By SCM Correspondent in North London
THOMAS FRANK was left staring at a familiar nightmare as TOTTENHAM were booed off after failing to kill off a resilient SUNDERLAND in a 1-1 north London stalemate.
On a day when the spotlight was fixed on the superstars, it was the Black Cats’ heavy hitter BRIAN BROBBEY who stole the show, rifling an 80th-minute rocket into the top corner to silence the Spurs faithful.
The Dutch dynamo’s strike was a dagger to the heart of a Tottenham side that had dominated for long spells but lacked the clinical edge to put the game to bed.
Spurs had looked set for a happy New Year when veteran defender BEN DAVIES, making a rare start, popped up in the 30th minute to divert MICKY VAN DE VEN’s goal-bound effort past Davy Roefs.
The stadium erupted, sensing a turning point in what has been a stuttering campaign under Frank.
But the afternoon turned sour before the break when superstar winger MOHAMMED KUDUS hobbled off with a worrying leg injury.
His departure seemed to suck the life out of the hosts, leaving RICHARLISON to lead a lonely charge up front.
The Brazilian worked tirelessly but found himself shackled by a Sunderland defense marshalled by the imperious NORDI MUKIELE.
As the clock ticked down, the Black Cats—led by the midfield mastery of GRANIT XHAKA and the creative spark of ENZO LE FÉE—began to purr. Le Fée, who had already rattled the woodwork with a header, finally unlocked the door with a slick one-two that allowed Brobbey to peel off CRISTIAN ROMERO and unleash his thunderbolt.
Frank threw on JOAO PALHINHA and teenage sensation LUCAS BERGVALL in a desperate late gamble, but the damage was done.
Palhinha saw a stoppage-time header sail agonizingly wide, leaving Spurs stuck in 13th place and facing a chorus of jeers at the final whistle.
For Sunderland, the party continues as they remain firmly in the European hunt.
For Tottenham, the “Frankie era” is starting to feel like a very long winter.
