Tottenham Hotspur

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The Telegraph's Luke Edwards believes Roberto de Zerbi will have to "oversee some turnaround" to keep Tottenham in the Premier League this season, adding that there are "huge problems" for the club to sort out.

Tottenham failed to end their run of 14 Premier League games without a win against Sunderland on Sunday afternoon, continuing their worst run in the league for 81 years and leaving themselves stuck in the bottom three.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily, Edwards said: "There is always hope because Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Leeds United haven't been truly convincing themselves all season. However, all of those clubs have a bit more upward momentum than Tottenham at the moment.

"It is some turnaround that Roberto de Zerbi has got to oversee. When he went to Brighton, he actually lost his first five games in charge. So as good a job as he did there, it actually took a while for him to get his ideas across.

"I was in his post-match press conference and I listened to him say: 'I can't be a coach, I've got to be a father and a brother - I've got to put my arm around these players' - but I'm not sure that is going to be enough.

"They can't keep clean sheets, they can't score goals, they are too easy to play through midfield - that is a pretty poisonous mix. There are huge problems.

"De Zerbi will be on a huge bonus to keep the club in the Premier League - and he will earn every single penny of it if he manages to do it from here.

"Having watched them, there is a stench of relegation around the club. I think they are doomed."

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Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are both interested in signing Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado, 22. (Tuttomercato - in Italian, external)

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Pundits Pat Nevin and Ben Foster join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle United

• Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa

• Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham

• Chelsea 0-3 Manchester City

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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Roberto de Zerbi has no time to waste if he is to save Spurs from the ignominy of the drop, but he was unable to make the clouds of relegation hanging over this giant club lift on another dismal day.

Spurs now have to make up that two-point gap on West Ham United with only six games left, and he witnessed a display desperately lacking in inspiration on Wearside.

Sunderland were by far the more organised and threatening side, with Dominic Solanke wasting Spurs' best chance right on half-time when he was blocked at the near post.

De Zerbi was preparing to make changes when Sunderland went ahead with a goal that often sums up the fate of the struggling team, Nordi Mukiele's routine shot taking a huge deflection off Micky van de Ven to beat Antonin Kinsky.

Spurs were also unlucky to lose key defender and captain Cristian Romero following that clash with keeper Kinsky, the Argentine in tears as he went off.

De Zerbi would have been concerned at the lack of reaction from Spurs to going behind, a clear indicator of their lack of self-belief and confidence.

There is no escaping just how serious Spurs' predicament is – and they will have to produce much better than this in their next game at home to De Zerbi's old club Brighton.

The fact that Spurs have not win in the Premier League since victory at Crystal Palace on 28 December does not inspire confidence.

Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Sorry because we didn't deserve to lose the game. We played a good game, maybe not enough to win but we were unlucky in a few situations in the first half.

"I cannot say anything to players because they gave their best in terms of attitude and spirit. We can play better for sure and you can feel better. We have to work on that. My work is not so much on the pitch because they are good guys and I am sorry for them. I want to give them confidence in what they need.

"Tactically, we played a good first half. With the ball and without the ball. We don't have confidence to play great football but we did what we have been working on this week. The players can play better if they are feeling confident."

On keeping spirits high: "I can be a big brother, father, they don't need a coach. They don't need to improve football. They can play better and they will play better once we reach a different level of confidence."

On looking forward to the challenge: "Absolutely, I'm sure if we are able to win a game then everything will change."

Did you know?

• Each of the last two Spurs managers have lost their first Premier League match in charge of the club (Igor Tudor against Arsenal in February, Roberto De Zerbi against Sunderland), this after none of the previous nine Spurs managers (including caretakers) had lost their first league match in charge of the club.

• Tottenham remain one of just two teams in the Premier League this season who have failed to win a match after going behind, along with Wolves. Overall, Spurs have gone behind in 23 different matches, going on to lose 16 of those and draw the other seven.

• Aged 20 years and 31 days, Archie Gray became the second-youngest Tottenham Hotspur player to make 50 appearances for the club in the Premier League, with only Aaron Lennon (20 years and 12 days) reaching this milestone more quickly for Spurs in the competition.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Sunderland's performance

What did you make of Tottenham's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

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Sunderland make four changes from the side that won at Newcastle United in the Tyne-Wear derby.

Robin Roefs returns in goal in place of Melker Ellborg, while Nordi Mukiele, Reinildo and Enzo Le Fee replace Lutsharel Geetruida, Trai Hume and Chemsidine Talbi.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Mukiele, Alderete, O'Nien, Mandava, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee, Diarra, Rigg, Brobbey

Subs: Ellborg, Cirkin, Geertruida, Talbi, Mayenda, Isidor, Hume, H Jones, J Jones

Tottenham XI: Kinsky, Udogie, Romero, Van de Ven, Porro, Gray, Bergvall, Gallagher, Kolo Muani, Richarlison, Solanke.

Subs: Austin, Dragusin, Danso, Palhinha, Simons, Bissouma, Tel, Spence, Sarr.

Image source, BBC Sport

There are four games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Crystal Palace v Newcastle United - Listen on Sports Extra 2

• Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa - Listen on Sports Extra

• Sunderland v Tottenham - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Chelsea v Manchester City (16:30 BST) - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 BST unless stated

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You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Sunderland v Tottenham" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Manchester City".

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Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

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Tottenham will start a Premier League match in the bottom three for the first time since September 2011, when they travelled to Wolves in their third match of the 2011-12 season, having lost their first two fixtures.

They won that game 2-0 to move up to 13th place in the Premier League table.

In fairness, they had played just two games to everyone else's three games as their season-opener against Everton was postponed due to riots in Tottenham.

So, given how early on in the season that result was and the game in hand situation, what's far more relevant is the last time Tottenham were in the relegation zone beyond the first few games of a top-flight season.

The last time Tottenham started a Premier League match in the bottom three more than three games into a season was in January 2009. They started that home game against Portsmouth bottom of the table, but a 1-1 draw - thanks to Jermain Defoe's equaliser - moved them up to 16th place in the table.

It was the game where Harry Redknapp famously criticised Darren Bent for missing a late big chance to clinch all three points for Tottenham, saying: "My missus could've scored that one!"

Coincidentally, the last time Sunderland beat Tottenham came just over a year later, when they won 3-1 at the Stadium of Light in April 2010, and two of the Black Cats' goals were scored by Darren Bent (although he did also miss two penalties).

What's Roberto de Zerbi going to do with Tottenham and how will he set them up?

I've read about when he went in at Brighton and how Lewis Dunk said it took the Seagulls players a while to get up to speed and adapt to his demands.

The whole situation is just odd, with De Zerbi securing a five-year contract despite only hanging around for more than two years at one of his previous eight clubs.

Good luck to him, but this is a difficult place for him to start.

Sunderland's form at the Stadium of Light has dipped a bit since they lost their unbeaten home record against Liverpool in February, but the Black Cats will be buoyant after beating Newcastle last time out.

If Spurs are going to play the type of football we associate with De Zerbi, they will be open, expansive and take risks - but will they have the confidence to do that?

Sunderland are the team that come into this game with belief. They've had a brilliant season and their incentive now must be to stay above Newcastle in the table.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

Relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur make the trip north to Sunderland on Sunday. BBC Sport explores some of the key talking points surrounding this fixture.

All eyes will be on the dugout at the Stadium of Light this weekend as Tottenham's latest head coach attempts to save his new club from a disastrous relegation with only seven games of the season remaining.

"I have a big responsibility," admitted Roberto de Zerbi, who has signed a five-year contract with no relegation release clause. "For me, Tottenham, especially in this moment, is maybe the most important challenge in my career."

One of the many necessary steps towards securing safety for the Italian and his coaching staff will be to inject belief in a side lacking confidence and he will need to quickly bring an end to their 13-game winless streak in the league (D5, L8) – the club's worst run for 91 years.

The 46-year-old can perhaps lean on the fact that Spurs have been significantly better away in the Premier League than at home, with 20 of their 30 points coming on the road.

Does De Zerbi need time?

Some of the conversation around the Italian's appointment has centred on his propensity for slow starts, with time apparently needed to convey his methods to a new group of players, something that Spurs don't have. But at his past four clubs he has largely hit the ground running and he was victorious in his first league match with Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk and Marseille.

The obvious anomaly is Brighton where, not only did he take over in mid-season, but he also failed to win any of his opening five in charge. He did, however, accrue eight points from his first seven games on the south coast and if that form were replicated in his current role it would likely ensure Tottenham's top-flight survival.

An average of 36 points has been enough to stay up since the Premier League switched to a 38-game season in 1995-96. The necessary total stands at 33 points across the past 10 seasons. By that yardstick, one win would potentially be enough for De Zerbi, but even with a victory this weekend his work will be far from done.

Record in reach for Sunderland?

Sunderland achieved the magical 40-point mark with victory over Leeds United in early March and, unlike Tottenham, their top-flight status is all but assured for another year.

Regis le Bris's side can now set their sights on setting a new club record for most points in a Premier League season. They require another 16 to surpass the previous highest total set by Peter Reid's men in 1999-2000. Unlikely given there are 21 points remaining, but not impossible.

Sunderland have endured a dismal recent record against Tottenham in the top flight and they are winless in 15 previous meetings (D5, L10) since a 3-1 home victory in April 2010. Four of their five Premier League victories over the north London club have come at the Stadium of Light, including a memorable 1-0 triumph on the opening day of the 2007-08 season.

Michael Chopra scored a later winner for Roy Keane's newly promoted side that day and the win proved to be very important, as the Wearside club finished just three points above the relegation zone, while Spurs placed 11th. The opposite could well be true at the conclusion of 2025-26.

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light (14:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On Thursday, Spurs confirmed Mohammed Kudus has been ruled out of a return this weekend, external after suffering a setback in his come back from a quad injury picked up in January which will "potentially" require surgery.

• De Zerbi also confirmed Guglielmo Vicario is "not ready" to return yet, adding: "I hope he can come back next week, but I don't know yet." Rodrigo Bentancur is "working with us" but "not completely" and remains unavailable for selection.

• Reflecting on his appointment, the Italian said: "Proud and happy to be here. Thanks to Vinai [Venkatesham] and Johan [Lange] who have shown me a big confidence. Now I have to work. Now we have to make points. I'm sure about the level of the players - many of them in the past I was close to bringing to my former teams. They are working very well. I'm not better than Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor because I consider them very good coaches. I try and bring myself, my character, my passion."

• De Zerbi was asked if he had a message to the fans: "I haven't any message. In the last game they were fantastic before the game. The message for my staff and players is we have to deserve their support because the fans are suffering like us, like the players. There is just one club, one team. The players can change team but the fans, the club is unique. We need to make the fans happy with the right football, the right spirit and behaviour on the pitch."

• On his style of football: "My style is one part about the style of play and one part about the character and personality. I want to give organisation with and without the ball. What I want to achieve immediately is the character, the right spirit and courage to play and attack because the DNA of this club and squad is to find the goal and score."

• Asked why he has he only brought two of his former coaches with him as part of his coaching team, De Zerbi responded: "It is totally different this situation because we have no time to work like in Brighton, and I don't want to put confusion inside of the players."

• On the chances of him and players staying if the club get relegated: "For sure I don't want a player if they don't want to stay. My contract is for five years. I want to say my opinion in the transfer market because I am a coach but I want to see the players happy to work in this club."

Listen to live commentary of Sunderland v Tottenham on Sunday from 14:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Spurs? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

The Premier League's return this weekend brings trepidation for some and excitement for others.

Football's emotional rollercoaster becomes intense at this time of year, unless of course mid-table mediocrity has taken a grip of things in recent months.

So how are you feeling as a Spurs fan with just a handful of weeks left to go?

The league form reads: LLLLDL

The next three league fixtures are: Sunderland (a), Brighton (h) and Wolves (a)

Let us know how you're feeling here

Umir Irfan
Football tactics correspondent

Looking at Roberto de Zerbi's Brighton and Marseille sides, you soon notice how often they repeat certain patterns of play.

When building up, the idea is to draw opponents towards defenders on the ball before using quick passing routines to find free players facing forward. They are better positioned to play the ball up the pitch quickly into the attackers.

When it works, De Zerbi's sides turn possession in their own half into shots near the opposition's goal within a few seconds. It's an electrifying watch - but the level of potential attacking reward comes with great risk.

De Zerbi's approach requires defensive players to take responsibility with the ball - delaying actions until they have forced opponents to press them.

In a recent training clip, he was seen coaching his new players through concepts to make his tactics easier to implement. For central defenders under no pressure, the advice was to take many touches. De Zerbi's centre-backs often provoke opponents by placing their studs on top of the ball - a sort of psychological trick that causes a striker to leave their shape and engage.

Two central midfielders are usually in close proximity to the central defenders. The midfielders receiving passes are often tightly marked, and De Zerbi's advice for them this week was to take one or two touches.

The ball doesn't stay with these players long to minimise the risk of losing the ball in dangerous areas. They instead act as a wall to bounce the ball off to nearby team-mates, who have lost their marker and can play forward under less pressure.

Read more on how De Zerbi can save Spurs