centre-back has struggled to hit the heights expected of him this season, and it's time for him to rescue Spurs over the coming weeks.

De Zerbi will be missing a lot of experience from his back line with Romero on the sidelines, so Van de Ven needs to lead from the back.

Tottenham fans will be incredibly angry and disappointed with most of their squad after what they've produced this season, but it's an opportunity for players like Van de Ven to stand up and be counted, rescuing Spurs from the threat of relegation.

Tottenham Hotspur's miserable season continued in Roberto De Zerbi's first match in charge as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland on Sunday, with Football London correspondent taking aim at Conor Gallagher for one key reason.

Tottenham and De Zerbi knew they needed a positive result at the Stadium of Light after they dropped into the bottom three on Friday night when West Ham United thrashed Wolves 4-0 at the London Stadium.

Spurs didn't get it though as they failed to find the score-sheet, which was coupled with Nordi Mukiele's heavily deflected shot beating Antonin Kinsky in the second half.

The north Londoners had no reply to that goal, and they are now two points from safety with six matches of the season left to play.

Nottingham Forest moved a further point clear of them too as they drew with Aston Villa on Sunday, which leaves Tottenham in a situation where they need points - and quickly.

They remain without a league win in 2026 and De Zerbi will surely be considering making changes to the XI that started on Wearside for the visit of his former club Brighton to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next weekend.

Gold: Tottenham Midfield Was a 'Mess' at Sunderland

While it would be hard to argue that anyone in a yellow shirt particularly stood out at the Stadium of Light, Tottenham's midfield struggled especially throughout against Regis Le Bris' men.

It was far too easy for Mukiele to cut inside and score what proved to be the winning goal, and Gold was left unimpressed after seeing the display of the £200,000-a-week Gallagher in the centre of the park.

Speaking on his latest YouTube video, Gold believes that the former Chelsea star simply isn't offering much right now.

The journalist said: "The midfield was a mess. He made this big show ahead of the game, De Zerbi, of talking up Conor Gallagher and talking about the Gallagher at Chelsea, saying 'what a player he was'. He didn't quite say like that, but along those lines, he's really big on trying to get confidence back into him.

"We know he wanted to sign him from Chelsea for Brighton. It was a player he really liked, but this is not that Conor Gallagher right now. He huffs and he puffs and he doesn't blow anybody's door down. He gives the impression of always looking busy, but you'd actually be hard-pressed to kind of jot anything down that he's done that's worthwhile and actually contributed to the cause."

Who Could Replace Gallagher Against Brighton?

If De Zerbi does want to drop Gallagher to the substitutes' bench for the visit of Brighton to north London next Saturday, he does have options of players to bring in.

Firstly, the Italian manager could drop Lucas Bergvall into a deeper role alongside Archie Gray, with loanee Joao Palhinha also available to play a defensive midfield position too.

Then, De Zerbi also has Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma available too, with the duo both returning to the bench at the Stadium of Light after suffering injury issues.

The 46-year-old will hope that both players are fully fit by the weekend so they are available to start, with Spurs surely needing more creativity ahead of the midfield duo in his system.

Tottenham missed a bit of a trick on Sunday afternoon and not just with their result against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light that plunged them deeper into the relegation mire at the bottom of the Premier League table, but with one of their best players in a dismal season.

Spurs were somewhat unlucky to go down to a 1-0 defeat away at the Black Cats, with Nordi Mukiele's deflected strike the difference between the two teams on the day.

It was Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge at Tottenham, following his appointment during the international break to replace interim boss Igor Tudor on a permanent basis.

De Zerbi Made Tactical Switch That Did Not Pay Off

And while there were some encouraging signs in an attacking sense in the first half, it was the same old situation at the back as Spurs looked vulnerable.

And the second half petered out once Sunderland went in front and De Zerbi made changes - most noticeably in the middle of the park.

The Italian removed Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray right after the goal, to be replaced by Pape Matar Sarr and Joao Palhinha and any intent was lost.

It was the use of Gray throughout the match, not just his withdrawal after the goal, that was particularly perplexing. The England U21 international appeared to be being utilised as a single pivot in front of a back four, with Bergvall and Conor Gallagher ahead of him and then Randal Kolo Muani, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke ahead of them.

But while Gray was always an option, Spurs did not always use him. He only actually touched the ball 23 times, which is maddening given he has been Spurs' best performer for much of this season.

Not only that, but the warm-up appeared to suggest he was going to be an integral cog in the De Zerbi machine too.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, football.london's Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold described his use at the Stadium of Light "crazy".

He said: "He's a clever tactical player with a good technique, he can ping a ball over the top as well, and they didn't use him in any progressive way at all. He only touched the ball 23 times, which made what they were doing in the warm-up all the more baffling for me, because I was watching the warm-up before the game, because I just wanted to see what little different things were happening under De Zerbi compared to the previously, and what they did.

Archie Gray Decision Was Baffling During Sunderland Vs Tottenham

"He was watching on, De Zerbi, and they organised this big rondo and it was essentially to get the players used to pressing, pressure, passing around it, and everything around it before the game started, just to get their head into that space and everything in it went around Archie Gray.

"So while other players had different bibs, and if they lost the ball, they switched, Archie Gray was among the middle group, but not as a tackler or a presser, but someone they were able to use to pass the ball to and he would knock it off to someone else. He was the hub. He was kind of meant to be the go-to man for everyone, anyone looking to a pass it, as if to say, 'when you get on the pitch, that's what to do, look for Archie, Archie will be there, he'll use the ball well, he'll turn, he'll do this, he'll do that', whatever, because he's probably one of the most energetic players, he's able to get into good positions to help people out, find a little bit of space.

"Yet that never happened. It wasn't a tactic that they took into the game. It was really weird. They mostly bypassed him. They would just knock the ball over his head. I just thought it was crazy."

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi desperately needs to try to figure out a way to change their fortunes after their latest defeat against Sunderland.

The new Tottenham boss made some interesting selection decisions heading into the game against Sunderland, with many questioning the decision to start Conor Gallagher.

The likes of Mathys Tel and Xavi Simons were also named on the bench, and it's safe to say his decisions didn't work as they suffered a 1-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light.

Spurs only have six Premier League games to turn things around, and they currently sit in the relegation zone, two points away from safety.

Up next for Spurs is a game against De Zerbi's former club, Brighton, and it's a chance to start their survival bid on their own turf.

De Zerbi Must Unleash Tottenham Star

With a game under his belt, De Zerbi will now have a better idea of who he wants to rely on ahead of the final six Premier League games.

The Italian manager doesn't have a lot of time to work with his players, so he needs to figure out his best XI as soon as possible.

One player he now needs to unleash is Mathys Tel.

The French youngster has found things difficult at Tottenham so far, and he's perhaps been harshly treated since his arrival.

Richarlison was deployed on the left-hand side of attack against Sunderland, but the Brazilian forward was wasted out there.

Tel offers something that Spurs don't have in their side, and De Zerbi needs to hand him a start if he wants to retain Tottenham's Premier League status.

Tel Offers Tottenham Something Different

Richarlison has been an effective weapon for Tottenham this season, but that's usually when deployed through the middle of attack.

The former Everton man was wasted out wide, especially when you have a player like Tel on the bench.

Journalist Alasdair Gold predicted that Tel would flourish at Spurs under De Zerbi due to his pace, and that's exactly what Tottenham need.

“[De Zerbi] likes speed up front, likes a lot of fast play. I think he'll like Mathys Tel, certainly could really flourish under him.”

His speed and technical quality out wide could be hugely beneficial, and De Zerbi needs to unleash him against Brighton.

Celtic are interested in signing Liverpool defender Andy Robertson ahead of the summer transfer window, competing with Tottenham for his signature, according to TEAMtalk.

Robertson is set to make a move in the summer, but it remains to be seen where he could end up.

The Scottish international is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, and it was recently confirmed that he won't be signing a new deal at Anfield.

Robertson has enjoyed an illustrious career at Liverpool, winning the Premier League title and Champions League, but he's now set for a new challenge.

A return to Scotland would certainly be a fairytale ending, but there will be multiple clubs showing an interest in securing his signature, considering he's available on a free transfer.

Celtic in Race With Tottenham for Robertson

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham have an agreement with Robertson on personal terms ahead of the summer transfer window.

Nothing is signed and sealed, with Tottenham's Premier League status likely to be a factor in Robertson's decision.

Despite Tottenham pushing ahead with a move for Robertson, Celtic are also interested in signing Robertson, who was described as 'elite' by journalist Henry Winter.

Unfortunately for Celtic, Robertson would still consider a move to Tottenham even if they are relegated, but it would undoubtedly lessen their chances.

Reports have previously claimed that Robertson would be open to a move to Parkhead, after he was linked during the January transfer window, but it remains to be seen if that has changed ahead of the summer transfer window.

Robertson Move Might Not Make Sense

Robertson is likely to command a large salary package in comparison to some of Celtic's current squad, and although he might be worth it in terms of experience and ability, there's a big caveat.

Celtic already have an experienced left-back in Kieran Tierney, so unless they plan on playing one of them in the middle of the defence, it might not make a lot of sense to bring Robertson to the club.

It might be tricky for Celtic to turn down a player of the calibre of Robertson if he's willing to make the move, so it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see him arrive if a deal with Tottenham falls through.

As both a player and then as a manager, Glenn Hoddle was an important figure in British football for a number of decades. He was a boyhood Tottenham Hotspur fan and spent time in the academy, joining as a 12-year-old, before making his debut five years later.

At Spurs, the English midfielder won two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup – becoming a club legend – before then going on to win the league in France with Monaco. He later spent spells at Swindon Town and Chelsea, which led him into the world of management.

As a coach, he failed to ever win a major trophy but did get to manage England before then taking over at Tottenham between 2001 and 2003. Despite managing the club he'd supported as a youngster, this period in north London delivered more frustration than joy.

Hoddle Felt 'Disgruntled' at Tottenham

Speaking to The Guardian in 2021, Hoddle spoke about how he was unable to form any sort of relationship with the majority owner Joe Lewis, and a lack of investment left him unable to build a side capable of winning the Premier League.

The former Tottenham coach explained how his time at Spurs is actually one of his 'big regrets.' When asked if he'd ever even met former owner Lewis, he said:

“No. I’ve never met Joe Lewis. Never even had a phone call. Never had a conversation with him and Spurs were always my club. That was the happiest I should have been but it was probably the most disgruntled I felt – at Tottenham.

"It was such a shame because I wanted it so much. I wanted to build a side to win the league like we did at Monaco. That was one of my big regrets but the money wasn’t there.”

Having won major honours with Tottenham as a player, Hoddle wasn't able to bring more success to the club as a manager. They did actually reach the League Cup final in 2002, but lost 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers.

In his second season in charge, things started brightly with Hoddle named Manager of the Month for August, with Spurs top of the league. However, form steadily dwindled, and they ended the 2002/03 campaign in 10th place. Hoddle then lasted until just September the following season, having picked up only four points from the club's opening six league games.

Hoddle Was 'Hurt' as Spurs Denied Him Two Star Striker Signings

Perhaps things could have gone better had the club been a little more proactive in the transfer market. Indeed, Hoddle revealed that he could have bought both Fernando Morientes from Real Madrid and Samuel Eto’o from Mallorca for just £12m in 2003, but Lewis and Daniel Levy were too slow in reacting to the opportunity. He recalled:

“That hurt me big time."

Morientes would end up in England, but joined Liverpool instead, later winning both the FA Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Eto’o would join Barcelona and become a club icon with three La Liga titles and two Champions League triumphs, while also winning more major honours in Italy with Inter Milan.

The Cameroonian striker eventually came to England, enjoying a short spell each at both Chelsea and Everton towards the end of his career.

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara didn't hold back with his assessment of Roberto De Zerbi's side after their defeat against Sunderland, with one player even given a 0/10 rating.

It must feel like Groundhog Day for Tottenham fans, as they watched their side slip to yet another defeat, keeping them in the relegation zone with six games remaining in the Premier League.

Shockingly, Spurs still haven't won in England's top flight in 2026, and they are sleepwalking to relegation unless they can drastically turn things around.

Nottingham Forest and West Ham both picking up points this weekend has worsened their situation, and De Zerbi has a real task on his hands to get a tune out of this squad in such a short space of time.

Jamie O'Hara's Tottenham Player Ratings

Reacting after the game on X, O'Hara shared his player ratings for the game against Sunderland. Dominic Solanke's rating stood out, with the former Tottenham midfielder giving him a 0/10.

O'Hara clearly wasn't happy with Spurs' attacking players, with Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani both given 1/10 ratings.

Antonin Kinsky, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and Pedro Porro can take some pride from their performances based on O'Hara's ratings, but even three of those were only a 5/10.

Some of the ratings might seem a little harsh, but it's understandable that Tottenham fans are incredibly frustrated with the players, with De Zerbi now the third manager in charge of them this season.

Tottenham Have Problems All Over The Pitch

It's no surprise to see O'Hara calling out a host of Tottenham players in different positions across the pitch, as they have plenty of problems throughout the squad.

Against Sunderland, Tottenham had very little in attack in terms of creativity, a lack of progression from midfield, their work-rate was incredibly disappointing, and Brian Brobbey had plenty of joy against their defence.

It looks set to be a busy summer transfer window for Spurs if they're are looking to solve their problems throughout the squad.

If they are relegated to the Championship, there's likely to be a mass exodus throughout the squad, but you'd imagine that won't bother Spurs fans too much.