Credit: Tung Manh Phan

Cameron Smith

Fri 10 April 2026 12:10, UK

Roberto De Zerbi is set to take charge of his first match as Tottenham Hotspur boss with a trip to Sunderland this weekend.

The Italian was placed in charge over the international break, and given one task this season: to keep Spurs in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites are hanging on by a thread just outside the relegation zone, while a West Ham win against Wolves would see them slip in.

Travelling to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, De Zerbi is looking to make an immediate impact on the touchline before instilling the ideas seen during his successful period with Brighton.

Though, based on the latest prediction from Opta’s supercomputer, Tottenham’s survival chances are set to be impacted on Sunday.

Tottenham could be dealt hammer blow in relegation battle

After winning the Europa League May, the current campaign was expected to be one of further progression at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Instead, things have continued to worsen, with Spurs now fighting for their lives at the bottom of the standings – something that is predicted to continue.

Sunderland were promoted to the Premier League last May, and have settled into top flight life seamlessly.

And based on the figures from Opta, this will continue as they host Tottenham on Sunday, with Regis Le Bris’ side given a 43.2 per cent chance of taking victory against the North London scrappers.

With De Zerbi taking charge of his first match at the helm, Spurs fans are expecting a turnaround that will see the club shift away from the drop zone.

However, they could well find themselves in there by the end of the matchweek – a disastrous outcome a club that tasted European silverware just under a year ago.

Sunderland will provide a stern test for Tottenham

For De Zerbi, there aren’t many more difficult first matches to have than a trip to Sunderland.

Le Bris’ side have settled back into Premier League life perfectly, and have even found themselves among the European chasing pack at points this season.

As of now, the Black Cats sit 11th in the league – 13 points clear of Spurs.

And while Sunderland’s form has dipped since the turn of the year, the confidence will still be flowing after their last gasp winner against rivals Newcastle before the break.

If Spurs are able to make the trip to the North East, silence the crowd and bring home the points, it will be a very successful weekend for the Lilywhites.

With West Ham hosting Wolves on Friday, the chance is there for Tottenham to drop into the relegation zone before Sunday’s clash.

Winning for the first time since December and climbing back out of the drop zone would be the perfect start for the new boss.