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Spurs in must-win territory as they desperately bid to escape relegation zone

Arthur Ferridge

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham host Brighton today as they frantically try to halt their disastrous descent towards relegation from the Premier League.

For the first time this season, Spurs head into a new matchweek sitting in the bottom three after the newly-appointed Roberto De Zerbi lost his first match in charge at Sunderland.

Tottenham are now two points adrift of 17th-place West Ham, and will require nothing less than a win here if they are to quell fans’ increasingly rational fears of going down for the first time since 1977.

But they will have their work cut out for them as they face the Premier League’s form side, Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls.

Brighton have won five of their last six league fixtures and, as a result, can dream of finishing this campaign in the European places provided they keep their form up.

They will be reasonably confident of taking three points away from north London, though, with Spurs’ ever-accelerating downward spiral leaving them still winless in the Premier League in 2026.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Tottenham vs Brighton is scheduled for a 5.30pm BST kick-off today on Saturday April 18, 2026.

The match will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London.

Where to watch Tottenham vs Brighton

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage starting at 5pm BST.

Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.

Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau at the ground.

Tottenham vs Brighton team news

Tottenham’s grim form has not been helped by a sustained injury crisis, with captain Cristian Romero set to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury sustained during a collision with Antonin Kinsky at the Stadium of Light.

Elsewhere, Guglielmo Vicario is not yet ready to return in goal following hernia surgery, while Mohammed Kudus is out after suffering a setback in his recovery from a quad injury.

Dejan Kulusevski remains sidelined along with James Maddison, Wilson Odobert and Ben Davies.

Key blow: Tottenham captain Cristian Romero will not play again this season

Getty Images

There has been a rare shred of positive injury news for Spurs, though, with Rodrigo Bentancur returning to training after hamstring surgery.

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Brighton, meanwhile, cannot call upon Stefanos Tzimas or Adam Webster due to knee ligament injuries, with both set to miss the end of the season.

Lewis Dunk is suspended for this match, while James Milner will play no part through injury.

Tottenham vs Brighton prediction

While Spurs had flashes of threat against Sunderland, they did not look like scoring at any point and came away with another dismal defeat, their seventh in eight league matches.

While De Zerbi has now had another week on the training pitch to get his side on song, he has a huge task at hand to right this severely listing ship.

Coming up against the club he once managed, the Italian will be desperate for three points, but it remains to be seen whether five days of training will be enough to turn this abject Spurs side around.

With Brighton very much on form, we expect another tough afternoon for Spurs.

Brighton to win, 2-0.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Spurs have twice as many wins against Brighton as they do losses, but the reverse of this fixture ended in a rare and dramatic draw.

Tottenham trailed 2-0 after half an hour, but their comeback was completed at the death after Jan Paul van Hecke scored an own goal.

Tottenham wins: 18

Brighton wins: 9

Draws: 5

Tottenham vs Brighton match odds

Tottenham to win: 2/1

Brighton to win: 6/5

Draw: 29/10

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).

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When deciding where to take his players for a spot of team bonding this week, Roberto De Zerbi had only to look at the description on the website of the lavish Mayfair restaurant, Bacchanalia, for inspiration.

A Greek-Mediterranean spot, set in the heart of one of London’s most exclusive neighbourhoods, it purports to offer “imagination on a grand and glorious scale” while providing “abundant pleasure” for its high-paying customers.

Tottenham’s supporters can certainly say they pay enough - they have the second-most-expensive season ticket in the Premier League - but in watching their team slide towards relegation, there is nothing grand or glorious about where this club is seemingly headed, and De Zerbi knows things need to change.

“There are a lot of players, and we have to build and find in these last weeks the best relationship we can find, and I want to see on the pitch players helping their team-mates and pushing everybody for one target and to achieve our big, big target for us.

With six games to go, Spurs are two points from safety and in desperate need of a first league win in four months as they host Brighton this weekend.

A reunion with his former club is the last thing De Zerbi needed, with Brighton in fine form after winning five of their last six games, but he remains optimistic about Spurs’ chances of staying up.

“I believe in the people. I believe in the human relationship. I believe in the spirit. I believe in the soul of the players. Before we speak about tactical dispositions, style of play, defensive phase, with the ball, without the ball, set-pieces.

After losing to Sunderland in his first game in charge last weekend, De Zerbi has been clear that his job from now until the end of the season is to work on his players’ mentality.

“To make them aware not only of what they stand to lose, but also what they still have to give after slipping into the relegation zone for the first time this season.

The absence of captain Cristian Romero, ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, is another huge blow for the north London club in a season that is beginning to feel fated.

De Zerbi’s confidence, though, remains unwavering, and he is determined to get his squad to fight for each other in the final weeks of the season.

“What I can ask is for them to be closer on the pitch, to consider their teammates likes a brother on the pitch. If you consider your teammate like a brother, you go to help him. If he is wronged, you hug him, and you kiss him, and we need this in this moment, for sure.”

A disjointed performance against Sunderland has not, however, quelled any suggestions that Spurs are now favourites for the drop, and De Zerbi is honest enough to admit that time is not on his side right now.

“Every week is much better, but we have no time. We have no time to lose and no time to understand the problems we have this season.”

De Zerbi wants to transmit the confidence and belief he radiates into his players, and knows that one win could be the catalyst for Spurs’ survival bid.

The problem is that while these mental roadblocks could be hurdled over the course of De Zerbi’s five-year deal, Spurs have just six games to save their season.

A little over a fortnight since taking the reins, De Zerbi is in must-win territory as he looks to change the fortunes of a club whose slide towards the Championship feels more inevitable by the week.

Roberto De Zerbi will continue to be without first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario as Tottenham host Brighton in a must-win game in their fight for Premier League survival on Saturday.

"Vicario, no (he is not fit). Vicario is another top guy. I'm looking forward to work with him. Anyway, Kinsky played very well in Sunderland,” De Zerbi said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

“But Vicario is another important player for us. Big experience, big character, personality. And we are waiting for him.”

Without Romero, De Zerbi will have to decide who should partner Micky van de Ven at centre-back.

Kevin Danso and Radu Dragusin are both fit and available, but with Danso taking Romero’s place against Sunderland, it is likely that the Austrian will again fill in alongside Van de Ven.

“We have Radu Dragusin and Kevin Danso. They are able to play well, to give us quality with the ball and to be strong in defensive space.”

De Zerbi has quickly had to get to grips with Spurs’ spiralling injury list, but he has been boosted by the return of Rodrigo Bentancur from a hamstring injury.

Bentancur has been out since January after undergoing surgery on his right hamstring, but returned to training this week. De Zerbi stated that the Uruguayan would be in contention to play against Brighton, though he was unsure whether he was fit enough to start.

Bentancur’s return comes at a time when De Zerbi is looking for answers in midfield, after his side were overrun in the middle of the park against Sunderland.

The Spurs boss deployed Conor Gallagher, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall to little effect at the Stadium of Light as Sunderland dominated before taking the lead in the 61st minute through Nordi Mukiele’s deflected strike.

With De Zerbi’s midfield combination failing to have the desired impact, Bentancur could be thrust straight back into the starting lineup, while calls for Xavi Simons to start have only grown this week.

There are also decisions to be made on the wing, with Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison both struggling against Sunderland.

Mathys Tel is the only fit, natural winger in Spurs’ squad at the moment, and it was widely seen as an oversight by De Zerbi not to start him ahead of Richarlison last weekend.

Spurs are in must-win territory now, with just six games to go and two points separating them from 17th-place West Ham.

They face an in-form Brighton side looking for their first league win of the calendar year as they look to move out of the relegation zone.

Tough trip to Villa Park has been pushed back to after West Ham play Brentford

On the move: Spurs fixture schedule has changed

Getty

Sam Tabuteau

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Tottenham’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa will be rescheduled after the Midlands club progressed to the Europa League semi-finals.

Spurs were set to play Unai Emery’s side at 12.30pm on Saturday, May 2, at Villa Park in a crucial game in their bid to stay in the Premier League.

The fixture will now take place at 7pm on Sunday, May 3, after Villa beat Bologna 7-1 on aggregate, following a 4-0 win at Villa Park on Thursday night.

Spurs are in the midst of a relegation battle, and with six games to go, find themselves two points from safety.

The fixture change means Spurs will now play after key relegation rival West Ham travel to Brentford, but still before Nottingham Forest take on Chelsea.

Roberto De Zerbi’s appointment as manager did not provide an immediate reaction, as Spurs fell to a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland in his first game in charge.

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They host Brighton this weekend, still looking for their first league win of the calendar year, before a trip to bottom-of-the-table Wolves next Saturday.

De Zerbi’s side is in desperate need of results and will travel to Champions League-chasing Villa on the first weekend of May, with their Premier League survival in the balance.

Villa, meanwhile, are in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League despite their recent faltering form.

Despite winning just one of their last six league games, Villa remain seven points ahead of sixth-place Chelsea and three points ahead of Liverpool in fifth.

Villa are also favourites to progress to the Europa League final, but will first navigate an all-Premier League semi-final against Nottingham Forest.

The Premier League’s decision to move the fixture is expected to cause major disruption for travelling fans, and Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust have criticised the Premier League and broadcasters for their lack of consideration.

“Once again the Premier League and TNT Sports have shown contempt for supporters,” THST told Standard Sport.

“By scheduling this match at 12.30pm on Saturday, with the[n the] move to Sunday at 7pm, supporters face tremendous difficulty planning travel to and from the match. Supporters working on Monday morning face potentially travelling for hours late on Sunday night.

“The issue (of European progress) was known when this match was moved to an early KO on Saturday, and there is no reason why it could not have been immediately scheduled for Sunday night, allowing supporters to make an informed decision before applying for tickets.

“We call on all football leagues and TV companies to have far more consideration for match going fans than they have proved themselves capable of so far.”

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Spurs can climb out of relegation zone with three points

Tottenham vs Brighton

ES Composite

Arthur Ferridge

COMMENTS

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Roberto De Zerbi’s rescue mission continues on Saturday as his imperiled Tottenham host Brighton in the Premier League.

For the first time this season, Spurs head into a new matchweek in the relegation zone after the newly-appointed De Zerbi was beaten on debut at Sunderland.

Spurs are two points adrift of 17th-placed West Ham, and will require nothing less than a win here if they are to quell fans’ increasingly rational fears of going down.

But they will have their work cut out for them as they face the Premier League’s form side, Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls.

Brighton have won five of their last six league fixtures and, as a result, can dream of finishing this campaign in the European places provided they keep their form up.

They will be reasonably confident of taking three points away from north London, though, with Spurs’ ever-accelerating downward spiral leaving them winless in the Premier League in 2026.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Tottenham vs Brighton is scheduled for a 5.30pm BST kick-off on Saturday, April 18, 2026.

The match will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Where to watch Tottenham vs Brighton

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event, with coverage starting at 5pm BST ahead of a 5.30pm kick-off.

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Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app and website.

Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham vs Brighton team news

Tottenham’s grim recent form has been brought on largely by a sustained injury crisis, with Cristian Romero the latest addition to the list after he picked up a knee injury in a collision with Antonin Kinsky at the Stadium of Light.

Elsewhere, Guglielmo Vicario is pushing to recover from a hernia surgery and could be involved, though Mohammed Kudus will miss out after suffering a setback in his recovery from a thigh injury.

Cristian Romero was spotted in central London this week with a bandage on his knee

TikTok

Dejan Kulusevski remains AWOL with a nebulous knee injury and James Maddison is due to miss the remainder of the campaign as he recovers from ACL surgery. So too will Wilson Odobert and Ben Davies.

There has been a rare shred of positive injury news for Spurs, though, with Rodrigo Bentancur returning to training after undergoing a hamstring surgery of his own.

Brighton, meanwhile, cannot call upon Stefanos Tzimas or Adam Webster due to knee ligament injuries, with both set to miss the end of the season.

Veteran defender Lewis Dunk is suspended for this match, while his elder James Milner is a doubt after he missed last week’s win over Burnley with what Hurzeler described as a “minor, minor injury”.

Tottenham vs Brighton prediction

While Spurs had flashes of threat against Sunderland, they did not look like scoring at any point and came away with another grim defeat, their seventh in eight league matches.

While De Zerbi has now had another week on the training pitch to get his side on song, he has a huge task at hand to right this severely listing ship.

Coming up against the club he once managed, the Italian will be desperate for three points, but it remains to be seen whether five days of training will be enough to turn this abject Spurs side around.

With Brighton very much on form, we expect another tough afternoon for Spurs.

Brighton to win, 2-0.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Spurs have twice as many wins against Brighton as they do losses, but the reverse of this fixture ended in a rare stalemate. Tottenham trailed 2-0 after half an hour, but their comeback was completed at the death after Jan Paul van Hecke scored an own-goal.

Tottenham wins: 18

Brighton wins: 9

Draws: 5

Jan Paul van Hecke’s own-goal gifted Spurs a point at the AmEx Community Stadium

Getty

Tottenham vs Brighton match odds

Tottenham to win: 13/8

Brighton to win: 13/10

Draw: 21/10

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).

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Thomas Frank’s agent has said that the former Tottenham manager will take some time out before deciding his next managerial move.

Frank has been out of work since he was sacked by Spurs in February following a run of eight Premier League games without a win.

Spurs were 16th in the top-flight when ex-Brentford stalwart Frank departed after eight months, five points above the relegation zone, but results have not improved since he left.

Tottenham now find themselves inside the bottom three and still searching for their first league win of the calendar year after new boss Roberto De Zerbi started his tenure with a 1-0 defeat away at Sunderland last weekend.

De Zerbi took over from Igor Tudor, who replaced Frank on an interim basis before leaving by mutual consent after just seven games at the helm.

While Spurs’ season has spiralled, Frank has stayed quiet on his plans for the future and has yet to comment on his ill-fated spell in charge, having rejected multiple media requests for an interview.

His agent, Allan Bak, has now admitted that Frank is taking some time out of the game before assessing his next move.

"He is going to relax a bit and visit friends and family. Still a little too early for interviews,” Bak said, in quotes to Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet relayed by Sport Witness.

“He is enjoying himself with family and friends right now. [He] has decided to pull the plug and relax."

Roberto De Zerbi was dealt another injury blow in debut defeat

Sidelined: Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario

London Standard

Oli Gent

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Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Roberto De Zerbi suffered defeat in his first game in charge of Tottenham as he watched his new side lost 1-0 at Sunderland on Sunday.

The result saw Spurs remain in the relegation zone, where they had been plunged after West Ham’s 4-0 win over Wolves on Friday.

It leaves the north London club two points adrift after Nottingham Forest claimed a point against Aston Villa at the City Ground.

De Zerbi was also dealt a huge injury blow as a key man hobbled off at the Stadium of Light.

Here’s all the latest Tottenham injury news and potential return dates...

Cristian Romero

Spurs captain Romero was forced off against Sunderland after a collision with stand-in goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.

The central defender and Kinsky were both down for several minutes, receiving treatment from the club physios.

Kinsky was bandaged up after suffering a cut to the head, and he soldiered on.

Romero, however, had to be replaced with what appeared to be a leg problem, and Kevin Danso came on in his place.

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Afterwards, De Zerbi said of the centre-back: "I hope for us it's not too important, because he's a crucial player, a good guy, a top player, a big personality and leader.

Pressed on whether Romero had suffered a knee injury, De Zerbi replied: “Maybe yes, but I don't know."

Potential return date: Saturday, April 18 vs Brighton (H)

Mohammed Kudus

Summer signing Kudus looked to be slowly but surely closing in on a return after a long spell out with a quad problem, but he suffered a setback last week, and could need to undergo further surgery.

The Ghanaian picked up the issue against Sunderland on January 4, and had been pictured back in team training ahead of the trip to Wearside before the weekend.

However, De Zerbi was dealt a blow on the Ghanaian, with Spurs confirming that Kudus would be sidelined for a while longer yet.

Potential return date: Unknown

Guglielmo Vicario

First-choice goalkeeper Vicario is still recovering from hernia surgery, meaning that he missed De Zerbi’s debut at Sunderland over the weekend.

Spurs announced on March 20 that the operation had been “timed” for the international break in order to “have as minimal impact as possible”.

The club would like the Italian to be able to “return to action within the next month”.

The Italian could be in line to make a return - depending on his recovery timeline - against Brighton this weekend.

Potential return date: Saturday, April 18 vs Brighton (H)

Dejan Kulusevski

Sweden international Kulusevski could finally be close to a return after he made clear his objective of playing for his country at the World Cup this summer.

The winger has been sidelined since May last year with a patella injury that has included several setbacks, with the most recent being another surgical procedure which preceded his visit to Sweden’s camp ahead of their World Cup play-off victory over Poland.

He was spotted limping badly, which sparked fears that he still had some time remaining before he was to set foot on the pitch again.

Kulusevski allayed those fears however, insisting that he has "never felt better" as he targets the World Cup.

New surgery: Dejan Kulusevski

Instagram/@dejan.k10

“I understand that people were worried [by the limping], but it was really for the wrong reason," he said. "It was really positive that I did this little procedure and that we were able to find the problem.

"Now everything should be good. It’s just a matter of slowly and surely coming back. I can see the light. It feels better now.

"I really have a positive feeling about [the] World Cup in two or three months. This is how the book and the chapter will end. I’m convinced of that … I'm very confident with where I am today."

Potential return date: Unknown

Rodrigo Bentancur

Bentancur is still out with a torn hamstring that he picked up in the defeat at Bournemouth back in January.

The Uruguayan underwent surgery, with former Spurs boss IgorTudor reporting that the midfielder was “progressing” towards a comeback to action.

The midfielder has been seen with a ball at his feet in recent weeks, and the former Juventus man could be close to a return this month if things go to plan.

Potential return date: April

James Maddison

While the attacking midfielder has posted videos of himself back up and running on social media, it still remains incredibly unlikely that Maddison will feature at all this term after his ACL injury that he suffered in pre-season last summer.

Potential return date: June

Out: James Maddison

Getty Images

Wilson Odobert

Another whose campaign is over is the French forward Odobert, who tore his ACL against Newcastle earlier this year.

He underwent surgery in February and is set for a lengthy spell out.

Potential return date: November

Ben Davies

Welsh veteran Davies is likely to have played his last game for the club after he broke his ankle against West Ham.

The defender was stretched off in the defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It could well be his final match in north London, with the 32-year-old out of contract come the end of the season.

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Sam Tabuteau

COMMENTS

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

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Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham reign got off to the worst possible start as Nordi Mukiele’s deflected effort handed Sunderland a 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light.

Having fallen into the bottom three following West Ham’s thrashing of Wolves on Friday night, Spurs needed to get a result on Wearside to ease their relegation fears.

De Zerbi’s side were, however, toothless as Sunderland dominated before taking a deserved lead to leave Spurs staring at relegation to the Championship.

Spurs’s relegation woes deepen with seventh defeat in eight league games

Before his Tottenham side had even kicked a ball, De Zerbi was under pressure to deliver a positive result.

West Ham’s win over Wolves on Friday night had seen Spurs slide into the relegation zone for the first time this season.

But with a new manager through the door, there was at least a sense of anticipation before kick-off. A belief that perhaps things could change.

That notion was quickly dispelled, however, as Spurs started brightly but fell away in a fashion that has become all too common this season.

Defeat: Tottenham

REUTERS

Without a win this calendar year, Spurs are a team desperately bereft of confidence and as soon as they fell behind, there was no suggestion that they were ever going to get themselves back into the game.

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The north London club are winless in each of their last 32 Premier League games after going behind (D8, L24), and despite 11 additional minutes, they never truly troubled Robin Roefs in the Sunderland goal.

Spurs’ board took a risk in appointing De Zerbi, given that in his previous roles, it has taken time for him to instil his ideas.

On an afternoon where Spurs laboured to their seventh defeat in eight league games, there was no evidence to suggest that he can be the man to turn things around and prevent Spurs slipping into the Championship.

Midfield experiment does not work

De Zerbi’s teams have always been noted for their ability to dominate possession.

As such, the make-up of the Italian’s midfield was always going to be a point of interest when the teams were announced pre-game.

De Zerbi opted to start Conor Gallagher and Archie Gray in the pivot of a 4-2-3-1, with Lucas Bergvall operating as the No10 as Xavi Simons remained on the bench for the fourth successive league game.

It was an experiment that did not work for De Zerbi, though, as Sunderland took control, with Spurs loose in possession and unable to stamp their authority on the game after a bright start.

Bergvall, starting for the first time since January’s victory over Borussia Dortmund, looked off the pace and struggled to get on the ball - no player took fewer touches than the Swede in the first-half.

Relegation fears: Tottenham

REUTERS

Gray and Gallagher, meanwhile, were stuck mopping up second balls as Sunderland chased the opening goal.

With just a week and a half on the training ground, it is clear Spurs have not yet got to grips with what De Zerbi demands in the press, and Sunderland were able to easily progress the ball through the middle of the pitch.

De Zerbi would have been looking for his midfield to provide energy off the ball and authority in possession.

Instead, Spurs were left chasing shadows as Sunderland applied all the pressure and De Zerbi rang the changes, bringing Bergvall and Gray off just past the hour mark.

Kinsky puts Atletico debacle behind him

Brought back into the side for his first appearance since that night in Madrid, Antonin Kinsky was a bright spot in an otherwise dismal afternoon for Spurs.

Despite facing constant jeers from Sunderland’s support, the Czech goalkeeper was comfortable with the ball at his feet and bred confidence into Spurs’ defence by springing off his line to collect a number of loose balls.

This was an opportunity for Kinsky to banish the demons of his performance against Atletico, and he did so by producing an assured performance to keep Spurs in the game despite Sunderland’s dominance.

The 23-year-old can count himself unlucky to have ended up on the losing side, conceding to a cruel deflection off Micky van de Ven, on a difficult afternoon in the race for survival.

De Zerbi says he expects Guglielmo Vicario to be back from injury next week, but he will have been encouraged by Kinsky’s performance, and at least knows he can come to rely on him in the run-in

While it will be little consolation to Spurs, this was a morale-boosting performance from Kinsky, who can now begin to rebuild his confidence again.

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