De Zerbi loses in Tottenham debut, Manchester United's rival drops points

Tottenham fell to Sunderland 0-1 in De Zerbi's first game as coach, whereas Aston Villa was held to a 1-1 draw at Nottingham, and Crystal Palace beat Newcastle 2-1 in Premier League round 32.

The Premier League round 32 match between Sunderland and Tottenham was quite tight, yet notable incidents occurred at both ends of the pitch.

From the opening minutes, Tottenham pushed forward aggressively. In the 2nd minute, Lucas Bergvall had a chance inside the box but couldn't reach the ball after a slightly over-hit pass from his teammate.

Soon after, Pedro Porro fired a shot toward the goal but lacked power, posing little challenge for goalkeeper Robin Roefs. In the 5th minute, Richarlison burst into the box and struck a low shot, yet Roefs remained focused to make the save.

Sunderland responded with set-piece opportunities. In the 10th minute, Brian Brobbey received a pass inside the area but Tottenham's defender intervened timely.

At the 21st minute, a controversial turning point arose when referee Robert Jones initially awarded Tottenham a penalty after Omar Alderete's challenge. However, after VAR review, the decision was overturned, sparking fierce protests from the away players.

The final minutes of the first half were lively. In the 45+2 minute, Habib Diarra shot from close range after a free-kick, but Antonin Kinsky made an excellent save. Tottenham replied immediately when Dominic Solanke had a chance within 5.5 meters at 45+4, yet goalkeeper Roefs produced a miraculous reflex to keep the net clean. The first half ended without a goal.

Entering the second half, Tottenham continued to press. At 60 minutes, Richarlison broke through and fired a low shot, but Roefs once again denied the goal. Just a minute later, Sunderland unexpectedly scored. At 61 minutes, Nordi Mukiele launched a long-range shot, the ball lightly deflected off a defender, changing direction and leaving Kinsky helpless, putting the hosts ahead 1-0.

After conceding, Tottenham made multiple substitutions to boost their attack, but they struggled against Sunderland's disciplined defense. At 78 minutes, Brobbey had a one-on-one chance following Habib Diarra's through pass but couldn't beat keeper Kinsky. At 81 minutes, Christopher Rigg shot from a favorable position but was blocked by a Tottenham defender.

The final minutes became tense. At 88 minutes, Brobbey fell in the box after a collision with a Tottenham defender, and Sunderland players collectively demanded a penalty, but the referee refused. Tottenham pushed forward in the remaining time but couldn't create clear chances. Ultimately, Sunderland secured a narrow 1-0 victory after a dramatic match.

Also in Premier League round 32, Crystal Palace and Newcastle staged a thrilling chase, with the climax arriving during stoppage time.

The visitors started better and opened the scoring at 43 minutes when William Osula exploited a sharp pass, broke through one-on-one, and fired a cross-angle shot to beat goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

After the break, Crystal Palace increased pressure. They missed several opportunities before finding the equalizer at 80 minutes. From Tyrick Mitchell's precise cross, Jean-Philippe Mateta rushed in for a quick finish from close range, bringing the match back to level.

When the match seemed headed for a draw, a turning point occurred at 90+2 minutes. Sven Botman pulled an opponent's shirt inside the box, resulting in a penalty for Newcastle.

From the 11-meter spot, Mateta calmly shot into the right corner, sealing a 2-1 victory for Crystal Palace at 90+4 minutes. The final minutes were merely Newcastle's late efforts before the hosts preserved the score.

In another match, Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 with Aston Villa in a closely contested game. Aston Villa took the lead relatively early at 23 minutes when Murillo clumsily scored an own goal under pressure from the visitors.

After conceding, Nottingham pushed their formation higher and continuously created chances. Neco Williams was the standout player, repeatedly testing goalkeeper Marco Bizot before securing the equalizer at 38 minutes. Receiving a pass from Callum Hudson-Odoi near the edge of the box, Williams unleashed a dangerous dipping shot into the left corner, leveling the score 1-1.

The second half unfolded openly with numerous chances for both sides. Morgan Gibbs-White, Chris Wood for Nottingham, and John McGinn, Ollie Watkins for Aston Villa all had notable shots, but both goalkeepers performed solidly.

Late in the match, Aston Villa intensified pressure with shots from Maatsen and Cash, but goalkeeper Matz Sels made consecutive saves, helping Nottingham secure a point.