Sunderland eager to upset Spurs as Tottenham trip looms.
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Sunderland kicks off at 15:00 [GMT] on Sunday, January 4, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Spurs [WLLWD] are unbeaten in their last 14 Premier League meetings with the Black Cats, winning 10 and drawing four since a 3-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light in April 2010. That dominance has been even more pronounced in this fixture at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and its predecessor grounds, where Sunderland have lost 14 of their 16 Premier League away matches against Spurs, with just one win and one draw to show for their efforts. Goals have traditionally flowed for Tottenham in matches like this. Spurs have scored in 61 of their last 62 Premier League games against promoted sides, with the only exception a goalless draw against Brentford in April 2022. At home, that run is even more striking, with Tottenham finding the net in their last 46 such fixtures, stretching back to a narrow defeat by Wolves in December 2009. Tottenham’s own home form carries some nuance. While Spurs remain prolific against promoted sides, 2025 was a difficult calendar year at home, with 11 league defeats, their highest number in a single year. They have also lost their opening home league game in five of the last seven calendar years. Bouncing back to winning ways remains the club’s objective as they look to climb further up the table from 12th place. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Richarlison in attack is expected against the Black Cats. Xavi Simons is suspended for this fixture.
Earlier this season, the Black Cats [LWDDD] claimed a notable 2-1 victory away at Chelsea. Only three times in their Premier League history have Sunderland won multiple away games against London opposition in a single campaign, and each of those seasons included a win at Stamford Bridge. Away from that standout moment, Sunderland’s struggles on the road have been clear. They have scored just four goals in nine Premier League away matches this season, failing to find the net in six of those games. Looking more broadly, the Black Cats have failed to score in 17 of their last 26 top-flight away fixtures, highlighting a recurring difficulty in turning resilience into attacking output when playing away from home. The managerial angle adds further interest. Sunderland boss Régis Le Bris faces Tottenham for the first time, stepping into a fixture that has historically been unkind to French managers. Only one of the last 15 Premier League away games managed by a French coach at Spurs has ended in victory. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Isidor in attack may be seen against Spurs.