Football FanCast

Jamie Carragher believes Tottenham Hotspur's midfield trio of Lucas Bergvall, Conor Gallagher and Archie Gray is a "huge problem" in the fight against relegation from the Premier League.

Spurs under increasing pressure after Leeds win at Man Utd

The relegation battle took a fresh twist on Monday night, with Leeds United securing a shock 2-1 victory away at bitter rivals Manchester United, in a result that moves Daniel Farke's side six points clear of 18th-place Tottenham.

The Whites are due to host Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Elland Road before the season comes to a close, which puts them in a fantastic opportunity to avoid the drop, whereas Spurs are looking increasingly up against it.

Roberto De Zerbi got off to the worst possible start on Sunday, with his side suffering a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, and to make matters worse, captain Cristian Romero is set to miss the remainder of the campaign, after hobbling off in tears in the second half.

Although Romero has been ruled out, and the Lilywhites have struggled from an attacking point of view as of late, failing to score in their last two Premier League games, Carragher believes De Zerbi's midfield is his main issue.

Speaking on Sky Sports, the pundit suggested Gallagher has been poor since his arrival, whereas Bergvall and Gray don't have the experience to dig Tottenham out of trouble, saying: "I actually think Bergvall, and actually Archie Gray have been two of the better players for Tottenham. They're two young kids, I'm just looking at that midfield, and I was really worried yesterday after the game, and it was because of the midfield area.

"Are two young kids learning their trade going to get you out of a relegation battle? Conor Gallagher's come in, who the manager likes because he's tried to buy him, but it just hasn't worked for him so far at Spurs. Listen, we know he's been a decent Premier League player, but it's just not happened for him at all, and that has been a problem from the very start of the season, their central midfield.

"When you think about something he's got to do different, he needs to fix midfield. Because that has been a problem for three managers already. It's only De Zerbi's first game, but you can see when you compare the stats to Granit Xhaka, it's a huge problem for them."

Spurs must bounce back against Brighton

Carragher also suggests West Ham United have a better midfield than Spurs, and Nuno's side are certainly showing more fight at the moment, having thrashed Wolves 4-0 to move out of the relegation zone on Friday night.

De Zerbi, on the other hand, clearly isn't convinced by his options in the middle of the park, with all three midfielders being substituted against Sunderland, although Gallagher, perhaps a little surprisingly, given heavy criticism, managed to last until the 85th minute.

With Tottenham in serious trouble, the manager needs to turn things around quickly, starting next Saturday, when the Italian's former employers, Brighton & Hove Albion, travel to north London.

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has been dealt another major Spurs injury blow after 'bad news' from a reporter this week.

Spurs suffer Sunderland defeat as relegation fears escalate

The damage done at Sunderland on Sunday extends beyond a 1-0 defeat and another week without a Premier League win.

Tottenham came back from the Stadium of Light having lost their captain to a knee injury, their 16th league defeat of the season confirmed, and their position in the bottom three unchanged — now two points from safety with only six games left.

Nordi Mukiele's 61st-minute strike, deflected beyond Antonin Kinsky via Micky van de Ven's boot, settled a game in which De Zerbi's new-look Spurs showed moments of intent but never truly threatened to break past Robin Roefs.

Dominic Solanke wasted the clearest opening of the afternoon early in the second half, and a VAR review overturned what would have been a first-half penalty.

Both contributed to the feeling that Spurs' old problem — converting too little — remained firmly intact under new management.

Nottingham Forest's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on the same afternoon meant they moved three points clear of Spurs in 17th, with the gap between Tottenham and safety ever widening.

The Cristian Romero situation, though, has since become the dominant story.

The Argentine centre-back, who had a poor game overall with van de Ven, was pushed into his own goalkeeper by Sunderland forward Brian Brobbey mid-collision — which left both players requiring treatment, with Kinsky able to continue after having his head strapped and Romero unable to do the same.

He then left the pitch in tears and was replaced by Kevin Danso.

De Zerbi said afterwards that he hoped the problem was not serious, acknowledging when pressed that the knee looked like the area of concern.

Cristian Romero likely to miss rest of the season at Tottenham

Argentine journalist Martin Arevalo has since confirmed the timeframe.

Romero now faces between five and eight weeks out with a knee injury — a window that covers the remainder of the Premier League season entirely but, crucially, leaves him on course to be fit for the World Cup.

Arevalo noted that while the diagnosis represents difficult news at club level, the timing is such that Argentina can expect one of their most important defenders to arrive at the tournament in shape.

Argentina begin their Group J campaign against Algeria in June as defending champions.

For Tottenham, the outlook is considerably less encouraging.

Romero joins a lengthy absentee list that already includes Guglielmo Vicario, Mohammed Kudus, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur and Ben Davies.

Kevin Danso, who came on as replacement at Sunderland, will likely fill the gap alongside Micky van de Ven in the back four.

Brighton visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Saturday — De Zerbi's former employers, managed by his successor.

It is the kind of fixture that carries a strange additional weight, though the more pressing concern is straightforward.

Spurs need points from somewhere, and they need them quickly. Six games remain, and with each passing weekend the mathematical margins grow tighter.

When staring at the painful truth of it, it might just be that Tottenham Hotspur don't have enough quality to remain in the Premier League.

There are absolutely mitigating factors for the Londoners, who have been shorn of fit players and stripped of confidence over the course of the campaign, but equally, some of these players have spent too long punching well below their so-called weight class, and when does poor form become a permanent standard?

What Tottenham would give for a player like Gareth Bale in attack. A maverick and difference-maker. How about Luka Modric in midfield, pulling the strings and orchestrating like a conductor, inspiring all the qualities that have been absent under Thomas Frank and then Igor Tudor and now Roberto De Zerbi.

It isn't De Zerbi's fault that Conor Gallagher was picked by ENIC Group as the star signing of the January transfer window, arriving from Atletico Madrid for £35m, but the England international clearly isn't the solution, and he may already be approaching the end of his career at the club.

Why Conor Gallagher's Spurs career could be over this summer

Gallagher is still waiting for his first Premier League win in a Tottenham shirt, and on the basis of the evidence since he arrived in January, he may well complete his time down N17 without meeting that objective.

The 26-year-old is emblematic of Tottenham's poor recruitment and symptomatic of the wider malaise that has consumed the club. Watching him in the centre of the park over the past several months has been tough, and though De Zerbi clearly likes Gallagher, his abject performance against Sunderland will surely see him dropped ahead of next weekend's clash against Brighton.

In fairness to the fans, they are not asking Gallagher to play like Modric in the middle of the park, but a bit of purposeful passing and athleticism wouldn't go amiss, with the one-time Chelsea man losing possession more than nine times per game on average despite the fact he hasn't yet created a big chance for one of the forwards.

De Zerbi's decision to pair Gallagher with Joao Palhinha in a midfield pivot at the Stadium of Light was "absolutely hilarious", according to statistician Tactically Matt, with the industrious duo lacking any kind of progression or enterprise on the ball.

Palhinha is an excellent ball winner, and he has to play, and if De Zerbi is going to enforce a swift change, it might be worth drafting in a young midfielder who could be Tottenham's new version of Modric.

Spurs' new Modric is bad news for Gallagher

While he's got an awful long way to go, Lucas Bergvall has the making of a special midfielder, his innate ability on the ball suggesting that he could be a difference-maker over the coming years.

He needs to start, though, and a significant role in the centre for De Zerbi could prove the difference in the fight against relegation.

Bergvall did not play a perfect game against the Black Cats, but he certainly stood out among his struggling teammates, once again bringing more maturity and ambition to the side.

His penetrative midfield play has even seen The Athletic's JJ Bull as possessing a "first touch like Modric", and he's pretty good when passing the ball forward too.

Having completed 64% of his dribbles in the Premier League this season, the Sweden international has shown that he deserves to start for a side lacking talent in attacking areas. Though he has missed matches due to injury, the fact that he has only started 11 times has perhaps played into Tottenham's problems, with the varying central pairings throughout the campaign tending to fall by the wayside. i

Bergvall is not Modric, but he's closer to the Croatian legend than Gallagher, and if the Englishman is truly to be the centrepiece of this midfield over the closing weeks of the season, Tottenham are going to be in big trouble, with their current struggles to create chances potentially going to tip them into the second tier.

Bergvall has played his fair share of Premier League football this season, but probably not enough. Going forward, it's fair to argue that he should move ahead of Gallagher in the pecking order, with his natural technical ability and desire to get forward things that Gallagher simply isn't bringing to the table.

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood slammed Cristian Romero after the 1-0 defeat against Sunderland on Sunday.

Romero was forced off after 70 minutes at the Stadium of Light, being replaced by Kevin Danso after a nasty collision with Antonin Kinsky, and Argentinian journalist Gaston Edul has since confirmed the centre-back is set to undergo a series of tests.

With Spurs sitting two points from safety, an injury to a key player was the last thing Roberto De Zerbi needed, with the manager underlining his importance to the team after the game.

De Zerbi said: "I hope that it is not too important a problem. He's a crucial player for us. He's a good guy and a good player with a big personality. We need him to finish the season."

Perhaps fearing not being able to be involved in the run-in, and potentially missing the World Cup with Argentina, the defender left the field in tears.

However, Sherwood had little sympathy for Romero, and took aim at the 27-year-old and centre-back partner Micky van de Ven live on Sky Sports.

"Romero there crying as he's coming off the pitch. Irresponsible. Couldn't trust him as far as you can throw him. Captain of the club, throwing the club under the bus time and time again this season.

"And you've got Micky Van de Ven who for me, has got all the attributes to be a top-drawer player, but plays for himself."

Cristian Romero controversies this season

The Argentina international was also in the eye of the storm when he publicly criticised Spurs' failure to adequately strengthen in the January transfer window, before being sent off in the first half of a 2-0 defeat against Manchester United just days later.

However, the captain's comments were perhaps justified, given that Conor Gallagher hasn't pulled up any trees, being slammed by Alasdair Gold for his performances since arriving from Atletico Madrid.

Although Romero may have let his side down at times, he could be a big miss for De Zerbi, having arguably been one of the better players in the defeat at Sunderland, completing more defensive actions (9) than any other Tottenham player.

Tottenham Hotspur's crisis has deepened - again. Time really is running out now, but Roberto De Zerbi will remain confident in his capacity as a head coach, in his ability to turn things around for the relegation-threatened Londoners.

While Spurs are 18th in the Premier League, two points from safety, it could just take one victory to secure a turnaround and create a base for a late-season escape act.

Of course, self-belief is not at a low ebb, but non-existent across the first-team squad, and this crisis of confidence is the main reason that relegation is on the cards.

So many have factored in, but goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has arguably been the worst of the lot from this standpoint, and he needs to be sold this summer.

Why Spurs need to sell Guglielmo Vicario

Vicario is approaching the end of his third season at Tottenham, and it's clear at this stage that he isn't cutting the mustard down N17, harangued for his performances this season. Nigel Reo-Coker said that saying Vicario is having "a tough time is an understatement" back in December, and his fortunes still haven't improved.

Currently sidelined after surgery on a hernia problem, Vicario is expected to return before the end of the season, but there's little question that he must be shipped off this summer.

Frankly, the Italian shot-stopper has been too far below the expected standard this season, too error-prone and unconvincing between the sticks.

While he is currently sidelined, Vicario probably shouldn't be recalled to his number one berth next season, especially with Antonin Kinsky responding well to De Zerbi's show of faith during their most recent Premier League defeat.

The 29-year-old needs to be sold this summer, allowing ENIC Group to rebuild from the back.

However, Vicario isn't the only one in line for the chop, with an even more high-profile member of the defensive system surely set to leave his post this summer.

Spurs' new Ledley King needs to go

What Tottenham would do for a fully-fit Ledley King in the prime of his career right now. Instead, they have Cristian Romero, who may well have played his final game for the Lilywhites after injuring his knee during the recent defeat to Sunderland.

It was an incredibly unfortunate setback for a centre-half who just can't seem to sustain a run of games in the Premier League, and given that an exit from the club is on the cards, he could really be the new King, who spent his whole career at the club but only hit the 30-appearance mark in a single league season on two occasions, such were his fitness problems.

A commanding and intelligent defender, King was excellent on the ball and a skilled leader. In that, he eclipsed Romero, who has been acknowledged by Spurs insider John Wenham as "the closest we have had to Ledley King in terms of his impact".

In truth, there's no argument that Romero is Tottenham's star centre-back, miles ahead of Micky van de Ven, whose questionable defending is covered up at times by athleticism and energy for the ages.

Tottenham value their skipper at £87m, but it's going to be hard to secure a sale for something approaching that figure - especially if fears of relegation become a horrifying reality.

That said, Romero is one of the most valuable members of De Zerbi's outfit, and interest from the likes of Liverpool and Atletico Madrid does suggest that ENIC will be able to engineer a big-money exit.

Of course, there have also been claims that the player has a release clause in his Lilywhites contract, but whatever the reality of his situation, it's pretty clear that he won't play in Tottenham white next term.

But given that Chris Waddle - speaking to Football FanCast - suggested that the Argentina international "never really wanted to be at Tottenham", it's fair to say that this is probably the breaking point for a talented defender but poor leader with a hot-headed streak that leaves too much to be desired.

Like King before him, Romero is one of the most talented defenders in the Premier League. However, his injury record mounts a pre-existing issue to keep his cool. He misses too many games for different reasons, and he needs to be the first out of the door this summer, ushering in a new era for an outfit in decline.

Alasdair Gold was critical of Roberto De Zerbi's decision not to bring on Xavi Simons earlier in Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 defeat against Sunderland on Sunday.

Jury still out on De Zerbi after Sunderland defeat

West Ham United ramped up the pressure on Tottenham by thrashing Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 on Friday night, and the north Londoners were unable to respond in kind, coming up short at the Stadium of Light in De Zerbi's first game in charge.

Jamie Carragher has since issued a damning verdict on Spurs' survival chances, and suggested they may not even be able to take anything from the trip to Molineux in just under two weeks time.

The Sky Sports pundit said: “I can’t believe it. Tottenham look like they’re going to go down. The other [relegation threatened] teams have something going for them.

“You look at fixtures, you think that’s a good game for Tottenham. But they’re awful. Tottenham’s a good game for them. Wolves are bottom of the league. Do you think Tottenham will go there, and win? No chance.”

One of the main problems as of late has been a lack of goals, with Tottenham failing to score more than once in a Premier League game since the 2-2 draw against Manchester City at the beginning of February.

However, despite the lack of an attacking threat, there often hasn't been space in the starting XI for Simons, who has been used as a substitute since failing to make an impact in the 2-1 defeat against Fulham at the start of March.

Against Sunderland, the Dutchman wasn't called upon until the 85th minute, and Gold was left baffled by De Zerbi's decision not to bring him on sooner.

"The Xavi thing just bewilders me. At a time when, like I say, they need to be proactive rather than reactive, he's one of the players with Tel, like I said earlier, that will do that, he will take the game to the opposition."

Simons must start after Bergvall fails to deliver

It has been far from an ideal debut campaign at Tottenham for Simons, but there have been a few encouraging signs, with the 22-year-old picking up one goal and four assists in 26 Premier League outings.

Lucas Bergvall, on the other hand, hasn't registered a goal or an assist this calendar year, and the Swedish midfielder was very poor against the Black Cats, being withdrawn after 61 minutes, after failing to create a single big chance or make any key passes.

Playing the 20-year-old in a more advanced role clearly hasn't worked, and Simons should return to the fold for the remainder of the season, with six huge games coming up for De Zerbi's side.

When a new manager arrives, it's usually a period filled with excitement and anticipation. However, at Tottenham Hotspur, that could not be further from the truth.

Roberto De Zerbi's first week or so at Spurs was disrupted by the international break and with the Italian now their third head coach of the campaign, faith is starting to be lost.

Why? Well, it's been a mess of a season. The Lilywhites may have handed De Zerbi a five-year deal but they now sit in the relegation zone and, according to OPTA, have a 46% chance of being relegated. That makes them the favourites to go down compared to West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds.

While Spurs did look improved in parts (that is not hard might we add) and were rather unlucky at the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon, De Zerbi has already messed up somewhat. His selection in the final third was a puzzling one and it's time for Dominic Solanke to drop straight out of the team.

Solanke's afternoon to forget at Sunderland

When the teamsheet was announced on Sunday, it was perhaps a surprise to see the attacking configuration read as Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani and Solanke.

It's very rarely worked and lo and behold, it did not work again at the weekend. Tottenham had their chances but ultimately left a lot to be desired in the final third again.

While Richarlison hassled and harried, Solanke was at the centre of their woes. He looks a shadow of the player they signed from Bournemouth, a shadow of the player that scored that remarkable scorpion kick goal against Manchester City.

He was in the squad for the recent internationals but play like this again and he has next to no chance of heading to America with England for this summer's World Cup.

Solanke cut an anonymous figure, berated by the outspoken Jamie O'Hara who gave him a 0/10. Harsh indeed but who can blame a Spurs supporter for any of their feelings right now?

The centre forward's best chance came in the first half when he found himself in space on the left byline, but Robin Roefs did well to keep him at bay.

That was about as good as it got for the 28-year-old whose powers are waning. Somehow lasting the full 90 minutes, he left the field at the end of the game having completed just four passes and made 18 touches. He did not complete a dribble, missed a big chance and lost two of his three ground duels.

So, De Zerbi must change things immediately.

How De Zerbi can replace Solanke against Brighton

This weekend's fixture represents not just a big one for Spurs but with the new boss taking on his former employers in Brighton, it only adds an extra element of spice to the game.

Yet, when the teamsheet is published, the name Dominic Solanke must not be in the starting lineup. We mentioned it was a surprise to see the attacking trio as it was on Sunday and one of the biggest reasons for that was the omission of Mathys Tel.

De Zerbi spoke glowingly of the Frenchman in his first Spurs press conference, indicating that he actually wanted him when he was managing in Ligue 1.

"I think we have a lot of very good attackers and we have to help them," De Zerbi began. "I know Mathys Tel, I wanted him in Marseille when I was there."

Combine that with the fact that Tel has been one of the most dangerous attacking players in the squad of late and it was bizarre that he was left on the bench.

It's safe to say that the 20-year-old has not exactly enjoyed a fruitful campaign since arriving permanently last summer. He has scored just three goals in all competitions and has not found the net since early January in the Premier League.

Yet, if there were any positives to be had under the Igor Tudor regime, it was not just Archie Gray but Tel. The young forward completed as many as four dribbles per game during the matches with Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Sunderland, 3.8 more per game than his seasonal average. For a change, he looked really productive.

Not just boasting the ability to play on the flanks, but this "Jermain Defoe-esque" forward - as he has been hailed by presenter Ben Bowman - can also play up top.

Whatever position De Zerbi fields him in, he must play against Brighton and there is a big case to be made that he should start over a floundering Solanke.

Alasdair Gold slammed Conor Gallagher for his performance in Tottenham Hotspur's defeat at Sunderland on Sunday, and the impact he's made since joining in January.

De Zerbi defends Tottenham players after Sunderland defeat

Roberto De Zerbi's reign got off to the worst possible start on Sunday afternoon, as Tottenham succumbed to a 1-0 loss at the Stadium of Light, with Nordi Mukiele's deflected effort just after the hour mark proving to be the difference between the two sides.

However, the new manager refused to be too critical of his players, and insisted his side deserved more from the game, saying: "We didn’t deserve to lose. We played a good game, but maybe not good enough to win.

"I cannot say anything to the players because they gave their best in terms of attitude and spirit. We can play better but my work is not so much on the pitch as mental. They are all good guys and I feel sorry for them. I want to give them the confidence they need."

That said, at this stage of the season, results matter more than performances, and Spurs now find themselves in a perilous position, sitting 18th in the Premier League table, two points from safety.

Although De Zerbi was impressed by some of the things he saw from his side, Gold was particularly critical of Gallagher's display, and questioned the impact the midfielder has made since his arrival in a recent YouTube video.

"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 contributes to the cause.

"He's not experienced winning a match with Tottenham in the Premier League since he arrived. That is a pretty awful feeling I would imagine. It probably makes you feel like you are some kind of jinx to the team."

Gallagher one of many Spurs players who needs to step up

When signing from Atletico Madrid in a £35m January deal, the Englishman probably never would've expected Tottenham to be in this position, but he must step up in the coming weeks, having struggled to make an impact on the game against Sunderland.

The midfielder didn't create any big chances and made zero tackles, but he wasn't the only player who flattered to deceive, with Lucas Bergvall receiving a SofaScore match rating of just 5.7, after touching the ball only 19 times prior to his substitution just after the hour mark.

In order to avoid the drop, it is going to take a monumental collective effort from the entire squad, having underperformed on far too many occasions this season, starting next weekend, when Spurs host De Zerbi's former club, Brighton & Hove Albion.

Tottenham have entered discussions to sign a former Barcelona player for Roberto De Zerbi after their verbal agreement with Andy Robertson.

Spurs seal verbal agreement with Robertson over free transfer

Robertson's pact to join Tottenham this summer, if they avoid the drop, could be a significant piece of business.

It would be a zero-cost acquisition of a player approaching 400 Premier League appearances and 69 top-flight assists, who would bring immediate leadership to a dressing room that has badly lacked it.

The deal, confirmed by Fabrizio Romano with all personal terms in place, hinges on one condition: Spurs must secure Premier League survival. If they go down, Robertson goes elsewhere.

That context matters in understanding why the January window move fell through.

Tottenham came close to bringing Robertson in mid-season, with both parties open to the transfer.

The obstacle was at Liverpool's end — the club could not recall Kostas Tsimikas from his Roma loan, leaving Robertson without cover and Liverpool unwilling to sanction his departure.

Robertson himself handled the situation professionally, seeing out the second half of the season without incident. He now leaves Anfield in the summer regardless, as confirmed, having lost his first-team place to Milos Kerkez.

For Spurs, Robertson is also not the only player being lined up as part of what is shaping up to be some active summer recruitment under De Zerbi.

Tottenham 'enter discussions' over signing Celta Vigo's Oscar Mingueza

According to TEAMtalk's Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are among the clubs to have entered discussions with agents over Oscar Mingueza, the Spanish right-back whose contract at Celta Vigo expires at the end of the season.

More than half a dozen Premier League clubs have now been approached by intermediaries representing the 26-year-old, with Spurs among those in whom there is reported "interest and intrigue" on both sides.

Mingueza came through the Barcelona academy and made 46 La Liga appearances across two seasons for the first team before joining Celta in 2022.

He has developed considerably since leaving the Camp Nou, establishing himself as a consistently reliable performer in La Liga.

He operates primarily on the right side, functioning as a full-back or wing-back with the technical quality expected of a Barcelona product, and has featured in European competition throughout his career.

Barcelona have also made contact, exploring the possibility of bringing him back to Catalonia. A return to his former club would carry obvious appeal, and the prospect of Champions League football next season gives the Spanish giants a natural advantage in the conversation.

For Tottenham, Mingueza's availability as a free agent makes him an attractive option as they attempt to reshape their squad without significant outlay, with Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi also linked recently.

Whether or not Premier League survival changes the scope of what is possible financially, the combination of Robertson on the left and a right-sided addition of Mingueza's calibre would address two pressing positional needs De Zerbi has inherited.

Nothing is agreed though, and Mingueza's priority will be finding the club that offers him the best chance of regular football.

You would suppose that even the most optimistic Tottenham Hotspur supporters have now been converted to the masses: a fanbase beyond concerned who are in the Premier League relegation zone with six games to go.

Tottenham are in real trouble, and Roberto De Zerbi needs to spark positive changes quickly after his late-season appointment, replacing Igor Tudor, who was in charge for 44 days.

Too many mistakes have been made this season. Thomas Frank's tenure was a disaster, and Ange Postecoglou's before left a lot to be desired. Tudor's winless stab at the Premier League was beyond understanding; surely any tactical instructions handed to his players were written in double Dutch.

Even Micky van de Ven has been reduced to a shell of his former self, but a lack of creativity and sharpness in attack may be the crux of this nightmare, and Dominic Solanke was certainly at fault during the club's latest defeat against Sunderland.

Dominic Solanke was lost at sea for Spurs

Sunderland beat Tottenham at the Stadium of Light. That's 16 defeats from 32 games. From the start of the calendar year, they have been at the bottom of the barrel.

Solanke's return from injury in January was much-anticipated, and in fairness, the England striker has provided a presence up top and a fresh source of goals - three in the Premier League and three more in Europe in 2026.

He missed a great chance toward the end of the first half, the contest level, but his isolation and uncertainty in the final third proved a more damning indictment of his and Tottenham's attacking performance.

Take Brian Brobbey. Did he score? No, he did not. And yet Sunderland's brutish striker outmuscled Van de Ven and co and he caused mayhem all game, holding up play expertly. He won four ground duels, whereas Solanke only won one.

The injury-prone Solanke was failed by those around him, too. Randal Kolo Muani will not play for this club for much longer, while Richarlison drifted on Wearside.

Tottenham's problems are endemic and they are wide, though, and it was a deeper teammate who might have been the worst of the lot.

Why Spurs' big-money signing cannot start for De Zerbi again

De Zerbi cannot afford to keep the faith in Conor Gallagher, who was recalled to the starting line-up but surely won't reprise his role against Brighton & Hove Albion next weekend.

One game hardly tells a long story, but Gallagher has been abject since arriving at the club in January, joining from Atletico Madrid for a £35m fee.

This is a seasoned player, experienced in the Premier League and in Spain, but he's failed so far in a Tottenham shirt, still waiting for his first Premier League win with the club.

Tottenham are in the pits, but they are not helping themselves. De Zerbi did not help himself when keeping the struggling Gallagher on the field until the 85th minute, then bringing on Xavi Simons, who had little time to create and change the game.

The fact is that Gallagher is incongruous within this Tottenham team. This was the case before De Zerbi's arrival, and the Italian's possession-focused, free-flowing vision is not likely to work well with the Three Lions midfielder's specific skillset.

In truth, the numbers fail to tell the full story. While De Zerbi respects Gallagher's quality, he didn't repay the faith on the field, lacking clarity and creativity in possession and hardly inspiring confidence as the focal point of Tottenham's creative set-up.

Pundit Jamie O'Hara even gave Gallagher a 2/10 match rating after the game. While not an official diagnosis, this certainly reflects the frustration and anger around the club and the performances of the players.

Sold to the Spurs faithful as an industrious and robust midfielder, Gallagher has been swallowed up by Spurs' struggles, presenting three managers now with more questions than answers.

Statistician Tactically Matt said that it was "absolutely hilarious" that De Zerbi decided to go with Gallagher and Joao Palhinha as Tottenham's central midfield pairing.

It didn't work, and the manager needs to unleash Simons next week at his old stomping ground in Brighton.

Gallagher can't start in that one, and given the consistency of his struggles since returning to London, he needs dropping for the rest of the season, heading into a summer that offers no promises over his future down N17.