Match Preview: Tottenham v Sunderland
The Lads travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday looking to get their first 3 points of the season. David Moyes’ men will be looking to bounce back from a miserable Monday night defeat at the hands of Everton, but Sunderland face a tough job doing so. The last time Sunderland beat Tottenham in the league at White Hart Lane was, incredibly, in 2008.
While there were positives to be taken from the first half last week at home to Everton, we witnessed an all too familiar collapse. In the second half which saw Everton and Romelu Lukaku score 3 second half goals in the space of 11 minutes. Moyes will be looking to draw the positives from that first half performance as something to build on to avoid coming back from the capital empty handed.
Despite hammering Stoke last week 4-0 at the Britannia, Spurs are coming into the game on the back of a loss. On Wednesday, Tottenham lost in the Champions League at home (sort of) to Monaco. Maybe this flawed momentum will give Sunderland hope of taking something from Sunday’s game.
Sunderland have been handed a fitness boost coming into the game, with David Moyes confirming that both Steven Pienaar and Lee Cattermole could be in contention to feature against Spurs. Sunday’s match has come too soon for Billy Jones and Victor Anichebe, although they aren’t far away from full fitness. Vito Mannone, Seb Larrson and Fabio Borini all remain sidelined with long term injuries.
Tottenham have no new injury worries. Only former Black Cats loanee Danny Rose is sidelined for Spurs with a hamstring injury. Apart from the left back, Mauricio Pochettino has a full strength squad to pick from.
Sunderland face a very tough task to bring a point back from White Hart Lane, never mind all three. However, there have been positives under Moyes in spells. He will be hoping the team pulls together for a full 90 minutes on Sunday and can bring something back to Wearside.