Tottenham Hotspurs vs Sunderland : Black Cats Ready to Steal Points from the Weak Lilywhites at Home

JAKARTA - Involved in a 0-0 draw with opposite entertainment levels in the middle of the week, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland meet in a Premier League battle on Sunday, January 4 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Thomas Frank's Lilywhites drew a drab game at Brentford in midweek, while the Black Cats held Manchester City to a tense 0-0 stalemate.

Back at the stadium he made his home during his time in West London, Frank was warmly welcomed by Brentford supporters at the Gtech Community Stadium, but all present should have gone home disappointed and desperate.

Fans can't quickly forget Spurs' 0-0 draw with the Bees, and Tottenham supporters travelling across the capital let Frank know what they thought of the current state of affairs at Tottenham.

The Europa League champions are still in the bottom half of the Premier League table with just seven wins all season - at this rate, they will only pass 50 points after 38 games, a far cry from a European-worthy total.

Home games continue to terrify the Spurs; the hosts have not only lost a record 11 times in the Premier League at home in 2025, they have also lost the opening home game of the calendar year in five of the last seven years.

If there is any small consolation for the Lilywhites, Frank's men have now recorded four commendable clean sheets in their last six games following Thursday's stalemate, having conceded 15 goals in five matches in November.

Facing another team who have four clean sheets from their last six games, Spurs welcome Sunderland after another special night at the Stadium of Light for the Black Cats, who dented Manchester City's title ambitions.

Some Sky Blues fans might enjoy taunting Arsenal as the Gunners dropped two points against Regis Le Bris' side, but the Citizens may be lucky to scrape through with a point on Thursday, as Gianluigi Donnarumma has to be at his best to hold off the promoted side.

Boosting their European credentials with a superb performance against the title challengers, Le Bris' side are five places and three points better off than hosts in seventh, just three points adrift of Liverpool in the final Champions League slot.

However, only nine of the Black Cats' 29 points this season have been achieved away from home, and only four away goals is the joint-worst record in the Premier League, equal with bottom team Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Sunderland failed to score in six of their nine Premier League away games of 2025-26 and also lost 14 of their last 16 visits to Spurs, although this Sunday's meeting will be their first head-to-head since the White Hart Lane farewell season in 2016-17.

Absent from the Spurs squad for the draw against Brentford, Brennan Johnson has now completed a £35m move to Crystal Palace after being told by Frank and Fabio Paratici that he was not part of the club's plans going forward.

Johnson is away while Xavi Simons (suspended), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), and Dominic Solanke (knee) are still out, along with Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Pape Sarr (AFCON), and Yves Bissouma (AFCON).

Teenage star Lucas Bergvall (knock) is still a doubt after missing out against the Bees, but Frank is hopeful the Swede could feature in some capacity.

For Sunderland, striker Brian Brobbey was withdrawn during the draw with Man City due to a muscle strain, although it is not expected to keep him out of the 20th week.

Daniel Ballard is not expected to return from an ankle problem in time for this game, while the AFCON sextet of Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Reinildo Mandava, Arthur Masuaku, Bertrand Traore, and Habib Diarra are still out.

Brobbey's scare will likely see Wilson Isidor recalled to the front line, while Spurs academy graduate Dennis Cirkin is also expected to come face to face with his former club, who have often been linked with bringing him back.

The 13th-ranked visitors facing the fourth-worst home team doesn't sound like a thriller, and Tottenham without Maddison, Simons, and Kulusevski are expected to struggle again in the creative line.

Sunderland will not have the factor of the Stadium of Light this time around, but Spurs' weaknesses can be exploited, and Le Bris' side should grab the hard-won points from this encounter.

Line-up

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

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