Tottenham v Sunderland: Tales of White Hart pain '“ and joy '“ for the Black Cats

Spurs, sitting fourth in the table despite the midweek loss at home to Leicester, will be a far harder proposition for Sam Allardyce’s Red and Whites, though, especially given their White Hart Lane record against Sunderland.

Since the Black Cats won promotion, they have managed just one win in eight visits to Tottenham, and have lost on each of the last four games. Here we look back at Sunderland’s eight most recent appearances at the Lane.

2014/15: Spurs 2 SAFC 1

Sunderland suffered a heartbreaking, late defeat to extend their run without a league win to five. Defender Jan Vertonghen’s deflected effort gave Spurs a third-minute lead, but Sebastian Larsson equalised with a tremendous free-kick before the break. Jermain Defoe failed to maintain his record of scoring on his debut for every club, and Spurs capitalised to snatch victory with a late Christian Eriksen strike from an Andros Townsend pass.

2013/14: Spurs 5 SAFC 1

The night Sunderland looked doomed and provoked boss Gus Poyet to seek a miracle for Premier League survival. Yet it started promisingly when Lee Cattermole’s rare goal, pouncing after a shocking pass from keeper Hugo Lloris to defender Younes Kaboul. Emmanuel Adebayor levelled, then Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen made it 3-1. Adebayor, with his second goal, and Gylfi Sigurdsson weighed in to complete the rout.

2012/13: Spurs 1 SAFC 0

Defiant Sunderland battled gamely, surviving a couple of strong shouts for a penalty, to thwart a Spurs side chasing fourth place, and a Champions League slot, on the final day of the season. Gareth Bale finally made the difference in the final minute with a cracking, long-range strike past Simon Mignolet to shatter the visitors’ resistance. David Vaughan was sent off 15 minutes from time, while Sunderland gave debuts to subs Billy Knott and Adam Mitchell late on. Arsenal’s win at Newcastle meant Spurs missed out on fourth place.

2011/12: Spurs 1 SAFC 0

Martin O’Neill’s second match in charge of Sunderland brought the Black Cats down to earth, following the late euphoria of the previous week’s come-from-behind success against Blackburn. Seb Larsson and David Vaughan went closest for Sunderland, but Spurs were the stronger side and, despite a glaring miss by Luka Modric, they won it thanks to Roman Pavlyuchenko’s winner, from a Rafael van der Vaart pass on 61 minutes.

2010/11: Spurs 1 SAFC 1

Seventh-placed Sunderland secured a fourth away draw of the season in a close-fought midweek battle at White Hart Lane. Dumped 5-1 at Newcastle in their previous away game, the Black Cats were solid throughout and deserved their draw, despite falling behind when Rafael van der Vaart finished brilliantly after Peter Crouch nodded Gareth Bale’s centre back across goal. Record signing Asamoah Gyan levelled after Younes Kabul and William Gallas both failed to deal with an innocuous ball into the box by Danny Welbeck.

2009/10: Spurs 2 SAFC 0

Darren Bent missed a penalty on his return to White Hart Lane as Sunderland failed to capitalise on their dominance of proceedings and dropped to eighth place in the Premier League. Heurelho Gomes was forced to make a string of saves to keep Spurs in the game, while Andy Reid drove a brilliant, long-range, volleyed effort against the post. Bent wasted his penalty, after being fouled by the keeper, with Gomes diving to make an easy save. Robbie Keane bagged a close-range opener for Spurs, from Peter Croucb’s nod down, and Tom Huddlestone added a fine second from 20 yards. Days later, Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon hit out at Jermain Defoe’s challenge which broke his arm in the game.

2008/09: Spurs 1 SAFC 2

Debutant Djibril Cisse came off the bench to bag a dramatic winner seven minutes from time on the second day of the season. Steed Malbranque blasted a 25-yarder against the post Kieran Richardson drove home Sunderand’s 55th-minute opener from the same range. Spurs’ Jermaine Jenas levelled on the rebound after Luka Modric had two shots blocked, but Cisse had the last word, rising brilliantly in the air to head Daryl Murphy’s cross past Gomes.

2007/08: Spurs 2 SAFC 0

Spurs avenged their opening-day Stadium of Light defeat with a deserved 2-0 victory in the White Hart Lane return. Aaron Lennon made the breakthrough after just two minutes, finishing off a Jamie O’Hara cross, and Robbie Keane made the game safe for the Londoners two minutes from time, netting his 100th Tottenham goal, running onto Radek Cerny’s long ball and firing under Craig Gordon, whose goalkeeping heroics had kept the hosts at bay when their dominance went unrewarded. Liam Miller and Kenwyne Jones both had good chances for Sunderland when it was still 1-0.

Follow our matchday blog. The build-up starts from 11am and we’ll run through to 5pm for all the action and reaction, plus the rest of the day’s action.