Sunderland v Tottenham preview: Winless duo clash on Wearside
Sunday 13 September 2015 13:54, UK
Sunderland host Tottenham live on Super Sunday, with both sides still looking for their first win of the season.
Dick Advocaat's side are rooted to the bottom of the table having picked up just two points from their opening four fixtures, conceding 13 goals in five games in all competitions so far in this campaign.
Spurs have been tighter in defence but have been shy in front of goal, with Harry Kane yet to find the net in the Premier League.
Live Ford Super Sunday
Two goals in two games for England could kick-start the 22-year-old's season - something Mauricio Pochettino will hope can push the rest of his side on as they have also failed to win so far, losing at Manchester United before drawing the last three in a row.
Team news
Fabio Borini is set to make his second Sunderland debut after rejoining the Black Cats from Liverpool during the transfer window, and he will be joined in Advocaat's squad by fellow new boy Ola Toivonen.
Jeremain Lens has shrugged off a recent knee problem to pronounce himself fit, but the hosts are without DeAndre Yedlin, who is ineligible to play against his parent club, and injured trio Adam Johnson, Adam Matthews and Jordi Gomez.
Son Heung-min is in line to make his Tottenham debut at the Stadium of Light. The South Korea forward has yet to feature for Spurs since his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen but scored a hat-trick for his country against Laos and looks set to make the XI.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino said the game could come too soon for fellow new recruit Clinton N'Jie while Christian Eriksen (knee) and Mousa Dembele (foot) are out.
Opta stats
Under Dick Advocaat, Sunderland have averaged 1.3 points in their six Premier League home games (W2 D2 L2), after managing 0.64 per game in the 11 home Premier League games before that under Gus Poyet (W1 D4 L6).
Tottenham have failed to score in half of their last eight Premier League away games and have netted just twice in their last four.
Sunderland are without a home victory in their last five Premier League meetings against Spurs, (D2 L3), conceding exactly two goals in four of those games.
Sunderland have now gone 10 Premier League games without a win against Tottenham (D3 L7), with their last top-flight win against the Lilywhite coming in April 2010 (3-1).
Tottenham have failed to win their first four games of a Premier League season for the first time since 2008/09.
Merson's predictions
Both Sunderland and Tottenham need to get going. Spurs are looking to at least have a go at trying to get into the top four this season.
Harry Kane is a top player, I really like him and he'll cause Sunderland all sorts of problems. His two goals for England will help his confidence, although I thought he'd played well in the opening four games of the season. I'm a big fan of his.
I'm going to go with Spurs here mainly because of Kane, I don't see how Sunderland are going to be able to live with him.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2 (Sky Bet odds 15/2)
Watch Sunderland v Tottenham on Super Sunday, live from 12.30pm on Sky Sports 1 HD. Watch the game for £6.99 with a NOW TV Sky Sports Day Pass. No contract.
