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The Roberto De Zerbi era begins for Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon with a trip to Sunderland in the Premier League and football.london will have all the action below from the match.

The new head coach has just seven games to save Spurs' top flight status with the north London outfit sitting in the bottom three of the table after West Ham's big win against Wolves on Friday night. De Zerbi will want to help Tottenham record their first Premier League victory of 2026 but faces a tough task in doing so at Sunderland.

Regis Le Bris' team have enjoyed a strong return to the division, have a good home record and their last game brought a derby victory at Newcastle before the international break.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold will be providing live updates and insight from the Italian's debut in the dugout. Scroll down for all of the latest news, updates and opinion from the Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light.

Cristian Romero was forced to come off during Tottenham Hotspur's clash against Sunderland. The Lilywhites defender suffered a knock following a collision with Antonín Kinský and, after an eight-minute stoppage in play, he left the field in tears.

Midway through the second half, Brian Brobbey appeared to push Romero into the on-rushing Spurs goalkeeper after losing a foot race. The Argentina international placed himself between the stray pass and the opposition striker, allowing Kinský to collect the ball.

As the Tottenham shot-stopper went retrieve possession, Brobbey shoved Romero over. The Spurs skipper collided with Kinský, and they both required immediate on-field medical attention.

Following a break in play, Romero was replaced by Kevin Danso, while his teammate between the sticks soldiered on with a bandage around his head. Troubled by either the potential injury or 1-0 deficit, the Argentine left the pitch in tears, and he had to be consoled.

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Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the game at the Stadium of Light, Romero vowed to do whatever it takes to help Tottenham avoid relegation from the Premier League. He said: "The truth is that there is nothing else to say to the fans because, first of all, we have to thank them for always being there.

"They will always be there, no matter what happens. There are always going to be Tottenham fans. If things are good or things are bad, they are always there.

"Over the years, the players, the coaches, the managers change, but they are the ones that are always going to be there. That's why there's nothing else to say but thank them.

"At least, especially for me, they have always been by my side, they have supported me a lot. I feel great affection for the fans of this club. I've been here five seasons.

"This season was not easy for any of us, but I want to thank them for always being there, and I want to try to be together more than ever in this dark time, and I will do everything I can to get out of this."

Romero added: "The club isn't there because of me, it's the structure, the stadium, the people. Every time we play at the stadium, it's completely full, they follow us everywhere, and I think it deserves to compete at least.

"I'm not saying win the Premier League, because to say win the title is easy, but at least compete in the top positions of the league, compete in the European competitions.

"To try and have targets to achieve these things would be great, but the important thing is not focusing on the present, which is not good. Try to get out of this bad situation and try to focus on these two months of the season and do it in the best way possible."

Romero was booked during the first of Sunday afternoon's clash against Sunderland, with the score goalless at the break. Them, in the second half, Nordi Mukiele broke the deadlock with a deflected effort that left Kinský rooted to the spot.

Here's the Tottenham team that Roberto De Zerbi has selected to face Sunderland in the Premier League in his first game in charge

Roberto De Zerbi has named his first Tottenham Hotspur starting XI for Sunday's Premier League game at Sunderland.

The new Spurs boss has just seven games of the season remaining to turn the club around and they are currently in big trouble in 18th place in the table after West Ham's win against Wolves. De Zerbi has become the club's fourth head coach in nine months and must bring confidence back to a team that is yet to win a league match in 2026.

They face a tough task at Sunderland, who have impressed this season under Regis Le Bris and come into this encounter following their derby win at Newcastle before the international break.

Antonin Kinsky is De Zerbi's first goalkeeper selected between the sticks with Guglielmo Vicario in the final stages of recovering from his hernia operation and the 23-year-old Czech stopper will aim to put that difficult night Atletico Madrid behind him.

De Zerbi spoke about Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie in glowing terms in his first Spurs press conference on Friday and has named them as his first back four.

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He also named Dominic Solanke as another crucial senior player and the England international starts up front, while Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani start either side of the front man. In midfield Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Conor Gallagher start together with Xavi Simons on the bench alongside Mathys Tel and the returning Yves Bissouma.

Here's the team De Zerbi has selected for his Tottenham debut in what could be a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1:

Here's the Tottenham team that we reckon the new head coach could select for his debut in the dugout for the north London club

Roberto De Zerbi is set to name his first Tottenham Hotspur starting XI for Sunday's Premier League game at Sunderland.

Spurs have seven games of the season remaining and are currently in big trouble down in 18th place in the table after West Ham's comprehensive 4-0 victory against Wolves. Now the 46-year-old has taken charge as the club's fourth head coach in nine months and has a team that is yet to win a league match in 2026.

They face a tough task at Sunderland, who have impressed this season under Regis Le Bris, have a decent home record and come into the game after their derby win at Newcastle before the international break.

Antonin Kinsky will be De Zerbi's first goalkeeper between the sticks with Guglielmo Vicario in the final stages of recovering from his hernia operation and the 23-year-old Czech stopper will be looking to put that night in Madrid far in his rear view mirror.

De Zerbi spoke about Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie in glowing terms in his first Spurs press conference on Friday and said he wants to recreate the quartet's impact in Ange Postecoglou's season so that looks likely to be his first choice back four.

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He also named Dominic Solanke as another crucial senior player, while also praising various attackers and the midfield youngsters Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Xavi Simons. De Zerbi admitted that he had tried to sign Mathys Tel while at Marseille so he is someone he will look to further up the pitch.

He also had plenty of praise for Richarlison as well as Conor Gallagher with the Italian believed to have tried to sign the England international when he was Brighton head coach.

The Italian will likely go with his favoured 4-2-3-1, a system that Spurs used a lot over previous years, and it's going to be key for the new head coach to get the right blend and balance of players for it.

Here's the team we reckon De Zerbi might go with for his Tottenham debut:

Kinsky; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Gallagher; Kolo Muani, Xavi, Richarlison; Solanke.

The new Tottenham Hotspur head coach has got plans to get the best out of two of the north London club's big signings this season

Roberto De Zerbi believes he knows how to get the best out of Tottenham's £86million duo Conor Gallagher and Xavi Simons.

The Italian has taken the helm of Spurs with the club languishing in the Premier League's bottom three and yet to win a match in the competition in 2026. To stand any chance of beating the drop, De Zerbi must get the north London outfit's star players firing in the final seven matches of the campaign, starting with Sunday's trip to Sunderland.

One of those underperforming stars will be January signing Gallagher, who arrived from Atletico Madrid after turning down the advances of Aston Villa but the 26-year-old has struggled to make any impact since his £35million move. Another is Dutch starlet Xavi, who has created more chances than any other Spurs player since signing for £51million from RB Leipzig last summer but struggled for consistent starts under Igor Tudor and Thomas Frank.

De Zerbi called the 22-year-old former PSG youngster a "big talent" while admitting that "I want to see again the same Gallagher I loved in Chelsea at the time", having tried to sign the England international when he was Brighton boss.

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The new Tottenham head coach has a clear idea of how he can get more out of the potentially dynamic duo.

"Two parts. One part, the focus on the ball, on the pitch, to put them in the best position, the favourite position they feel, for sure, and the mental part," he said. "I think for Gallagher it's not so easy because he left Chelsea after I don't know how many seasons. He went to Atletico Madrid, and now in Tottenham, in this moment for Tottenham.

"He was a leader in Chelsea, and now he has to adapt to a new club, to new team-mates, to a new stadium, to a new everything. I have to help him to put as a target the Gallagher in Chelsea."

The 46-year-old added: "Also for the other players, it's the position on the pitch, [Mohammed] Kudus was one player because he already knew what I demand for the winger (after De Zerbi came close to signing the currently injured attacker before he joined West Ham).

“And all players, one part mental side and one part on the pitch to give more solutions when we have the ball, and change the focus from the defensive phase to the offensive phase, because if we have to concede a goal, we concede a goal.

“But the DNA of these players, of this club, of these players, is to keep the ball and to try the condition to score, not to be worried [about conceding] because we need to win the game."

Fabio Paratici wants to replicate his work at Tottenham Hotspur in Italy, describing the club's facilities as of a 'superior standard'.

Fabio Paratici has reflected on his time at Tottenham Hotspur, offering a glimpse into the day-to-day operations of life in north London. The 53-year-old enjoyed two spells at Hotspur Way, with the first of which beginning in the summer of 2021.

Paratici was at the helm until in April 2023, when he resigned after an appeal against a 30-month ban for financial irregularities was rejected by Italy's highest sports court. The Italian was suspended in light of Juventus, where he was previously a sporting director and managing director, being found guilty of of false accounting.

The Old Lady were deducted 10 points in the Serie A. Then, in September 2025, a plea bargain request was accepted and Paratici, among other former Juventus executives, were spared a 18-month prison sentence.

A month later, and two-and-a-half-years following his ban, he was named co-sporting director, alongside Johan Lange. Just three months after returning to Hotspur Way, Tottenham confirmed that Paratici would leave to take up a similar role at Fiorentina from February.

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In an interview with Italian outlet Corriere della Sera, he reflected on his time in north London. Paratici said: "The Premier League is as good as the NBA. I’ll just tell you that the head of human resources evaluated 50 resumes for my assistant. Everything there is perfect, and of a superior standard.

"They run more, but above all they run the ball faster. They have to learn to pass better for that, and the training pitches are always mowed and wet. Technique comes naturally that way."

Paratici wants to replicate his work at Tottenham in Italy. He continued: "First and foremost, extensive training for the 110 employees at the training centre.

"It’s essential because I study every day of my life, while in Italy everything is empirical. I’m talking about numbers, not algorithms, which would just screw things up.

"The numbers give me the names of the three best players for the position I’m looking for, then the choice is mine and it also depends on gut feeling. Intuition is crucial."

"Whereas here, everything is considered an opinion, and as such, it’s legitimate. Instead, I say that missing three World Cups isn’t an opinion, it’s a fact. Terrible."

On his ban from football, Paratici said: "I don’t feel guilty of anything, if that’s what you’re asking. That said, it was a very difficult experience because the criminal investigation lasted five and a half years, and it took strength to sustain it.

"I was convicted for a technical-financial strategy that involved many internationals," added the former Tottenham chief. "An unprecedented accounting principle was applied, which I’m waiting to review.

"The documents mention this, not inflated capital gains, as is being rumoured. In a sporting trial, you can’t defend yourself; there’s little you can do. I wanted to close the criminal trial so I could start living again."

Roberto De Zerbi has made a big change from Igor Tudor and Thomas Frank at Tottenham as he prepares to begin his reign and bid to keep Spurs up

Roberto De Zerbi reportedly has made changes to Tottenham players' training, with sessions now very different to what they were under previous bosses Igor Tudor and Thomas Frank.

Spurs have spent ten days working with their new head coach ahead of their Premier League match away to Sunderland. However, despite there being three weeks between their last two games due to their exits in the Champions League and FA Cup, the Italian is said to have not scheduled double sessions during this time, limiting them to one per day.

De Zerbi will have done so in the hope of avoiding any injuries. Mohammed Kudus, though, has since sustained a setback.

Spurs confirmed in an injury update on Thursday that "he had returned to team training during the past week, however, will now require further specialist review and, potentially, surgery."

The Daily Mail claims that De Zerbi has also made training sessions longer than they were under Tudor and Frank and always with the ball. The report also states that the new boss has taken an immediate shine to six players, including Kudus, whom he tried to sign for Marseille.

He said of the Ghana international: "I started not with too big luck, but yes, Kudus was in my head a crucial player, especially for the position, but we have to look forward anyway."

The other five players he singled out were Kolo Muani, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Mathys Tel and Richarlison. The Italian added: "I think we have a lot of very good attackers, and we have to help them, to put them in the best condition to show their qualities.

"Because Kolo Muani, I know he's not playing a great season, but he's a good player. I know him, like Mathys Tel. I wanted him in Marseille when I was in Marseille.

"Xavi Simons is a big talent. Richarlison, [Dominic] Solanke, you know maybe better than me. We have to put them in the best condition we can."

On the squad overall, De Zerbi continued: "In the last period, I watched a lot of games, especially of Tottenham. Yes, one thing is to watch the game at home, and a different thing is to work with them on the pitch.

"We have very big players, young players, [Lucas] Bergvall, Archie Gray, Mathys Tel, Xavi Simons. We have older players that are very important.

"[Micky] van de Ven is a crucial player for me, like [Cristian] Romero, like [Pedro] Porro, like Solanke. I want to see again the same Gallagher I loved at Chelsea.

"I think I'm lucky because I have a big confidence in my players, in their qualities. My target is to help them to play well, to enjoy with the ball, because their characteristics are very clear for me."

The target on the pitch is now to get out of the relegation zone after West Ham United beating Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night dropped Spurs into the bottom three. Only a win at the Stadium of Light will do, with West Ham moving two points ahead of Tottenham having played before them this weekend.

Tottenham may finally be able to unleash their long-term Harry Kane replacement next season under Roberto De Zerbi

When a 20-year-old Harry Kane returned to Tottenham after an underwhelming loan stint at Leicester City in 2013, few would have predicted his subsequent demolition of numerous goal-scoring records.

More than a decade on, Tottenham could find themselves in an eerily similar situation with Oxford United loanee Will Lankshear, albeit following a considerably more successful spell in the Championship.

It would be unreasonable to immediately burden Lankshear by branding him as Tottenham's 'next Harry Kane', yet his current career path makes it challenging to avoid drawing such parallels.

There is indeed some substance to warrant such a comparison, with Oxford Mail reporter Malachi Obrey, who has monitored Lankshear throughout the season, confirming that he and Kane do possess certain similarities, while acknowledging aspects of his game requiring development.

He told the Mirror: "I definitely see similarities, [Harry] Kane is an incredibly well-rounded footballer, not only was his finishing arguably the best in the Premier League, but he also was a top-three passer.

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"So I think there is a lot to do to become that sort of pedigree of footballer, but I can see it [in Lankshear], as a physical No.9 who is clever and can finish. Basically, all of his goals have come inside the box, so it would be good to see if he can work on getting a snapshot off from range.

"But there are definitely traits there that you can see, but there are other parts of his game that he'll need to improve on if he wants to hit those heights. He is very highly thought of by journalists, coaches, team-mates and people at Spurs, so I'll be surprised if he doesn't become a Premier League-level striker."

The Spurs academy forward has been at Oxford since last August following a somewhat turbulent 2024/25 campaign.

His introduction to senior football began with a red card against Galatasaray in the Europa League, having netted his first senior goal in that very match, before concluding with an underwhelming loan stint at West Brom.

Lankshear failed to find the net during his time at the Hawthorns, yet has gone on to score 10 goals and contribute three assists for Oxford this season. He hit the ground running with three goals in his opening five matches and, despite facing obstacles such as a change in management, he navigated these challenges impressively.

"He seemed quite raw but as the season has gone on, he's rounded his game quite well," Obrey said. "He was a little bit more out of the team under Gary Rowett earlier in the season. He was mostly playing in a front two with Nik Prelec and he also quite liked Mark Harris' work rate.

"So it was tough for any of the strikers to get a run of more than two or three games. For a player like Will Lankshear, he needs to play consistently and in a struggling team, you're not going to get too many chances.

"Since Matt Bloomfield has come in, he's established himself as the No.9 and he has become a real fan favourite, the old mantra of 'never fall in love with a loan player', I think if an Oxford United fan said they hadn't, they would be lying."

Crucially, with Oxford battling to avoid the Championship drop, just under half of his 13 goal contributions have arrived in the club's last seven fixtures.

Reflecting on his recent displays and ability to deliver when it matters most, Obrey said: "I think he is someone who thrives under pressure and in tense environments. He scored his goal on (Easter) Monday (vs Portsmouth) and just gives it large to the Pompey fans.

"I think the team struggled in that atmosphere but he's not someone that shrinks under that sort of pressure and he really backs himself. He has missed chances but it's great that he gets into those positions.

"If worse comes to worse and Spurs go down, he can be someone that has the experience and know how to get into those positions against Championship defenders."

Irrespective of his technical qualities, Tottenham supporters almost always develop a strong connection with academy products, and it appears highly probable that this will prove true with Lankshear, given the impression he has made during his stint at the Kassam Stadium.

"I don't think he is the prettiest footballer to watch, but he is a very effective one that will score goals," Obrey acknowledged. "The one thing that has captivated Oxford United fans is the way he carries himself and the way he speaks - you would not guess that he is on loan.

"He has been all in for the cause. He turned down moves to higher-end Championship teams in January just to see out the season with Oxford. He has a real personality on the pitch, in times where teams are struggling that is huge and if Spurs were to come down and start afresh, he would have an impact."

Lankshear isn't the sole Spurs youngster at Oxford, as Jamie Donley joined him at the Kassam Stadium in January. The 21-year-old suffered an injury on his debut approximately two months ago, but has since made a notable impression operating just behind Lankshear.

Discussing his recent performances, Obrey remarked: "The first cameo or two, he eased into it a little bit but he's been a real glue for the team.

"Oxford went on a three-game winning in March after quite a tough period and it was the same starting XI for those and that winning run coincided with him being picked and being at the heart as the link between midfield and attack.

"It was a real problem for Oxford that no one would be occupying that No.10 area but when he came in, he took that and really owned it. He is someone that has brought dead-ball delivery to the team and I think he got an assist for Lankshear's goal with a great delivery.

"He's good on the half-turn and has a great final ball, it is those little things that have given Oxford United goal-scoring opportunities and sometimes goals that maybe they didn't have before coming into the team."

With both players earning such glowing assessments, Tottenham appear to have a pair of talents primed to make their mark, whatever division the club finds itself in.

football.london reporters have picked their Tottenham starting XI for Sunday's Premier League trip to Sunderland

Tottenham are ready to wipe the slate clean under new boss Roberto De Zerbi when they travel to Sunderland in the Premier League this weekend.

Spurs have just seven games to preserve their top-flight status and the clock is now ticking for the Europa League winners in their quest to beat the drop.

De Zerbi has already lost forward Mohammed Kudus to a fresh injury setback while goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario won't be ready to face the Black Cats following recent hernia surgery.

football.london reporters Alasdair Gold and Ryan Taylor have had their go at selecting the Tottenham XI De Zerbi should pick against Sunderland.

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Alasdair Gold - Chief Tottenham Reporter

Antonin Kinsky will be the goalkeeper with Guglielmo Vicario still recovering from his hernia operation and the Czech stopper will be looking to put that night in Madrid far in his rear view mirror.

De Zerbi has spoken about Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie in glowing terms and looking to recreate their impact in Ange Postecoglou's season so that looks to be his first choice back four.

He also named Dominic Solanke as another crucial senior player with the first three of those defenders, while also praising various attackers and the midfield youngsters Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Xavi Simons. De Zerbi admitted that he had tried to sign Mathys Tel while at Marseille so he is someone he will look to further up the pitch.

The key is finding balance and whether he can fit them all in as well as a fighter like the versatile Richarlison and the same goes for the midfield with plenty of options in there, including Yves Bissouma back in training and a player in Conor Gallagher who he also wanted to sign in the past..

The Italian will likely go to his favoured 4-2-3-1 and it's going to be key to get the right blend and balance of players for it.

Gold's team: Kinsky; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Gray, Palhinha; Kolo Muani, Xavi, Tel; Solanke.

Ryan Taylor

Antonin Kinsky obviously starts between the sticks but it's hard to envisage what system De Zerbi will go with given he usually pivots between two different formations: 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-2-1, which he utilised at Marseille.

I'm going to go for the latter as it's important Spurs sure things up defensively. Micky van de Ven, Cuti Romero and Kevin Danso make up the back-three with Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro operating as wing-backs.

Archie Gray (No.6) and Lucas Bergvall (No.8) play in midfield with Mathys Tel and Richarlison feeding off Dominic Solanke in attack.

It feels a tad unbalanced but ultimately, some players just do not suit this system and the lack of a right-sided attacking player is an issue De Zerbi must navigate.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Xavi Simons start either, in my opinion, it would work better with both him and Tel behind Solanke as both are slightly more mobile than Richarlison, who is a natural striker.

A number of players could be missing for Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge of Tottenham as the Italian prepares to deal with a long list of absentees

Roberto De Zerbi could be without 10 players for his first game as the new Tottenham head coach. Spurs travel to Sunderland on Sunday looking to record their first win in 2026 and boost their Premier League survival hopes.

The north London club dropped into the bottom three on Friday following West Ham's win against Wolves and are facing a fight to avoid falling into the second tier for the first time since 1977. They sit in 18th, two points behind the Hammers and 16th-place Nottingham Forest.

With seven matches to go, De Zerbi, 46, has a huge task on his hands to first keep Spurs in the top flight following his appointment as the club's new head coach earlier this month. The Italian was appointed on a lucrative five-year contract following Igor Tudor's dismissal.

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But De Zerbi could be missing TEN first-team players for his side's trip to the Stadium of Light. Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Mohammed Kudus are long-term absentees and remain out.

Ben Davies is expected to be back in late-April but won't return for Sunderland. Rodrigo Bentancur and Guglielmo Vicario are pushing to be fit for the home game against Brighton next week, while Yves Bissouma, Mathys Tel and Pape Matar Sarr are facing a race against time to feature to take on Sunderland.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, De Zerbi first issued an update on Kudus, who has suffered a setback in his recovery from a long-term quadricep injury.

"I started not with too big luck, but yes, Kudus was in my head a crucial player, especially for the position, but we have to look forward anyway," De Zerbi said.

De Zerbi then talked about Vicario, who underwent hernia surgery following the 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest last month, and Bentancur as he prepares to return from a thigh issue.

"Vicario is not ready for this game," De Zerbi added. "I hope he comes back earlier next week, but I don't know yet. Bentancur is working with us, but not completely, but we are enough to fight, to play and to make points."