Full-time: Tottenham 2 Sunderland 1

JERMAIN Defoe couldn’t inspire Sunderland to victory on his debut as Christian Eriksen’s late strike earned Tottenham Hotspur a 2-1 win at White Hart Lane.

Jan Vertonghen put the hosts head in the third minute with a deflected shot, but Seb Larsson equalised for the Wearsiders from a superb curling free-kick.

The Black Cats perhaps did enough to deserve a point in north London, but with two minute left Eriksen swept home to give Mauricio Pochettino’s side the three points.

Poyet handed Defoe his debut at White Hart Lane, but before the striker even had a chance to demonstrate why the head coach was so keen to sign him, Sunderland were behind.

Santiago Vergini cleared a cross straight into the path of Vertonghen and the defender’s shot took a wicked deflection off John O’Shea and past Pantilimon.

It was the worst possible start for Sunderland and Defoe, who saw a penalty appeal rightly dismissed by referee Chris Foy soon after.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side should have built on their early advantage when Danny Rose’s cross fell to Christian Eriksen 18 yards out, but Pantilimon got down well to make the save.

The keeper was called into action moments later when a long ball over the top sent Roberto Soldado through, but the Romanian reacted quickly off his line to make the block.

A stinging Eriksen shot tested the Black Cats stopper once again as Sunderland attempted to get out their half.

A chance for the visitors did arrive in the 29th minute when Billy Jones sent a great ball across the area to Fletcher, but the striker miscued his shot and the ball trickled away from goal.

Defoe’s contribution in the opening half hour mainly consisted of the striker being flagged offside, but just after the half hour mark he drew in a foul from Vertonghen and won a free-kick in a dangerous area.

Up stepped Larsson and the Swede produced one of his trademark curling free-kicks to bring the Black Cats level from 25 yards.

The Fletcher/Defoe partnership showed promise as the half wore, but the former Toronto FC man wasted a chance from inside the area.

On the stroke of half time, Spurs went close to restoring their lead, but in form striker Harry Kane’s low shot crashed off the post.

Eriksen and Kane went close after the break for the hosts, but Sunderland’s back three stood firm in north London.

Pantilimon had to be alert to palm away Kane’s cross from the left, but from chance Sunderland broke forward and should have taken the lead.

Adam Johnson’s long-range effort was parried into the path of substitute Danny Graham by Hugo Lloris, but the striker’s weak follow-up was collected easily by the Frenchman.

It looked as though Sunderland would take a valuable point back to Wearside, but in the 89th minute Christian Eriksen swept a low shot in off the post from Andros Townsend’s pass.

There was still time for the Black Cats to score a stoppage time leveller, but Lloris made a great save to deny Graham from 12 yards out.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Walker, Vertonghen, Dier, Rose; Dembele (Townsend, 75), Stambouli; Chadli (Paulinho, 88), Kane, Eriksen; Soldado (Adebayor, 62).

Not used: Vorm, Naughton, Davies, Capoue.

SUNDERLAND (3-5-2): Pantilimon; Vergini, O’Shea, Brown; Jones (Buckley, 90), Larsson, Rodwell, Johnson, van Aanholt; Fletcher (Wickham, 65), Defoe (Graham, 75).

Not used: Mannone, Coates, Giaccherini, Gomez.