Sunderland's abysmal season leaves them as distinct underdogs when Mauricio Pochettino's often irresistible Tottenham Hotspur visit the Stadium of Light on Tuesday intent on keeping alive their slim Premier League title hopes.
To snatch an improbable win, manager David Moyes' bottom-of-the-table side would need to raise their game to exceptional levels barely even hinted at, let alone seen, in their 22 league games played so far this term.
The problems confronting Moyes have grown significantly worse ever since the latest defeat on Jan. 21, when West Bromwich Albion tormented in Sunderland's ragged defence in a comfortable 2-0 win in which goalkeeper Ben Foster remained untested all match.