Tottenham 1 Sunderland 2

Some people thought Djibril Cisse would never play again after breaking his leg for the second time two years ago.

He may have failed to stamp his goal-scoring style on Liverpool - but Roy Keane still had enough belief in the France international to sign him on loan for Sunderland last week.

No doubt Juande Ramos and his Tottenham team wish he'd never returned to English football from Marseille after Cisse yet again scored on an English debut - at White Hart Lane.

Black Cats boss Keane said: "I couldn't care less what Djibril did in the past.

"It's a good start. He only trained with us yesterday and he was always going to be on the bench. He gives us good options if things aren't going our way."

But the Black Cats' boss added: "We won't dance in the streets in Sunderland for beating Tottenham away from home, we'll have a cup of tea and sandwich as normal.

"We fancy our chances and we're happy with the progress we're making. The character of the players is there for everyone to see. We have that and you can criticise us in other areas but not character."

Sunderland took the lead through Kieran Richardson. Jermaine Jenas's equaliser simply drove the visitors forward in pursuit of a winner. But while Sunderland's international striker was desperate to get out on the field, Spurs were cursing the marksman they were missing, Dimitar Berbatov.

Spurs have gone to war with Berbatov and fined him two weeks' wages for claiming he was in no fit state to play against Sunderland.

Berbatov had incensed the club after he was pictured signing a Manchester United shirt in a Bulgarian airport and returned home determined to seal a move to the Premier League champions.

His attitude in training infuriated Ramos, who withdrew the player from his squad before the Sunderland visit.

And Ramos insisted the player had no power over the club as he prepared for an explosive showdown with him at the club's training ground this morning.

"I spoke to the player before the game and he said he wasn't in the right condition to play the game, so he didn't play," said Ramos.

"We will have to wait and see what happens in the next few days."

Ramos added: "There are certain players who are able to play in these circumstances and others whose head isn't right to play in a game. Berbatov is certainly in the latter case."