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Tottenham vs Sunderland – Match Preview

Tottenham go into this game off the back of Champions League disappointment in Midweek but they can temper that feeling with a win at home to Sunderland this afternoon. Should that be the case then their 5 game domestic unbeaten run would see them reach the top four.

The big night out at Wembley didn’t go to script for Mauricio Pochettino’s men as Monaco ran out 2-1 winners. In fairness they were two smash and grab goals from the French League leaders but Tottenham were caught cold and only seemed to wake up once Mousa Dembele came on after the break.

Even in the 45 minutes that he played Tottenham looked a team transformed but they left themselves too much to do and couldn’t get the much needed second goal. That performance from Belgium’s Dembele should be enough to see him come in from the start this afternoon.

Spurs looked back to the form of last season away at Stoke last Sunderland. Hueng-min Son with the pick of the goals as he scored a brace and both Dele Alli and Harry Kane opened their accounts for season. Kane would come in for some criticism on Wednesday though as he looked sluggish and missed a guilt edged chance to make it 2-2.

Is the visit of Sunderland the perfect opportunity for Kane to be rested and Vincent Janssen to start with the hope that the Dutchman can bag his first of the season. The sooner he can get that burden off his back the better as the longer a goal drought goes on the lesser the confidence the player.

It’s not just a player that is low on confidence but it seems to be a whole team when it comes to Sunderland. They sit second bottom of the Premier League and were soundly beaten 3-0 by Everton on Monday thanks to a Romelu Lukaku 11 minute second half hat-trick.

It wasn’t a good night for David Moyes as he went up against some familiar faces after his lengthy tenure at Goodison Park, what he would do with some of those players in his team today. Lukaku highlighted the massive defensive issues that Sunderland currently have as The Black Cats capitulated in the second half.

Sunderland have lost the majority of the key players that got them out of a hole last season when Sam Allardyce is in charge. They must be grateful that they still have Tottenham old boy Jermain Defoe up front but he alone can’t save the club.

Moyes himself has said that the club is going to be in a relegation battle, not words you want to hear from your manager in September that surely can’t inspire fans with confidence as Sunderland once again look to battle to beat the drop.

Jermain Defoe had many happy years at White Hart Lane but he would swap them for a happy day today if he could bag a winner against his former club, Defoe was much loved in North London but it will no doubt draw Spurs fans ire if he does manage to pull off a surprise three points for his latest employers.

That said with Sunderland still looking for a first win of the season I can’t see that happening today. Last time these two sides met Tottenham ran out 3-1 winners at White Hart Lane and I wouldn’t be surprised if we had the exact same scoreline today. A home win for me.

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