Sunderland v Tottenham Hotspur - Match preview and odds

1:30 pm - Stadium of Light

The first of two Barclays Premier League games on Sunday sees Sunderland take on Tottenham Hotspur in the North East of England.

Propping up the table

The Blacks Cats are currently rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table with only goal difference separating them from their northeast rivals Newcastle. They had the worst possible start to the new league campaign having lost their opening two games against Leicester and Norwich. A brace of draws since then has restored some hope amongst the fans that they can claw their way back up the table.

Despite having only won two points, Dick Advocaat’s team have managed to score six league goals, a record equalled only by Chelsea amongst teams in the bottom half of the table. Another six scored in the League Cup against Exeter takes their tally for the season to 12 goals. Their problem has been at the other end of the pitch where they have conceded a total of 10 league goals - more than anyone else in the league.

Their last three competitive games have produce a win and two draws, so there have been signs of improvement. However, they will be keen to relieve some pressure by lifting themselves out of the Premier League basement this weekend. With just one point separating the two teams, a win could see the Mackems leapfrog Spurs and finish the weekend on five points.

Winless Spurs

Despite having lost just one game, Spurs remain without a win having drawn their other three games. With just three points on the board they currently occupy fifteenth position just one point above their opponents.

Mauricio Pochettino will be expected to lead his side to a top-four challenge this term and will be looking to rise up the table as promptly as possible. An away win this weekend could see them rise into the top half of the table depending on other results.

Team news

Sunderland could hand home debuts to new signings Ola Toivonen and Fabio Borini however, loan-signing DeAndre Yedlin is unable to play due to his connections to the London club. Adam Johnson is still recovering from injury and will not feature while Tom Beadling, Jordi Gomez and Adam Matthews will also miss out.

Spurs may decide to field new recruit Son Heung-Min after he netted a hat-trick for South Korea in their World Cup qualifying match against Laos. Former Bayer Leverkusen player Clinton N`Jie could also feature for the first time.

It is still unclear whether Christian Eriksen will start the game and Spurs’ chances of winning could hinge on the inclusion of their most creative player.

The last time the teams met on Wearside, the game ended in a 2-2 draw thanks to a second-half comeback from the Black Cats.

Betting odds and tips

Sunderland are the 2015 Premier League draw specialists having played in eight stalemates since the turn of the year. With Spurs struggling for goals on the road and Erikson a doubt the draw looks like the best bet. That result can be backed at 13/5 with bet365. If Eriksen does start then the balance could be tilted in the Londoner’s favour, in which case a best price of 19/20 can be achieved via bet365.

Any odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of publishing (13/09/2015) but are subject to change.

13/09/2015     © Frixo 2024