Sunderland were beaten 1-0 by Tottenham, leaving them in 19th place in the Premier League.
A mistake from Papy Djilobodji gifted Tottenham victory, as Harry Kane’s strike separated the sides.
Jordan Pickford 9/10 – The youngster was colossal in between the sticks, making save after save to shut out Spurs and keep Sunderland in the game. Had it not been for a mistake, he would have won his first Premier League clean sheet.
Jason Denayer 5/10 – Drafted in before kick off in place of Patrick Van Aanholt, Denayer had a very difficult afternoon. Up against Heung-Min Son, the Belgian struggled to deal with the winger’s pace and trickery, as the South Korean constantly got past Denayer and put a cross in.
Lamine Kone 6.5/10 – Having signed a new deal during the week, Kone gave an improved performance following his shocker against Everton. The 27-year-old looked more like the player of last season, but his defensive efforts still weren’t enough.
Tottenham’s Harry Kane in action with Sunderland’s Papy Djilobodji and Jordan Pickford
Papy Djilobodji 4/10 – The summer signing had a shocker in front of his own fans on Monday, and this time he had a stinker on the road. Djilobodji’s failed attempt at a clearance allowed Kane to capitalise, gifting Spurs a goal and all three points.
Javi Manquillo 6/10 – The Spanish full back had a tough task dealing with Moussa Sissoko and Kyle Walker, but did the best he could, with Spurs’ biggest threat coming from the opposite flank. Manquillo got forward when he could, and looked to get more advanced than he did against Everton.
Didier Ndong 6.5/10 – Making his first start in a Sunderland shirt, Ndong’s performance gave Sunderland fans some hope that their investment could be worthwhile. The Gabon midfielder will need to time to get up to speed, but his first 90 minutes was promising.
Jan Kirchhoff 6/10 – The German’s return is important for Sunderland, and his worth was there for all to see in the first half. Kirchhoff began to tire in the second half as he normally does, and his limited ability going forward meant there was no creativity in the middle of the park.
Tottenham’s Dele Alli in action with Sunderland’s Lee Cattermole
Lee Cattermole 6/10 – Having missed the start of the season through injury, Cattermole’s comeback was key to Sunderland almost getting a point. The captain got in Spurs’ faces throughout the game, but like Kirchhoff, his limitations going forward stifled any chance of a Black Cats revival.
Adnan Januzaj 3/10 – The Belgian had suffered a frustrating afternoon, and he let that frustration out as he picked up two quick yellow cards and was sent off. An idiotic red card for a player who needs to start meeting expectations.
Steven Pienaar 5.5/10 – Another player who returned from injury was Steven Pienaar, and the midfielder missed the away side’s best chance on the stroke of half time. Had that gone in, things would have been very different for Moyes’ side.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe
Jermain Defoe 5.5/10 – Anonymous. Not through lack of trying, but Sunderland’s limited amount of possession meant that there was no service for their main man. Defoe did get one chance, and forced a neat save from Hugo Lloris.
SUBSTITUTES
Duncan Watmore (Pienaar 63) 6/10 – Brought some much needed energy to Sunderland, and put in a dangerous cross that Defoe couldn’t reach. An impact player.
Wahbi Khazri (Kirchhoff 79) N/A – Khazri did not have enough time to make an impact.
Paddy McNair (Denayer 90+4) N/A – McNair did not have enough time to make any impact.
Sunderland manager David Moyes
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