How Roberto De Zerbi could line up Tottenham in must-win Premier League debut vs Sunderland | OneFootball

Desperate to climb out of the relegation zone as quickly as they dropped in, Tottenham Hotspur are gearing up to face Sunderland in a must-win Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light.

All eyes will be on new manager Roberto De Zerbi, who threw himself into the eye of the storm by agreeing to take the Tottenham job in the middle of a fierce relegation battle.

On the bright side, reports claim that Tottenham players were excited by the prospect of playing under the Italian tactician even before his appointment was confirmed.

Tottenham fans will be hoping to finally get a taste of some new manager bounce as De Zerbi becomes the third head coach to lead the club this season.

The North Londoners have kicked off several new chapters this season, but each of them have ended in a nightmare, with Igor Tudor the most recent culprit.

He was in charge for just 44 days but oversaw just one win in his seven games (D1, L5).

Tudor seemed to finally be steering Tottenham in the right direction when a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Liverpool was followed by an inconsequential 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Unfortunately, an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest in a relegation six-pointer was the final nail in the coffin of the popular firefighter.

The onus of leading Tottenham to their first Premier League win in 2026 now falls on De Zerbi, who insists he will remain committed to the club even if he fails to keep them up.

West Ham United’s thumping 4-0 victory over Championship-bound basement club Wolverhampton Wanderers temporarily lifted them above Tottenham in the relegation battle.

However, if De Zerbi kicks off his tenure with a priceless victory, Tottenham could move up to 15th in the table, level on points with Leeds United but ahead on goal difference.

How Tottenham could line up

Antonin Kinsky may be the biggest winner from De Zerbi’s appointment, with the 23-year-old set to get a shot at redemption following his forgettable howler in the Champions League.

With Guglielmo Vicario battling a hernia, Kinsky will likely start in goal, behind Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Destiny Udogie in defence.

Mixing youth and experienced leadership in midfield could see the impressive Archie Gray partner with Joao Palhinha in the middle of the park.

Looking to add another feather to his cap, Richarlison should start on the left flank.

He’s one goal away from reaching double digits in a fifth different Premier League campaign, which would make him only the second Brazilian to achieve that feat after ex-Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino.

Meanwhile, Xavi Simons and Mathys Tel should form the rest of the supporting cast behind Dominic Solanke.