If and when Sunderland limp into the Championship at the end of the season they will look back at the games in which they shot themselves in the foot — no fewer than five times!

That is now the total of own goals the Black Cats have conceded — and all of them in the two months since Gus Poyet took over as manager.

A team with the worst defensive record in the Barclays Premier League can ill-afford to be so generous… festive season or not. They are well capable of caving in to opposition marksmanship — let alone giving them a friendly helping hand.

Two by Phil Bardsley and one each from Carlos Cuellar and Steven Fletcher made up the red-faced gallery before this game.

But if John O’Shea joined the motley crew, circumstances of his misdemeanour summed up their misery after a defeat which leaves them stranded by two points at the foot of the table.

Five minutes after the interval, the Irish international centre-back saw an innocuous Mousa Dembele cross deflect off his left heel and wrong-foot goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

The earlier successes of Crystal Palace, Norwich and Stoke raised Sunderland’s victory bar considerably against Londoners who had not lost against the Black Cats in six Premier League matches.

After a featureless opening 10 minutes, Paulinho quickened the Spurs pulse with a swerving 30-yarder that skimmed the bar.

Fletcher first-timed a shot wide; Lewis Holtby forced Mannone into a flying save to push his effort around for a corner and then, following a neat three-man Sunderland build-up, Jack Colback fired over the top.

But the balance of power always tilted in Spurs’ favour and it was fortunate for Sunderland that a Bardsley block in the 34th minute still left Jermain Defoe chasing a double target — his first League goal of the season and first for Spurs against the Wearsiders.

Bardsley, who scored at both ends against Chelsea in midweek, again came to his team’s rescue two minutes later when he got in the way of a Holtby strike. But just when Spurs looked set to make their pressure tell, Sunderland grabbed a fortuitous lead. Jozy Altidore picked up Ondrej Celustka on the right with a piercing 25-yard pass, Hugo Lloris flapped a puny hand at the Czech’s cross and Adam Johnson needed no persuasion to bury the loose ball from just inside the penalty area.

Spurs were level, though, two minutes before the break with Paulinho punishing slack marking from a set-piece. Michael Dawson slung over a free-kick from way out on the right, Nacer Chadli headed the ball back into the middle and the Brazilian reacted quickest, darting in between O’Shea and Bardsley to stab low into the net.

The second half was only five minutes old when the own-goal hoodoo struck again in circumstances which would be almost laughable were they not so serious.

Dembele pushed in from the left and his low cross was deflected off the back of O’Shea’s left heel, wrong-footing Mannone at his near post.

Spurs’ confidence reached a higher level as the home side mourned their atrocious fortune and in the 57th minute, Defoe headed an Aaron Lennon cross against a post with the home defence again all at sea.

Defoe missed another great chance in the 66th minute when he ran on to a terrific through ball from Holtby, went clear but dragged the chance wide with only Mannone to beat.

Spurs brought on Andros Townsend, whose very first cross was diverted against the near post by Defoe.

—Daily Mail