Tottenham Hotspur will look to bounce back from a European defeat, as they host a Sunderland side still looking for their first league win of the season.

Not the night Spurs were hoping for, but there are positive signs domestically

Spurs opening UEFA Champions League game on Wednesday night was meant to be a memorable occasion after six years away from Europe's top club competition and the fact the game was being played at the national stadium, Wembley. Things didn't turn out the way Spurs wanted though, as they went down 2-0 after half an hour and despite a Toby Alderweireld goal could not recover and lost 2-1.

Despite that opening defeat in Europe, it's still been a generally good start to the season for Spurs with Mauricio Pochettino's team one of four unbeaten in the Premier League through four games; having won two and drawn two so far. Last week at Stoke City, Spurs looked more like the team that challenged for the title earlier in 2016 as they won 4-0 in the Potteries for the second time in the year.

Slow out the blocks yet again, and capitulation in front of the TV cameras

A new Premier League season, but the same horrible trait for Sunderland with them not winning a game in August for the seventh straight season. The Lads will now look to this game and a home match with Crystal Palace to avoid a fourth straight year without a league win in September as well. With the Wearsiders lying 19th in the league table as one of three teams yet to win in the top flight this season, that first three points needs to come soon.

Sunderland also come into this game off the back of a home defeat and the 3-0 loss on Monday night for David Moyes against his former team, Everton was really hard to take. The Black Cats will be frustrated as they were more than a match for the Toffees for an hour, but then the central defenders lost their heads and allowed Romelu Lukaku to score a very simple 15 minute hat-trick.

Team news

Moussa Dembele is set for his domestic bow with Spurs this season after completing his six-match suspension carried on from the end of last season. Pochettino has admitted he may make changes for this game after the European exertions.

Lee Cattermole and Steven Pienaar are close to a return in Sunderland's midfield as they both resumed training this week, but this game will come too soon for the pair. It is a similar story for full-back Billy Jones with his hip, while striker Victor Anichebe has sustained a thigh problem meaning his debut has been put on hold.

The stats don't make for pleasant reading for the Lads

Spurs are unbeaten against Sunderland in 12 league games dating back to April 2010. The last Sunderland goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet at White Hart Lane in any competition was Chris Turner in 1980, 22 visits ago. Sunderland have averaged the lowest possession figures so far this season, with just 34.8% possession per game.

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About the author
Jamie Joslyn
20 year old sports journalism at Sunderland University, huge Sunderland fan