Report, result, goals as Mukiele’s goal sends the 10th-placed hosts ‘heads down’ to Spurs players in the penalty area.

Nordi Mukiele’s deflected goal moved Sunderland up to 10th and ensured Tottenham stayed within two points of the Premier League play-off spot after suffering a 16th-place defeat at the Stadium of Light.

Defender Mukiele cut inside the right, approached the penalty area and attempted a low shot that deflected off Tottenham’s Micky Van de Ven as he came in, criticizing new Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi for a poor start as the Italian tried to salvage a poor campaign from disaster.

Tottenham were awarded an early penalty when referee Rob Jones contacted the pitchside keeper for Omar Alderette’s challenge on Randal Kolo Muani and went close when Robin Roefs told Pedro Porro to drive over the target 11 minutes into added time.

The delay was caused by the lengthy treatment of Tottenham’s Cristian Romero and Antonin Kinsky, who was left in the crowd after a collision when Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey pushed the defender into the goalkeeper while vying for the ball.

Sunderland vs Tottenham analysis: Spurs lose again

Romero was in tears as the Argentine left following treatment, adding to 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 drop from the Spurs players but they can’t handle that,” former Chelsea midfielder Pat Nevin told BBC Sport after the win over Sunderland.

“The thing that scares Tottenham. Sometimes the end is not on your side and it feels like it wasn’t in Tottenham. [for the goal].

“When you’re down there, nothing’s going to help you – not even the gods. Brobbey’s gun took a lot of deflection and years to go in.”

Sunderland vs Tottenham team

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

Fullback Dan Ballard and wingers Nilson Angulo and Romaine Mundle suffered hamstring injuries.

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

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

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

Roberto De Zerbi loses for the first time at Tottenham Hotspur 😬 pic.twitter.com/Qvs4q70nWo

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

Tottenham vs Sunderland team

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

Goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky stands in for Guglielmo Vicario, who underwent hernia surgery.

Defender Destiny Udogie, midfielders Conor Gallagher and Lucas Bergvall and striker 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 absent.

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

Sarr (shoulder) and Tel (knock) were doubtful, as was midfielder Yves Bissouma (hamstring), 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 instead of: Brandon Austin, Radu Dragusin, Kevin Danso, João Palhinha, Xavi Simons, Yves Bissouma, Mathys Tel, Djed Spence, Pape Matar Sarr

Sunderland vs Tottenham statistics

• After a 1-1 draw in January, Sunderland avoided defeat in both Premier League meetings with Spurs for the first time since 2008/09 (W1 D1)
• They have avoided losing four straight Premier League home games, last doing so at the Stadium of Light in September 2017 in the Championship (4) and in the top flight in October 2013 (4).
• Sunderland have won back-to-back league games for the second time this season, last doing so in October
• Mackems have gone more than 349 minutes without a home goal from open play since Chemsdine Talbi did so in the 3-0 win over Burnley on February 2.
• Tottenham are unbeaten in their 15 Premier League games against Sunderland (W10 D5) since losing 3-1 in April 2010.
• They are winless in 14 Premier League games (D5 L9); only once in their league history did they go on a long run without a win, a 16-game stretch from December 1934 to April 1935.
• Indeed, two-thirds of Tottenham Hotspur’s points in the Premier League this season are away from home (20/30); Only Ipswich Town in 2024/25 have had their highest points tally in a season in an away competition (68% – 15/22)
• Only Leeds (35.1%) have scored a higher proportion of their Premier League goals this season from non-penalty set-pieces than Tottenham Hotspur (35.0% – 14/40), while only Wolves (11%) and Brentford (16.7%) have seen a lower proportion of their goals scored from non-penalty set-pieces. 50% than Spurs
• Only one of Tottenham’s previous 10 managers 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 in three of the last four teams he managed (Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk and Marseille), the only exception coming in the Premier League with Brighton (3-3 away to Liverpool), failing to win his first five league games with the Seagulls (D2 L3)

What’s next? Sunderland, Tottenham matches

Both teams have six games left. Sunderland will face the Aston Villa team that will qualify for the Champions League, and then face one of Tottenham’s rivals when they will face Forest.

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