Roberto De Zerbi endured a disappointing start to life as Tottenham Hotspur manager after his side fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The Italian, who recently replaced Igor Tudor, could not inspire an immediate turnaround as Spurs’ struggles deepened.
The North London side began the weekend inside the relegation zone, a situation worsened by results elsewhere, and they remain without a Premier League victory in 2026.
Despite a lively opening, neither side found a breakthrough before the interval. Spurs thought they had a golden opportunity in the 21st minute when a penalty was awarded after Randal Kolo Muani went down in the box.
However, VAR intervention led referee Rob Jones to reverse his decision after it was clear Omar Alderete had won the ball cleanly.
Chances came at both ends, with Richarlison, Dominic Solanke and Brian Brobbey all going close, while goalkeeper Antonín Kinský made a series of important saves to keep Spurs level before the break.
The decisive moment arrived in the 61st minute when Nordi Mukiele cut in from the right and fired a shot that took a deflection off Micky van de Ven, wrong-footing Kinský and finding the net.
Sunderland, managed by Régis Le Bris, held firm to secure back-to-back league wins, with goalkeeper Robin Roefs producing a standout performance.
He denied Spurs repeatedly, including two late efforts from Pedro Porro during a tense period of stoppage time.
The second half also saw a worrying collision between Cristian Romero and Kinský, which led to a lengthy stoppage. While the goalkeeper continued with a bandaged head, Romero was forced off, visibly emotional, and replaced by Kevin Danso.
Despite 11 minutes of added time and late pressure, Spurs could not find an equaliser, slipping to their 16th league defeat of the season.
The result leaves them two points adrift of safety with just six matches remaining, as their battle to avoid relegation intensifies.
