Sports Mole

Visiting the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the very first time, Sunderland hit the road for Sunday's Premier League showdown with the Lilywhites.

The Black Cats sit five places and three points better off than Spurs in the Premier League table before the start of the gameweek, and here Sports Mole rounds up the team news for both clubs.

SPURS vs. SUNDERLAND

SPURS

Out: Xavi Simons (suspended), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Dominic Solanke (knee), Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Pape Sarr (AFCON), Yves Bissouma (AFCON)

Doubtful: Lucas Bergvall (knock)

Sports Mole's predicted XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Palhinha, Bentancur; Kudus, Richarlison, Kolo Muani

SUNDERLAND

Out: Noah Sadiki (AFCON), Chemsdine Talbi (AFCON), Reinildo Mandava (AFCON), Arthur Masuaku (AFCON), Bertrand Traore (AFCON), Habib Diarra (AFCON), Aji Alese (shoulder)

Doubtful: Daniel Ballard (ankle), Brian Brobbey (muscle)

Chelsea have emerged as a contender for Oumar Solet, but they are one of five Premier League teams interested in the Udinese defender, the latest report has claimed.

After the Blues parted company with Enzo Maresca, supporters have been fixated on who might take over from the Italian, with Liam Rosenior the early favourite.

Despite the managerial turmoil at Stamford Bridge, it would not be surprising if the club were busy in the transfer market regardless of when they appoint their next head coach.

The latest link to emerge has been to Udinese centre-back Oumar Solet, who could come in to provide stability in defence.

However, TEAMtalk report that the Blues could face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Manchester United for his signature.

Oumar Solet in profile: Should Chelsea target Udinese centre-back?

Oumar Solet is 25 and has plenty of room for development, though he is older than the profile of player the Blues would normally target.

With the injury to Levi Colwill, Chelsea have at times encountered difficulties when playing out from the back, and that is an area that the Frenchman excels in.

Solet has stood out at Udinese for his passing given he ranks first for attempted passes (1,030), and he is significantly ahead of the Udinese player with the second most attempted passes Jesper Karlstrom (656).

The 25-year-old's aerial win rate of 59.5% would rank lower than Chelsea centre-backs Benoit Badiashile (60%), Tosin Adarabioyo (67.4%) and Wesley Fofana (68.4%), so he may have to be partnered by an aerially dominant partner.

Can Chelsea win the race for Oumar Solet?

When players make the switch to other teams, one of the most important things a prospective club can offer is stability, and it is difficult to argue that Stamford Bridge can provide that to the defender.

Maresca may not have met all of Chelsea's expectations, but it is concerning that the Londoners will now be looking for a fifth permanent manager since the arrival of Todd Boehly in 2022.

Tottenham and Manchester United may also have somewhat unstable managerial situations with Thomas Frank and Ruben Amorim, but neither club are as volatile as the Blues at the moment.

West Ham United have confirmed the exit of striker Niclas Fullkrug to AC Milan on an initial loan deal.

The Hammers will continue their battle against Premier League relegation on Saturday, when they take on Wolverhampton Wanderers.

If boss Nuno Espirito Santo is to guide his team to safety, he will need his players to start scoring more often given they have only netted 21 goals in the league, the fourth fewest in the division.

It is no surprise that the Londoners have sanctioned the exit of striker Fullkrug in January considering he only scored three times in 29 games for the Hammers.

While Milan only signed the forward on loan, they have the option to make the deal permanent in the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news: Exit of defender to Bundesliga

Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach have signed centre-back Kota Takai on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs managed to keep a clean sheet on Thursday, drawing 0-0 with Brentford, and Thomas Frank will be pleased that his side have managed to keep four clean sheets in their last six games in all competitions.

Centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have cemented themselves in the backline, and their presence would have made it difficult for summer signing Takai to earn many starts.

The 21-year-old joined Tottenham on a five-year contract from Kawasaki Frontale in the summer for £5m, but he has not yet made an appearance for the Londoners due to injuries.

While he was named in the squad for his club's 1-0 win against Crystal Palace last Sunday, he will have to wait until 2026-27 to make a first Spurs appearance, though he may at least get regular minutes with Gladbach.

Celtic transfer news: Julian Araujo joins on loan

Celtic have signed Bournemouth right-back Julian Araujo on loan for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.

Manager Wilfred Nancy has encountered difficulties during his time in the dugout, though many of the problems at the club were inherited from previous boss Brendan Rodgers.

It is not surprising that the head coach would look to make additions in January in order to help his team catch first-placed Hearts.

Bournemouth right-back Araujo has arrived at Celtic Park on loan, and he is almost certain to feature on the right side of Nancy's 3-4-3 formation.

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris may consider demoting Brian Brobbey from the first XI when the Black Cats do battle with Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's Premier League affair.

The striker made a nuisance of himself in Thursday's 0-0 draw with Manchester City at the Stadium of Light, notably shrugging off Ruben Dias and forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into a strong save, but he was prematurely withdrawn in the 58th minute for Wilson Isidor.

Le Bris revealed that Brobbey was taken off as a result of muscular tightness, and while the issue is not expected to be serious, it could lead to Isidor winning his place back in attack this weekend.

There has otherwise been no change to the visitors' situation, as Daniel Ballard (ankle) is considered very unlikely to come back for this one, while Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Reinildo Mandava, Arthur Masuaku, Bertrand Traore and Habib Diarra are at the Africa Cup of Nations.

As a result, Enzo Le Fee, Simon Adingra and Eliezer Mayenda should continue as Isidor's supporting cast, with Granit Xhaka and Lutsharel Geertruida operating just behind.

Xhaka can be sure to expect a hostile welcome in North London thanks to his Arsenal connections, but it may be a different story for Dennis Cirkin, once on the books at Spurs' academy.

The left-back has been with Sunderland ever since departing Tottenham in 2021 and should feature from the off against his old employers, who have been linked with a return transfer.

Sunderland possible starting lineup:

Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Cirkin; Geertruida, Xhaka; Mayenda, Le Fee, Adingra; Isidor

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank is unsure whether Lucas Bergvall will be available for Sunday's Premier League clash with Sunderland in North London.

The Swedish midfielder was absent from Thursday's goalless stalemate with Brentford as a result of a knock, and he remains doubtful for the visit of the Black Cats.

Frank expressed "hope" that Bergvall would be able to contribute in some capacity, but given the tight turnaround, he may only be given the green light to make the bench.

With Xavi Simons (suspended), Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison (both knee) still sidelined too, Frank may have no choice but to persist with the trident of Archie Gray, Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha for gameweek 20.

However, the Dane has scope to make one alteration up front, where Randal Kolo Muani should be restored over Wilson Odobert after the latter's underwhelming display at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The Paris Saint-Germain loanee and Mohammed Kudus will be providing support to central striker Richarlison, who may be worth a punt on in fantasy football this week if these statistics are anything to go by.

The Brazilian has been directly involved in 13 goals in his last 16 Premier League home starts for Spurs, and he averages a goal or assist every 55 minutes for Tottenham against newly-promoted sides in the top flight.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Palhinha, Bentancur; Kudus, Richarlison, Kolo Muani

Involved in 0-0s at opposite ends of the entertainment scale in midweek, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland collide in Sunday's Premier League showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Thomas Frank's Lilywhites played out a bore draw at Brentford in midweek, whereas the Black Cats held Manchester City to an absorbing goalless stalemate.

Match preview

Returning to the ground that he made a fortress during his time in West London, Frank was welcomed back to the Gtech Community Stadium with open arms by the Brentford faithful, but all present should have left deflated and demoralised.

Fans cannot purge Spurs' 0-0 draw with the Bees from their memories quickly enough, and the Tottenham faithful who made the journey across the capital let Frank know exactly what they make of the current state of play at Tottenham.

The Europa League champions are still lingering in the bottom half of the Premier League table with just seven wins to their name all season long - at this rate, they will only just scrape past 50 points after 38 matches, hardly a European-worthy total.

Home matches continue to fill the Spurs army with dread too; not only did the hosts lose a club-record 11 Premier League matches on their own turf in 2025, they have been beaten in their opening home game of a calendar year in five of the last seven years.

If there is any crumb of comfort for the Lilywhites to cling onto, Frank's men have now kept an applaudable four clean sheets in their last six matches after Thursday's stalemate, having previously shipped 15 in five games in November.

Squaring up to another side with four clean sheets from their last six matches, Spurs welcome Sunderland on the back of another special Stadium of Light evening for the Black Cats, who put a dent in Manchester City's title aspirations.

A few Sky Blues fans may have enjoyed poking fun at Arsenal when the Gunners dropped two points against Regis Le Bris's men, but the Citizens were arguably fortunate to even escape with one on Thursday, when Gianluigi Donnarumma had to be at his best to repel the newly-promoted side.

Enhancing their European credentials with an exceptional display against a title challenger, Le Bris's are five places and three points better off than their hosts in seventh, only three points behind Liverpool in the final Champions League spot.

However, only nine of the Black Cats' 29 points this season have been won on the road, and a mere four away goals is the joint-worst record of its kind in the Premier League, alongside basement boys Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Sunderland have failed to score in six of their nine top-flight away games in 2025-26 and have also been bested in 14 of their last 16 trips to Spurs, although Sunday's clash will mark their first head-to-head since White Hart Lane's farewell campaign in 2016-17.

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Sunderland Premier League form:

Team News

Absent from the Spurs squad for their draw with Brentford, Brennan Johnson has now completed a £35m switch to Crystal Palace after being told by Frank and Fabio Paratici that he was not in the club's plans moving forward.

Johnson departs at a time when Xavi Simons (suspended), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee) and Dominic Solanke (knee) are still missing, alongside Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Pape Sarr (AFCON) and Yves Bissouma (AFCON).

Teenage starlet Lucas Bergvall (knock) remains a doubt after sitting out the Bees clash, but Frank is keeping his fingers crossed that the Sweden international will be able to feature in some capacity.

As far as Sunderland are concerned, bulldozing striker Brian Brobbey was taken off in the draw with Man City as a result of muscle tightness, although it is not expected to lead to his absence from gameweek 20.

Daniel Ballard is not expected to return from his ankle issue in time for the contest, though, while AFCON sextet Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Reinildo Mandava, Arthur Masuaku, Bertrand Traore and Habib Diarra are still away.

Brobbey's scare will most likely lead to a recall for Wilson Isidor in the final third, while Spurs academy graduate Dennis Cirkin should also line up against his old employers, who have often been tipped to bring him back.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Palhinha, Bentancur; Kudus, Richarlison, Kolo Muani

Sunderland possible starting lineup:

Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Cirkin; Geertruida, Xhaka; Mayenda, Le Fee, Adingra; Isidor

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Sunderland

The 13th-best away team facing the fourth-worst home team does not scream thriller, and a Maddison, Simons and Kulusevski-less Tottenham can be expected to severely struggle on the creative front again.

Sunderland will not have the Stadium of Light factor on their side this time, but Spurs' weaknesses are there to be exploited, and Le Bris's men should claim a hard-earned point from this encounter.

Clashing for the first time in almost exactly nine years, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland pit their wits against one another in Sunday's Premier League showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Lilywhites fans are growing increasingly restless with Thomas Frank following yet another dissatisfactory result, this one a 0-0 draw with the Dane's former club Brentford on New Year's Day.

The Black Cats also shared the spoils in a goalless affair in gameweek 19, but their 0-0 against Manchester City was a cause for celebration, not commiseration.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 119

Tottenham Hotspur wins: 50

Draws: 31

Sunderland wins: 38

A head-to-head that dates back to the latest stages of the 19th century - an 1899 FA Cup encounter won by Tottenham Hotspur - the Lilywhites and Sunderland have now butted heads on 119 occasions across all competitions.

Spurs' aforementioned win in the sides' inaugural match marked the first of 50 victories for the North London club in this fixture, while Sunderland have a respectable 38 successes to their name against their more revered rivals.

Another 31 encounters between Spurs and Sunderland have ended level, including the most recent Premier League showdown at the Stadium of Light, a goalless game in January 2017.

A few months prior, Harry Kane struck the only goal at White Hart Lane in a 1-0 win for Tottenham, who have avoided defeat in each of their last 14 top-flight games with the Black Cats, winning 10 of them.

Sunderland have to travel back to April 2010 for their most recent competitive victory over the current Europa League winners, earning a 3-1 victory on home soil thanks to a brace from ex-Spurs man Darren Bent; a young Jordan Henderson also started for the Black Cats that day.

The Wearside outfit did earn a friendly triumph over Spurs in the summer of 2013, but they have not conquered the London club away from home since August 2008, prevailing 2-1 at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham's recent dominance in this battle is in contrast to the earliest days of this showdown, as Spurs won just two of their first 12 contests against Sunderland, who also boast the biggest margin of victory in this fixture.

The Black Cats pummelled the Lilywhites 6-0 in a 1914 Division One game, before repeating the trick in the same league 20 years later.

Last 20 meetings

Jan 31, 2017: Sunderland 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Sep 18, 2016: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Jan 16, 2016: Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 Sunderland (Premier League)

Sep 13, 2015: Sunderland 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Jan 17, 2015: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Sunderland (Premier League)

Sep 13, 2014: Sunderland 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Apr 07, 2014: Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 Sunderland (Premier League)

Dec 07, 2013: Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

May 19, 2013: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Dec 29, 2012: Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Apr 07, 2012: Sunderland 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Dec 18, 2011: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Feb 12, 2011: Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Nov 09, 2010: Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Sunderland (Premier League)

Apr 03, 2010: Sunderland 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Nov 07, 2009: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Mar 07, 2009: Sunderland 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Aug 23, 2008: Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Sunderland (Premier League)

Jan 19, 2008: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Aug 11, 2007: Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Last 10 Premier League meetings

Jan 31, 2017: Sunderland 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Sep 18, 2016: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Jan 16, 2016: Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 Sunderland (Premier League)

Sep 13, 2015: Sunderland 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Jan 17, 2015: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Sunderland (Premier League)

Sep 13, 2014: Sunderland 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Apr 07, 2014: Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 Sunderland (Premier League)

Dec 07, 2013: Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

May 19, 2013: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Sunderland (Premier League)

Dec 29, 2012: Sunderland 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)

Read more on Tottenham Hotspur vs Sunderland

Tottenham Hotspur will continue their 2025-26 Premier League campaign with a clash against Sunderland at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Spurs are 12th in the Premier League table, boasting 26 points from their first 19 matches of the season, while Sunderland are seventh, one point behind sixth-placed Manchester United.

Here, Sports Mole provides details of how to tune into the contest.

What time does Tottenham vs. Sunderland kick off?

The Premier League contest will kick off at 3pm UK time on Sunday afternoon.

Where is Tottenham vs. Sunderland being played?

The match will take place at Tottenham's home ground, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

This will be Sunderland's first visit to the stadium, but they lost 1-0 at White Hart Lane when the two teams last locked horns in North London in September 2016.

How to watch Tottenham vs. Sunderland in the UK

TV channels

The Premier League contest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be available on Sky Sports Football for viewers in the UK.

Online streaming

Sky customers can access the Premier League match on Sky Go and on the Sky Sports app, while it is also available via Now TV's Sports membership.

Highlights

Sky Sports will show highlights on their social media and YouTube channels, as well as on their dedicated app, while highlights of the match can also be viewed on BBC One's Match of the Day programme, which begins at 10.30pm.

Tottenham vs. Sunderland: What's the story?

Both Tottenham and Sunderland were involved in goalless draws on New Year's Day.

Indeed, Spurs played out an uneventful 0-0 with Brentford, while Sunderland held title hopefuls Manchester City to a stalemate at the Stadium of Light.

There are five positions between 12th-placed Tottenham and seventh-placed Sunderland in the table but only three points, which tells the story of the season in England's top flight.

It has been tough for Thomas Frank at Tottenham, but Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris is overseeing an excellent campaign for the promoted Black Cats.

This is shaping up to be a fascinating match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and three points would be incredibly valuable for either side this weekend.

Thomas Frank's Tottenham Hotspur side secured a point against an in-form Brentford in Thursday night's Premier League contest at the Brentford Community Stadium.

Both defences came out on top in the uneventful contest in West London, with neither team doing enough in the attacking areas to deserve all three points.

Brentford sit ninth in the Premier League table, three points behind fifth-placed Chelsea, while Tottenham are 12th, still one point behind the Bees.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Well, that was not one for the archives.

There have been some terrific Premier League matches of late, but this unfortunately was not one of them, with both Brentford and Spurs lacking quality in the final third of the field.

That said, both defences were impressive, with Nathan Collins a standout in the middle of the Brentford rearguard - not for the first time this season - while Micky van de Ven was excellent for Spurs down the other end of the field.

Brentford were bidding to make it three league wins in a row, but the Bees have at least managed to stretch their unbeaten run in England's top flight to four games.

Tottenham, meanwhile, have now won just one of their last four in the league, but they are still very much within touching distance of the top five due to the inconsistent nature of the majority of the teams in England's top flight during the 2025-26 campaign.

MAN OF THE MATCH - NATHAN COLLINS

Collins is believed to be on the radar of a number of major clubs, including Manchester United, with the centre-back in brilliant form during the 2025-26 campaign.

The Republic of Ireland international was at his best on Thursday evening, winning four aerial duels and making two tackles, while he completed 57 of his 70 passes.

BRENTFORD VS. TOTTENHAM MATCH STATS

Possession: Brentford 56%-44% Tottenham

Shots: Brentford 2-3 Tottenham

Shots on target: Brentford 7-9 Tottenham

Corners: Brentford 3-1 Tottenham

Fouls: Brentford 8-10 Tottenham

WHAT NEXT?

Spurs are back at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for their next match, with Sunderland the visitors to North London on Sunday afternoon.

As for Brentford, the Bees will be bidding to return to winning ways when they head to Merseyside on Sunday afternoon to face Everton.

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Brennan Johnson is reportedly undergoing his medical ahead of his move to Crystal Palace in the January transfer window.

Johnson joined Spurs from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023 for a fee of around £47.5m and has scored 27 goals and 18 assists for the north London club.

The 24-year-old winger was one of the key players under Ange Postecoglou and scored the winner in the Europa League final win over Manchester United, but he has fallen down the pecking order in Thomas Frank's side.

Despite interest from Bournemouth, the move to Crystal Palace looked more likely after the Eagles reportedly agreed a fee of around £35m to secure his services.

It has been reported that Johnson will meet Oliver Glasner before making a final decision on whether to complete the deal, and it looks like he has made up his mind.

Johnson close to Palace move

According to Fabrizio Romano, Palace have reached a personal agreement with Johnson and the deal is as good as done.

Johnson is reportedly undergoing the first part of his medical tonight, and unless there are any major issues, the deal is expected to go through swiftly.

Journalist Alasdair Gold further adds that Frank and Fabio Paratici informed Johnson yesterday that the winger is not in their plans going forward.

Once Johnson got clarity from the Spurs boss, the decision to move to Selhurst Park probably became easier for him.

Will Tottenham sign any new players in January?

Bolstering the attacking department is key for Spurs, and Frank has openly admitted that Spurs need one or two quality additions in January.

The north London club have been linked with a move for Antoine Semenyo, but they are unlikely to sign him after the Cherries winger has decided to join Manchester City.

It will be interesting to see whether Palace will keep hold of two of their key players this month, Marc Guehi and Jean-Philippe Mateta, both of whom could depart if the right offer comes their way.