Three winners and three losers from Tottenham’s 1-1 draw against Sunderland

Tottenham Hotspur were ahead for much of their match against Sunderland, but the visitors struck back to prevent them from snatching three points.

Tottenham Hotspur are off to a poor start in 2026, opening with a 0-0 draw against Brentford before failing to defeat Sunderland.

It was another performance which has frustrated the club’s supporters, but there are probably more positives to take from it than the drab showing on Thursday night.

Here are the three winners and losers from the game which has left Spurs 13th in the Premier League table.

Ben Davies scored for Tottenham

It was quite surprising to see Ben Davies handed his first Premier League start of the season, but he certainly made the most of it.

The Tottenham veteran landed more shots on target than Richarlison and one of these was the goal which put his team ahead.

Davies was in the right place at the right time and tapped the ball home from a corner in what ought to have been the first of multiple Spurs goals.

Mathys Tel had a good first half

Mathys Tel has failed to build on his occasional positive moments at Tottenham and questions have already been raised about his future after just one year at the club.

However, he was finally placed back into the starting lineup against Sunderland and there are positives to take from his first half display.

Unfortunately Tel’s influence dwindled as the match went on, but he will be happy to have been given a chance to play out wide for the first time this season.

Wilson Odobert remained in the Spurs lineup

Odobert was praised for his cameo off the bench against Crystal Palace and as a result, he was awarded with a start against Brentford. However, he had a disappointing game and made no use of this opportunity.

Despite this, the 21-year-old remained in the side to face Sunderland and he had a much better game.

Although Odobert was unable to make any significant contributions, he tried to make things happen and Tottenham looked worse when he was subbed off.

Now, let’s take a look at the three losers from Tottenham 1-1 Sunderland…

Mohammed Kudus suffered an injury setback

Although Mohammed Kudus is still viewed as a good Spurs signing, his recent performances have left much to be desired.

Unfortunately the winger was unable to right these wrongs against Sunderland because he picked up an injury inside the opening 20 minutes.

Kudus might actually find it helpful to spend some time away from the pitch, but alternatively it means another player has the chance to impress in his absence.

Cristian Romero made another huge mistake for Tottenham

Forget beating around the bush – Cristian Romero has not been good enough for Spurs this season. In fact, any player performing at his level, yet without holding his high status would be benched.

The Argentine did play a part in the build-up to Tottenham’s only goal of the game, but his positional play continues to be all over the place.

Romero suffered his worst moment in the second half, as his dreadful misplaced pass could have seen Spurs concede a cheap goal. It is hard to work out what the defender was even attempting to do as there was no player present in the area where he was passing.

Thomas Frank was booed after the park again

Tottenham fans made no secret that it was Thomas Frank who angered them on Thursday night. The players were mostly awarded by the visiting support in Brentford, but a chorus of boos emerged as soon as the club’s manager stepped forward to acknowledge them.

Loud boos were heard once more when the full-time whistle was blown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in what seems to have become the norm.

It was another match Spurs should have won, but the tactics were all wrong. Frank has not been helped by his vastly overrated squad, but most managers in the Premier League would be doing a better job than him at Tottenham.

READ MORE – Tottenham player ratings vs Sunderland – yet more points dropped

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