Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham: Report, result, goals as hosts see off Spurs to go 10th in Premier League

Nordi Mukiele’s deflected strike moved Sunderland 10th and ensured Tottenham remained inside the Premier League relegation zone by two points after suffering their 16th top-flight loss of the season with defeat at the Stadium of Light.

Returning defender Mukiele cut inside from the right, approached the penalty area and attempted a low shot that took a considerable deflection off Tottenham’s Micky Van de Ven on its way in, condemning new Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi to a losing start as the Italian attempts to rescue a wretched campaign from calamity.

Tottenham had an early penalty overturned when referee Rob Jones consulted the pitchside monitor over Omar Alderete’s challenge on Randal Kolo Muani and went close when Robin Roefs tipped Pedro Porro’s drive over the target during 11 minutes of added time.

The delay was caused by a prolonged spell of treatment for Tottenham’s Cristian Romero and Antonin Kinsky, who lay prone on the turf after colliding when Sunderland forward Brian Brobbey pushed the defender into the goalkeeper while contesting the ball.

Sunderland vs Tottenham analysis: Spurs lose again

Romero was in tears as the Argentina international made his way off following treatment, deepening the gloom for Spurs on another miserable afternoon for the visitors, who have lost seven of their last eight league games.

“You can see a few heads going down among the Spurs players but they can’t afford that,” former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin told BBC Sport after the deserved win for resolute Sunderland.

“It is the fear factor for Tottenham. Sometimes fate isn’t on your side and it really feels it wasn’t on Tottenham’s [for the goal].

“When you are down there, nothing will help you – not even the gods. Brobbey’s shot took a gigantic deflection and an age to drift in.”

Sunderland team vs Tottenham

Roefs replaced Melker Ellborg in goal in one of four Sunderland changes from their 2-1 top-flight win at Newcastle on March 22, with Mukiele, Reinildo and playmaker Enzo Le Fee in for Lutsharel Geetruida, Trai Hume and Chemsidine Talbi.

Defender Dan Ballard and wingers Nilson Angulo and Romaine Mundle had hamstring injuries.

Goalkeeper Simon Moore (arm), winger Jocelin Ta Bi (ankle) and forward Bertrand Traore (knee) were also sidelined.

Sunderland starting XI: Robin Roefs, Nordi Mukiele, Luke O’Nien, Omar Alderete, Reinildo Mandava, Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, Ibrahim Diarra, Chris Rigg, Enzo Le Fee, Brian Brobbey

Sunderland substitutes: Viktor Ellborg, Trai Hume, Lutsharel Geertruida, Dennis Cirkin, Jenson Jones, Harrison Jones, Montassar Talbi, Eliezer Mayenda, Wilson Isidor

Roberto De Zerbi suffers defeat on his debut at Tottenham Hotspur 😬 pic.twitter.com/Qvs4q70nWo

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 12, 2026

Tottenham team vs Sunderland

Tottenham made five alterations from their 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on March 22.

Goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky deputised for Guglielmo Vicario, who has had a hernia operation.

Defender Destiny Udogie, midfielders Conor Gallagher and Lucas Bergvall and forward Kolo Muani replaced Djed Spence, Kevin Danso, Pape Matar Sarr and Mathys Tel.

Midfielders Rodrigo Bentancur and Mohammed Kudus (both hamstring) and defender Ben Davies (ankle) were sidelined.

Wingers Wilson Odobert and Dejan Kulusevski and midfielder James Maddison had knee injuries.

Sarr (shoulder) and Tel (knock) had been doubts, as was midfielder Yves Bissouma (muscle), who joined them on the bench.

Tottenham starting XI: Antonin Kinsky, Richarlison, Destiny Udogie, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Cristian Romero, Dominic Solanke, Conor Gallagher, Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Randal Kolo Muani

Tottenham substitutes: Brandon Austin, Radu Dragusin, Kevin Danso, João Palhinha, Xavi Simons, Yves Bissouma, Mathys Tel, Djed Spence, Pape Matar Sarr

Sunderland vs Tottenham stats

• Following their 1-1 draw in January, Sunderland avoided defeat in both Premier League meetings with Spurs in a season for the first time since 2008/09 (W1 D1)
• They avoided losing four straight Premier League home games, last doing so at the Stadium of Light in September 2017 in the Championship and in the top flight in October 2013
• Sunderland won back-to-back league matches for the second time this season, last doing so in October
• The Mackems had gone more than 349 minutes without a home goal from open play since Chemsdine Talbi previously did so in the 3-0 win over Burnley on February 2
• Tottenham had been unbeaten in their previous 15 Premier League games against Sunderland (W10 D5) since a 3-1 loss in April 2010
• They are winless in 14 Premier League games (D5 L9); only once in their league history have they had a longer run without victory, going 16 matches from December 1934 to April 1935
• Exactly two-thirds of Tottenham Hotspur’s points in the Premier League this season have come away from home (20/30); only Ipswich Town in 2024/25 have ever had a higher proportion of their points in a season in the competition come on their travels (68% – 15/22)
• Only Leeds (35.1%) have scored a higher proportion of their Premier League goals this season from non-penalty set-plays than Tottenham Hotspur (35.0% – 14/40), while only Wolves (11%) and Brentford (16.7%) have seen a lower share of their goals conceded come from non-penalty set-pieces than Spurs (18.0% – 9/50)
• Only one of the previous 10 Tottenham managers had lost their first Premier League game in charge of the club (W6 D3), although that was Igor Tudor (4-1 vs Arsenal in February)
• De Zerbi had won his first league game at three of the last four clubs he’d been in charge of (Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk and Marseille), the only previous exception coming in the Premier League with Brighton (3-3 away to Liverpool), failing to win any of his first five league encounters with the Seagulls (D2 L3)

What’s next? Sunderland, Tottenham fixtures

Both sides have six matches remaining. Sunderland are next in action away to an Aston Villa side on course for Champions League qualification, then face one of Tottenham’s relegation rivals by hosting Forest.

Tottenham will seek their first win of the calendar year at home to one of De Zerbi’s former clubs, Brighton & Hove Albion, before visiting bottom side Wolves.