Brian Brobbey’s late hammer of a strike silenced Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and turned the noise right back on Thomas Frank. On Sunday (Jan. 4, 2026; 10 AM ET), Tottenham let a lead slip and drew 1-1 at home to Sunderland, a result that tightened the pressure on their head coach and sparked boos for the second straight match.

Ben Davies had put Spurs in front on the half hour, deflecting Micky van de Ven’s effort beyond visiting keeper Roefs. But a flat second-half display left the hosts vulnerable, and Brobbey punished them on 80 minutes with a fierce equalizer that felt both earned and inevitable given the momentum swing. Tottenham’s winless start to 2026 rolls on, and the table now tells a blunt story: 13th place and seven points shy of the top four.

Match report: Tottenham vs Sunderland in the Premier League

Tottenham made two changes from the goalless draw at Brentford, bringing in Davies and Mathys Tel for Djed Spence and Joao Palhinha. Even with rotation, Spurs tried to set an early tone. The breakthrough came on 30 minutes when van de Ven drove forward and saw his shot flick off Davies and into the net. It was a slice of fortune, but it should have given the home side a platform to push on.

Instead, the game drifted. Sunderland arrived unchanged from their 0-0 with Manchester City and grew in belief after the break. Spurs managed just one shot on target in the second half and lost control of key duels in midfield. The visitors stayed patient, pressed with purpose, and finally got their reward when Brobbey smashed in the leveller with 10 minutes to play.

“Is this really the front-foot football we were promised?”

Brobbey’s late equalizer changes the mood

Brobbey’s goal did more than make it 1-1. It flipped the mood in the stadium and underlined Sunderland’s growing resilience. This was their fourth draw in a row and a fifth straight league match unbeaten (W1 D4). They’re dealing with multiple Africa Cup of Nations absences, yet they remain organized and brave in big moments.

The equalizer framed the closing stretch. Tottenham pressed, and substitute Palhinha had a huge chance in stoppage time, but his header drifted wide. When the final whistle blew, the response was familiar: Spurs were booed off again, just as they were after Thursday’s stalemate. The scoreline was the same story told a different way — a lack of control and not enough punch after halftime.

Thomas Frank under pressure at Tottenham

Frank knows the numbers. Spurs have won just two of their last 11 Premier League games. The draw leaves them in 13th, and while the gap to the top four is only seven points, the trend line is the bigger concern. One shot on target after the break at home to an undermanned opponent will never calm nerves.

There are caveats. Tottenham’s injury list matters. James Maddison remains out with an ACL injury, while Yves Bissouma is also sidelined and others are missing or short of fitness. Lucas Bergvall was a doubt before this one. But even with absences, the plan has to look more coherent. Spurs created too little, too slowly, and too predictably. That’s the part that fans feel and react to.

“Two wins in eleven — how long before the board acts?”

Sunderland’s unbeaten run and Premier League table picture

For Sunderland, this is a platform. They’re now 8th on 30 points, and it’s not a fluke: four straight draws, including against Manchester City, plus the derby win over Newcastle earlier in the run. They’re finding a tough edge even while short-handed because of AFCON. This is their longest unbeaten spell in the top flight since 2016, and it shows a team buying into the plan and squeezing value out of every point.

Brobbey’s form is a big piece of that. He’s a willing runner and a clean finisher, and his composure in the box in the 80th minute was the moment the match was remembered for. Equally, the structure behind him matters: an unchanged XI that knows its jobs and keeps games close. That’s how you leave a big ground with something.

Tottenham’s attacking stutter and selection choices

Frank’s lineup shuffle made sense on paper. Davies offered balance at the back, and Tel provided fresh legs up front. But Spurs didn’t stitch enough passing moves together to pull Sunderland out of shape. Once the visitors settled, Tottenham seldom found space between the lines. The wing play lacked speed, and the final ball rarely asked tough questions.

Palhinha’s late header was as close as they came after the break. It was a reminder of what he gives in the air and at set pieces, but that alone can’t carry a home attack. Spurs need more runners beyond the ball and more bravery through midfield. Without that, they’re relying on moments, not patterns.

“Sunderland look drilled; Spurs look unsure.”

Key numbers from Tottenham vs Sunderland

• Scoreline: Tottenham 1-1 Sunderland
• Scorers: Ben Davies 30′; Brian Brobbey 80′
• Second-half shots on target for Spurs: 1
• Form: Spurs have won 2 of their last 11 league games; Sunderland are unbeaten in 5 (W1 D4)
• Table: Spurs 13th (7 off top four); Sunderland 8th (30 points)

What’s next

For Frank, the task is simple to say and hard to do: speed up the play, lift confidence, and turn home support from tense to loud. Getting injured leaders back will help, but the ideas need to shine even without them. The good news is the gap to the Champions League places isn’t huge. The bad news is form like this won’t close it.

Sunderland leave with belief. A clear plan and a steady spine are taking them far. If they can keep picking up points while short-handed, a serious push for Europe is not out of the question. On this evidence, they’ll be stubborn company for anyone.

In North London, though, the story was the same: a lead lost, a mood dipped, and a coach under the microscope. Tottenham need answers fast. The boos are getting louder.