Brian Brobbey struck an 80th-minute equaliser as Sunderland drew 1-1 at Tottenham, increasing scrutiny on Thomas Frank. Ben Davies had put Spurs ahead, but the hosts again failed to close out a Premier
League home match. Boos met the final whistle, echoing the reaction after the New Year’s Day draw with Brentford at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The stalemate continued a difficult stretch in north London. Spurs lost 11 league games at home in 2025, more than any other Premier League team that year. Under Frank this season, Spurs have taken seven wins, seven defeats and six draws from 20 league fixtures. That number of stalemates already matches their final 53 league games under Ange Postecoglou.
Despite the result, Spurs created the better numbers. They produced 13 shots, with five on target, for an expected goals total of 1.18. Sunderland managed 10 attempts at Guglielmo Vicario’s goal, worth 0.48 xG. Regis Le Bris’ side again showed discipline away from home, extending an unbeaten Premier League run to five matches, with one win and four draws.
| Team | Shots | Shots on target | Expected goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spurs | 13 | 5 | 1.18 |
| Sunderland | 10 | N/A | 0.48 |
Spurs started on the front foot, forcing Sunderland back. Mathys Tel first tested goalkeeper Robin Roefs with a firm strike, then dragged another effort just wide. The pressure brought reward on 30 minutes. Cristian Romero was left free at the back post, Micky van de Ven’s shot was diverted goalwards, and Davies turned the ball in from close range.
Sunderland reacted well after falling behind and grew into the contest either side of half-time. Trai Hume drove from distance before the interval, forcing Vicario into a concerned watch as the shot flew past. Seven minutes after the restart, Hume’s close-range header beat Vicario but not Davies, who cleared on the line. Romero then misjudged a ball, and Brobbey fired into the side-netting.
The visitors’ pressure built before the equaliser. Enzo Le Fee met a cross with a header that hit the base of the post, coming agonisingly close. Within a minute, the midfielder was central again. Le Fee exchanged a sharp one-two with Brobbey, who controlled inside the area and lashed a powerful left-footed strike into the roof of the net.
Sunderland continued to chase a decisive goal in the closing stages. Hume again troubled Vicario, forcing the Spurs goalkeeper to tip a rising effort over the bar. Joao Palhinha then met a late cross but glanced a header wide in second-half stoppage time. The visiting mood was captured soon after the match on social media.
We battle to a point at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium #TOTSUN pic.twitter.com/UFaBPA4gZISunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) January 4, 2026
Frank now faces increasing pressure as Spurs struggle to convert promising positions into victories, especially at home. Spurs could not build on Davies’ first-half goal, despite long spells of control. Sunderland, meanwhile, extended their longest top-flight unbeaten sequence since a six-match run under Sam Allardyce between April and May 2016, underlining their current solidity on the road.
