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Tottenham Hotspur head into a crucial clash with Sunderland, and the latest injury news could at least level the playing field for Roberto De Zerbi.

It is not long before Tottenham Hotspur take to the field in their first game under new coach Roberto De Zerbi.

The former Brighton manager will be hoping he can steady a sinking ship as Spurs battle to stay in the English top flight.

His first encounter is set to come up against an impressive Sunderland side, who have looked very much like a Premier League side despite securing promotion last season.

Sunderland injury blow could level the playing field for Tottenham

When the two sides last met under Thomas Frank, the encounter ended in a draw. However, with the gap between Tottenham and the relegation places standing at just one point, securing a victory is crucial for De Zerbi.

Tottenham might now have a slight boost ahead of their encounter with the Black Cats on Sunday, 12 April. That is because goalkeeper Robin Roefs and key centre-back Daniel Ballard are doubts for Sunday’s encounter.

A return date has been pencilled in for 12 April on Premier League Injuries, but there is a 50% chance that the pair will be back.

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Other sidelined players for the newly promoted side include Jocelin Ta Bi (ankle/foot injury), Romaine Mundle (thigh injury), Bertrand Isidore Traore (knee injury) and Nilson Angulo (other), who have all been ruled out.

Of course, Tottenham have injury issues of their own though…

Spurs must capitalise as relegation rivals loom large

The Sunderland clash on Sunday is a very crucial one for Tottenham, who could find themselves in the bottom three before a ball is kicked.

West Ham United start Gameweek 32 on Friday with a clash against bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers, and should they manage to take all three points, they will leapfrog Spurs and move out of the relegation zone.

But if Tottenham manage a victory in their clash against Sunderland, and Nottingham Forest and Leeds United lose to Aston Villa and Manchester United respectively, the Lilywhites could end up in 15th place, even if they start the gameweek in the bottom three.

It will be vital for Spurs to make every advantage count.

Roberto De Zerbi’s arrival at Tottenham Hotspur could bring immediate and long-term change between the sticks in North London.

Many Tottenham Hotspur fans will be keen to get life under new boss Roberto De Zerbi underway, although some still have their reservations about the new manager.

However, more questions are expected to be directed at Roberto De Zerbi in his first pre-match press conference, which should offer greater insight into what life under his tenure will look like.

While off-field matters will take care of themselves, many supporters will be focused on performances on the pitch as Tottenham Hotspur continue their fight to avoid relegation.

How De Zerbi is likely to set up, and which players will be key to his system, are also key talking points that we have addressed this week.

But based on the Italian’s past decisions, a significant change between the sticks could be on the cards for Spurs.

Tottenham goalkeeper decision looms for Roberto De Zerbi

We already know that Tottenham have two goalkeepers with contrasting qualities and strengths. Guglielmo Vicario is an elite shot-stopper, while Antonin Kinsky represents a solid option with the ball at his feet (apart from against Atletico Madrid, apparently).

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The question of who will be between the sticks has also sparked debate, given De Zerbi’s demands and the contrasting styles of both goalkeepers.

We already know that for the Sunderland clash, Kinsky might be the one in goal, with Vicario still recovering from injury.

However, when both are fit, we could see an entirely different approach at Spurs. During De Zerbi’s time at Brighton, the Italian had two goalkeepers who shared minutes.

Bart Verbruggen and Jason Steele were De Zerbi’s shot-stoppers at the time, and both goalkeepers rotated 14 times in the 23-24 season. The manager himself even admitted that Verbruggen and Steele would get a 50-50 split of games.

Could we also see Vicario and Kinsky share minutes under the new boss?

Spurs may rethink long-term goalkeeper plans under De Zerbi

However, further investigation hints that it will be far from straightforward at Tottenham this season.

When De Zerbi was at Brighton, his two goalkeeping options were very similar in style, with both capable of playing out from the back. That could explain why the Italian opted to rotate as much as he did; regardless of who was in the sticks, his side would perform at almost a similar level.

At Tottenham, however, that is far from the case. Vicario has struggled with playing out and often opts to go long. Whether this is down to the coaches he has worked under this season is another question. Under Ange Postecoglou, who had a similar philosophy, the Italian struggled with his feet at times.

This does not just hint at a potential change this season, but could also give us a glimpse into what might happen in the future. The inability of either one of these goalkeepers could force a change between the sticks next season.

We already know Vicario is attracting interest from Inter Milan, and fresh reports claim that he has given a yes to the Italian side.

Should he be moved on, Spurs could then opt to sign a new goalkeeper, and if Kinsky goes out on loan, Tottenham might even need two.

In recent weeks, the profiles Tottenham have been linked with are goalkeepers capable of playing out from the back.

Tottenham Hotspur fans will not be filled with optimism after finding out which referee will take charge of their clash against Sunderland on Sunday.

The Roberto De Zerbi era at Spurs gets underway with a trip to the Stadium of Light this weekend.

It represents a difficult start to life in North London for De Zerbi, who is taking over a side that has yet to win a single league game this calendar year.

Tottenham could find themselves in the bottom three by the time they take to the field with West Ham hosting bottom-of-the-table Wolves on Friday.

Rob Jones will referee Tottenham’s clash against Sunderland

The Premier League have now announced that Rob Jones will officiate Sunday’s clash at the Stadium of Light, with Neil Davies and Nick Greenhalgh as his assistants.

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Tom Bramall will be the fourth official, while the VAR and Assistant VAR will be James Bell and Nick Hopton, respectively.

As per Transfermarkt, Jones has officiated 13 matches involving Spurs, out of which the Lilywhites have won just four matches and lost six, which does not make for encouraging reading. That makes for a win rate of just 30.7% ahead of what is a must-win game for the Lilywhites.

Jones has booked Tottenham players on 32 occasions during those 13 matches, but, on the plus side, he has never sent off a Spurs player.

What will De Zerbi’s game plan be at Sunderland?

De Zerbi has made it clear that he favours a possession-based, attacking style of football, but implementing that at a Tottenham side lacking in confidence may not be easy.

Pundits have suggested that the new Spurs boss may opt for a pragmatic approach against Sunderland, rather than asking his side to take risks.

Tottenham supporters will be eagerly waiting to see what starting line-up the Italian goes with and whether the Lilywhites take the game to the Black Cats.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has now revealed when Roberto De Zerbi’s first pre-match press conference as Tottenham boss is set to take place.

After a three-week break from Premier League football, gameweek 32 is set to return this Friday when West Ham United take on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

A victory for the relegation-threatened Hammers could see them leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur, who could then fall into the relegation zone before they face Sunderland on Sunday, April 12.

Such an outcome will only pile pressure on new manager Roberto De Zerbi, who has been tasked with helping Tottenham avoid relegation in the final seven games of the season.

Tottenham confirm Roberto De Zerbi press conference time before Sunderland clash

Tottenham fans have already been given a glimpse of what their new boss is like after club media showed behind-the-scenes footage of De Zerbi’s first training session.

The former Brighton manager has also conducted his first interview in Tottenham colours, where he provided an insight into what fans can expect under his guidance.

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Up next for De Zerbi, before he takes to the pitch against Sunderland, is his first pre-match press conference as Spurs boss.

Alasdair Gold has now confirmed that Roberto De Zerbi will hold his first press conference as Tottenham head coach on Friday at 1.30pm, where he will preview the Premier League game against Sunderland.

Spurs must respond as relegation threat grows under Roberto De Zerbi

Securing a win is absolutely crucial for the new Tottenham manager, as it will ease some of the tension around Spurs.

Victory against Sunderland could see Tottenham climb as high as 15th place, but only if Leeds United and Nottingham Forest lose their respective games.

Tottenham Hotspur could be stretched to their limits ahead of a crucial trip to Sunderland, with Roberto De Zerbi facing several key selection concerns.

Premier League football is set to return to our screens this weekend, with the gameweek kicking off as Spurs’ relegation rivals West Ham United take on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Many Tottenham Hotspur fans will be hoping that the Hammers fail to secure victory in that encounter, as a win for Nuno’s men could see them leapfrog Spurs and move out of the relegation zone.

Regardless, Tottenham’s fate remains in their hands in the fight for survival, and should they win their clash with Sunderland later in the gameweek, they could go as high as 15th if results elsewhere go their way.

Mohammed Kudus remains a doubt for Sunderland clash

But De Zerbi will have to secure a victory without several key players on Sunday afternoon, when his side visits the Stadium of Light.

That is because a whopping eight players remain out of contention ahead of the Premier League fixture. While this is a much-improved number compared to the thirteen in past weeks, Spurs are still short of options.

As it stands, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Wilson Odobert, Ben Davies, Mohammed Kudus, Guglielmo Vicario, Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are all out or doubts ahead of this fixture.

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Spurs still have attacking options

However, that number could still be reduced before Sunday. Kudus is currently a doubt, but there is a chance he returns before the Sunderland clash. Tudor hinted at Kudus’ return after the international break.

Vicario is out, but it might not be for an extended period as he continues his recovery from hernia surgery, which he underwent after the Nottingham Forest defeat.

Pape Matar Sarr represents the only Tottenham player to have returned with an injury from the international break, and it remains unclear how long he will be out for.

Regardless of the injuries, we do believe De Zerbi can still put out an attacking, exciting team in his first game as boss.

Tottenham Hotspur will be boosted by the return of key players over the coming weeks, as Roberto De Zerbi looks to get them out of relegation trouble.

The new Tottenham boss needs to get an instant response from the players as he only has seven league games to ensure that the Lilywhites avoid going down to the Championship.

De Zerbi will have had 10 full days to work with the Spurs squad ahead of the club’s trip to Sunderland, and it will be fascinating to see his preferred line-up and game plan at the Stadium of Light

According to reports, the Italian is set to receive a double injury boost ahead of his first game in charge of the North London club.

Two Tottenham stars could return against Sunderland and three more are close

The Standard reveal that even though Pape Sarr and Mathys Tel both pulled out of international duty due to injury, both players are expected to be available for Tottenham’s trip to Sunderland on April 12.

That will be a big boost to De Zerbi, who will undoubtedly be asked about the pair and the club’s other injured players in his first press conference as Spurs boss this week.

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The report claims that De Zerbi could be further boosted by the return of both Mohammed Kudus and Guglielmo Vicario for the Lilywhites’ clash against Brighton on April 18.

The publication predicts that Rodrigo Bentancur could also return to action sometime before the end of this month.

Senior Spurs man may have played his final game for the club

The Standard further explains that James Maddison, who suffered an ACL injury last summer, is only expected to return in June, while Wilson Odobert is not expected to be back until November of this year.

The report also says that Ben Davies is not expected to play again this season after breaking his ankle at West Ham, which means he is likely to have donned the Tottenham shirt for the last time.

Ray Parlour has made a big statement regarding the possibility of Frank Lampard one day ending up as Tottenham Hotspur’s head coach.

Tottenham have handed Roberto De Zerbi a five-year contract, with the Italian becoming the club’s third different head coach this season.

The Lilywhites hierarchy will be hoping that, unlike their two previous appointments, the Italian proves to be the right fit and can get the club back where they belong.

However, a former Arsenal man has now made a very interesting claim about the possibility of a Chelsea legend taking over at Spurs one day.

Ray Parlour claims Frank Lampard would have accepted Tottenham job

It was reported last summer that Frank Lampard was on Tottenham’s managerial shortlist at the time when the Lilywhites were looking for Ange Postecoglou’s successor.

After coming under plenty of criticism during his time in charge of Everton and Chelsea, Lampard has rebuilt his reputation this season at Coventry City, who are on course to win the Championship.

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Ray Parlour believes that the Chelsea legend would have jumped at the chance to leave the Championship table-toppers for Spurs if the North London club had come calling.

The former Arsenal man told Tottenham News: “It’s a job he (Lampard) couldn’t turn down. If someone went up to him and asked him to be the Tottenham manager, he’d have to take it. Even if they’re in a bit of dire straits at the moment.”

Parlour is not the first pundit to have this particular idea. Back in 2021, after a string of rejections and Nuno Espirito Santo’s arrival on the horizon, Trevor Sinclair urged Tottenham to sign Lampard.

At the time, the pundit said (TalkSPORT): “One that I don’t think has been mentioned much – and he does have connections to the club through his family – is Lampard.

“Harry Redknapp [Lampard’s uncle] has been manager of the football club, Jamie Redknapp [his cousin] has played there, he’s a London lad.

“He didn’t do much wrong at Chelsea. I think it’s a good fit. He did a good job, especially in the first season at Chelsea when they had the embargo, they just lost their best player.

“He went in there and steadied the ship, gave a lot of young players an opportunity. Tottenham have this unbelievable academy, surely you want to bring young players through like that?”

Sinclair added: “He still loves Chelsea, but he’ll be disappointed with the way that ended. He’ll want to go to a big club and prove his worth.”

Mauricio Pochettino is gutted that Spurs appointed Roberto De Zerbi

There have not been any suggestions in the media that Lampard was ever in consideration for the Tottenham job, but one man undoubtedly was – Mauricio Pochettino.

Reports suggest that Pochettino is ‘gutted’ that Spurs have decided to appoint De Zerbi, having eyed a return to N17 after the World Cup this summer.

One Tottenham player could be on course to replicate the rare feat achieved by Lucas Bergvall in the Europa League-winning 2024/25 campaign.

It certainly has become a season to forget for Tottenham Hotspur, who find themselves right in the thick of a relegation battle.

The north London club have failed to build on their Europa League triumph from last term, but they will be hoping to salvage something from this season in the remaining seven games under Roberto De Zerbi.

Several players will have to pull their weight in this battle for survival, and we do believe that one who could be vital under De Zerbi is Archie Gray.

Archie Gray could match Lucas Bergvall award feat at Tottenham

Gray has quickly become one of the more important players for Tottenham this season. His teammates are well aware of his quality, and Dominic Solanke even described Gray as phenomenal.

Such has been the talent of the youngster, who could well be on course to repeat a rare Lucas Bergvall phenomenon this season.

Bergvall, in the last campaign, managed a clean sweep of all three individual awards at Tottenham Hotspur.

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The talented young Swedish midfielder scooped the club’s Official Supporters’ Clubs (OSC) Player of the Season and both Player of the Season awards from One Hotspur Members and One Hotspur Juniors, becoming the first teenager since Glenn Hoddle (also 19 years old) to be awarded such an accolade.

Archie Gray could reach a similar feat this season if he maintains his outstanding performances, and while he will not be 19 by the time he achieves it – having already turned 20 – it would still represent an exceptional accomplishment he can be proud of.

Spurs midfielder Archie Gray eyes England breakthrough after standout form

Gray will not just be looking to impress at club level, but instead he will be hoping that his standout displays actually earn him a spot in the England first team.

Archie Gray was outstanding last time out with the England U21 in their clash with Moldova, where he grabbed a goal and was named player of the match.

The midfielder’s long-term ambition will be to eventually break into the England squad, and if his standout displays from this season can earn him a World Cup spot, that no doubt will be a great achievement for Gray, who has played just two full seasons in the Premier League.

Spurs clearly have a world-class talent on their hands, and Gray could well become a future captain for Tottenham, having already shown leadership skills this season.

Roberto De Zerbi could look to dip back into familiar territory this summer, with Tottenham Hotspur weighing up a move for a Serie A forward with fewer goals than Richarlison as part of their rebuild.

The Premier League is often tagged as one of the toughest leagues in Europe, as we have often seen players from other leagues struggle to adapt to English football.

Still, some foreign players who move to England go on to impress, and Tottenham Hotspur have had several such players within their ranks.

In the last few years, when Fabio Paratici was Sporting Director, we saw several players move from Serie A to Spurs, and they form the spine of the current team.

Tottenham target Moise Kean as De Zerbi eyes Serie A transfer

Calciomercato is now reporting that Spurs are again showing interest in a forward from Serie A this summer – Moise Kean.

The 26-year-old has put in a decent showing this season with Fiorentina, having scored nine goals and provided four assists in all competitions.

Richarlison, Tottenham’s leading goalscorer, has managed ten goals and provided four assists in four more games than Kean.

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It is explained that the new Spurs boss, Roberto De Zerbi, is interested in bringing the former Everton striker back to the Premier League.

When Kean was last in the English league, he struggled to adapt to the demands, managing just two goals and two assists in 32 appearances.

However, Tottenham remain interested and are expected to face competition from AC Milan, who are also keen on the Fiorentina man.

Spurs could complete Moise Kean transfer for £43m

Kean, whose contract is set to expire in 2029, includes a release clause of around €62m (£53m), but the forward could be available for less. In fact, £43 million could well be enough for Tottenham to begin talks with Fiorentina for the 26-year-old forward.

AC Milan are aware of this, but it is explained that they are not willing to meet the £43m fee requested by La Viola.

Kean himself is potentially thinking about a new destination, and De Zerbi can open his side’s door in the summer. However, a move will be possible if the north London club were to continue in the Premier League.

Liverpool’s search for a long-term attacking option could reopen questions around Tottenham Hotspur’s recent transfer miss, with one former target now rapidly rising in value.

Tottenham Hotspur have missed out on plenty of high-profile transfer targets in the past. Sometimes they flop, sometimes they leave the Lilywhites kicking themselves down the Tottenham High Road.

The winter window presented yet another case of missed chances for Spurs. Despite selling Brennan Johnson for £35m, Tottenham let an up-and-coming star slip through their fingers.

Rayan Viktor had been linked with Spurs for months after making waves with Vasco da Gama, and Tottenham scouted him on several occasions while he was starring in Brazil.

Tottenham miss out on a big Rayan Viktor bargain

Bournemouth were the club that eventually secured the services of Rayan, who has since replaced Antoine Semenyo following his move to Manchester City.

Since moving to the Premier League, the 19-year-old has impressed, registering two goals and one assist in 627 minutes. For a youngster moving from Brazil, it is quite an impressive feat – one he will surely build on as he adapts to life in England.

To make matters even better for Bournemouth and worse for Tottenham, the Cherries paid just £24.7m plus another £5.6m in add-ons to land the starlet. That works out as a Brennan Johnson and change.

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Spurs rue missed Rayan transfer opportunity amid Liverpool interest

Following his €28.50 million (£24.7 million) move in the winter window, Rayan is now attracting interest from Liverpool (Fichajes), who are looking to secure a replacement for Mohammed Salah, who is set to depart this summer.

Manchester United is also in the race for the wide forward, as they look to bolster their attacking ranks.

The teenager’s price tag has shot up in less than six months. TransferMarkt had him listed at €25m (£21.8m) in December, but that figure is now sitting at €40m (£34.9m). Rayan even has a €100 million (£86 million) release clause included in his contract, which runs until 2031.

Spurs have clearly missed out on another player with immense potential, and one that, if they were to make a move for in the future, will cost them a fortune.

To rub salt in the wounds, Tottenham didn’t even move for another winger to replace Johnson’s place in the squad in January – a nightmare considering the ensuing injury crisis.