Roberto De Zerbi’s reign as Tottenham Hotspur manager began with a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Sunday, leaving Spurs marooned in the relegation zone with just six games to play. Elsewhere on a dramatic Matchday 32 afternoon, Crystal Palace staged a late comeback against Newcastle while Nottingham Forest earned a valuable point against Aston Villa. Here is our full round-up of Sunday’s remaining fixtures and a preview of Monday’s Old Trafford showdown.
De Zerbi’s Nightmare Debut at Sunderland
The Stadium of Light was rocking as 47,010 fans watched Sunderland make it three wins from their last four Premier League home matches. The first half was open and competitive — Spurs had a penalty awarded then overturned following a VAR review and pitch-side monitor check, while both Brian Brobbey and Richarlison went close for the visitors.
Tottenham Hotspur in action during their Premier League defeat at Sunderland
The decisive moment came 11 minutes into the second half when Nordi Mukiele’s strike deflected wickedly off Micky van de Ven and looped past goalkeeper Antonín Kinsky. To make matters worse, captain Cristian Romero left the pitch in tears after suffering an injury in the second half, casting further doubt over Spurs’ survival hopes.
The defeat means Tottenham remain 18th — two points adrift of safety — and have now gone 14 Premier League matches without a win, their longest winless streak since 1935. De Zerbi, the club’s third manager this season, inherits a squad desperately short of confidence and running out of time.
For Sunderland, meanwhile, their remarkable return to the top flight continues. The Black Cats are now just two points off sixth place and firmly in the conversation for European qualification — a quite extraordinary achievement in their first season back.
Mateta’s Late Drama Stuns Newcastle
Crystal Palace staged a dramatic late comeback in their EPL clash
Crystal Palace produced a stunning late turnaround to beat Newcastle 2-1 at Selhurst Park. William Osula gave the Magpies the lead just before half-time in the 43rd minute, bundling in after Lewis Miley’s excellent delivery from the right was diverted by Maxence Lacroix.
Newcastle looked comfortable until Palace introduced Jean-Philippe Mateta from the bench. The French striker equalised before delivering the killer blow from the penalty spot deep in the fourth minute of stoppage time, sending Selhurst Park into raptures and dealing a significant blow to Newcastle’s European ambitions.
Forest Earn Gritty Draw Against Villa
At the City Ground, Nottingham Forest secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Aston Villa to boost their survival hopes. Murillo’s own goal gifted Villa the lead in the 23rd minute, but Neco Williams levelled the scores seven minutes later with a well-taken finish before the break. Vitor Pereira’s side defended resolutely in the second half to claim a valuable point.
Spurs face a tough run of fixtures as relegation fears intensify
Monday Night Preview: Manchester United vs Leeds United
The final match of Matchday 32 sees Manchester United host Leeds United at Old Trafford on Monday night at 8pm SGT. It is the Roses derby — one of English football’s fiercest rivalries — and the stakes could not be higher for both sides.
Manchester United sit third on 55 points and are enjoying an excellent run of form, having lost just once in 14 league matches since Christmas. Lisandro Martínez is in contention to return after missing five matches with a calf injury, which would be a timely boost for the Red Devils.
Leeds, meanwhile, are in freefall. Sitting 15th and just three points above the relegation zone, they have failed to score in four consecutive league games. With Spurs, Forest, and Wolves all breathing down their necks, defeat at Old Trafford could see them dragged deeper into the mire.
United are unbeaten in 11 matches against Leeds and will fancy their chances of extending that run on home soil. Expect a hostile atmosphere and a must-watch encounter under the Old Trafford lights.
The Relegation Battle Heats Up
The bottom of the Premier League table is shaping up to be one of the most dramatic relegation fights in years. Here is how things stand after Sunday’s results:
- 16th — Nottingham Forest: Picking up points against the big sides
- 17th — Wolves: Hammered 4-0 by West Ham on Friday
- 18th — Tottenham: Two points from safety, 14 games without a win
- 19th — Burnley: Lost 0-2 to Brighton on Saturday
- 20th — Wolverhampton: In deep trouble after the West Ham drubbing
With just six matches remaining, every point is precious. Spurs’ pedigree means few would have predicted them being in this position, but the numbers do not lie — and time is running out for De Zerbi to pull off a great escape.
Read more of our Sports coverage on Little Big Red Dot. See also: Man City crush Chelsea 3-0 in EPL title race and our Saturday results round-up.
