• Cristian Romero has been carded in seven of his last nine Premier League games

• Romero was lucky to escape a straight red card against Brentford on Thursday

• Recommended Bet: Cristian Romero to get a card

Tottenham will attempt to move out of the bottom half of the Premier League when they host seventh-placed Sunderland in North London on Sunday.

Spurs welcomed in the New Year with a dismal 0-0 draw at Brentford and were serenaded by songs about their boring display by the travelling fans.

Head coach Thomas Frank was also booed at the final whistle and needs to find a way to unleash the attacking potential of a team that have scored only twice in the last four games.

Sunderland have also struggled to put the ball in the back of the net in the last month, but confidence in Regis Le Bris remains high after Thursday’s 0-0 draw with Manchester City extended the Black Cats’ unbeaten run to four games. 

The latest Tottenham vs Sunderland odds are available on LiveScore Bet

Team news

Tottenham are still without half a dozen players through injury or Africa Cup of Nations commitments.

James Maddison (knee), Dejan Kulusevski (knee) and Dominic Solanke (knee) are still missing, alongside Destiny Udogie (hamstring), Pape Sarr (AFCON) and Yves Bissouma (AFCON).

Xavi Simons is suspended and Lucas Bergvall remains a doubt after missing the Brentford game with a knock, while Brennan Johnson is no longer at the club after completing a January transfer window switch to Crystal Palace.

Randal Kolo Muani could replace Wilson Odobert in the only change from the team that drew 0-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium.

As for Sunderland, they are also without key players because of international duty.

Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Reinildo Mandava, Arthur Masuaku, Bertrand Traore and Habib Diarra are still in Morocco at AFCON.

Dan Ballard is out with an ankle injury, so Omar Alderete will continue his partnership alongside Nordi Mukiele at the back with Dennis Cirkin on the left and Lutsharel Geertruida deployed in a hybrid role.

The latest Tottenham vs Sunderland odds are available on LiveScore Bet

The stats

A run of 11 league defeats in front of their own fans in 2025 is the most that Tottenham have ever suffered in a single calendar year.

But Spurs have the best away record in the top flight at the halfway stage – with 18 points amassed from 10 games.

And the Lilywhites have won 14 of their 16 Premier League home matches against Sunderland.

Sunderland have lost just two of their past 12 Premier League games.

But they have now failed to score on six of their nine Premier League away trips.

The latest Tottenham vs Sunderland odds are available on LiveScore Bet

Prediction

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero returned from a one-game suspension on Thursday and almost landed himself in more hot water for recklessly hacking down Igor Thiago in the second half.

The Argentinean’s mistimed swipe got none of the football and some of the Brentford player, who would have been through on goal had he not been sent crashing to the ground.

Although he escaped censure on that occasion as the referee waved play on and the incident was not reviewed by VAR, Romero still recorded a season-high four foul challenges in the game.

He has clocked up nine yellow cards and one red at the half-way stage of the campaign, despite featuring in only 15 league games.

Romero himself acknowledges his "bad reputation" regarding his aggressive style, stating it is simply "in his blood" and how he was taught to defend in Argentina. 

He has no intention of changing his approach and that could spell further trouble this season with some physical opponents lying in wait to test his nerve.

Sunderland strikers Brian Brobbey and Eliezer Mayenda are certainly capable of luring him into some more risky tackles on Sunday and the ex-Atalanta man looks like the top candidate to be carded in the clash.

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The latest Tottenham vs Sunderland odds are available on LiveScore Bet