The reports are in, which means that’s all from me. Thanks for your company and comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all – and for bearing with me technical issues. Do join Rob for Chelsea v Man City, and Scott for the final round of the Masters, but otherwise, peace out.

On which point, there’s only a goal of goal difference between the sides, Spurs on -11 against Forest’s -12. Things could get even tighter than they are now, and it’s also worth noting Vitor Pereira’s men are, until Thursday night at least, still in Europe.

Scanning those, I think West Ham will be OK – they can win a couple of those games, at least. Forest, meantime, must beat Burnley at the weekend and, if they do, will have a great chance – especially as Brighton have four wins and a draw in their last five. I can see Spurs beating Leeds and Everton, if I squint hard, but should Forest win next weekend they’ll probably need one more victory, and I’d not back them away against anyone.

Nottingham Forest: Burnley (h), Sunderland (a), Chelsea (a), Newcastle (h), Man United (a).

West Ham United: Palace (a), Everton (h), Brentford (a), Arsenal (h), Newcastle (a), Leeds (h).

Tottenham Hotspur: Brighton (h), Wolves (a), Villa (a), Leeds (h), Chelsea (a), Everton (h).

Spurs are deep in the brown, ill-smelling stuff; I’d say that, for the first time, them going down looks the likeliest outcome. Let’s have a look at the games to come…

Also going on:

The Premier League table

We’re over time now, and it’s nearly 14 league games without a win for Spurs, who are subsiding to relegatioin.

Sunderland give it away and Spurs cross from the right, but to no one; with a minute left, Sunderland are almost there, and when Porro crosses seconds later, the flag goes up.

“Any Spurs manager who doesn’t start Xavi Simons is setting themselves up to fail,” says Joshua Keeling. “He is their one high-class creative talent, in a team that consistently struggles to make chances.”

Broadly, I’d agree with that. Their best moments, such that there’ve been any of late, seem to come through him. We said at the start we couldn’t see how they’d conjure scoring opportunities, and they’ve struggled to so to throughout this game.

Sunderland clear the corner, but they’re pinned back niw, looking to see out the 1-0.

Spurs win a free-kick near the by-line and Porro teases it in, but Roefs is there to catch … except he bungles the effort, doing well to see the ball go over the bar for a corner.

We’re playing the second of four additional minutes at City Ground; at Sunderland, it’s the first of 11.

“My stance,” says Zach Neeley of Brobbey’s push, “is that if you engage in a bit of the dark arts and it ends up injuring the other player (see Sergio Ramos on Salah in the Champions League final) that’s on you, the fact that you ‘didn’t mean to hurt anyone’ is valid but the injury is still your fault.”

In law, they call this the thin skull rule; I guess I tend to listen to the pros in these situations, as they understand them better than I do and, for what its worth, Don Goodman didn’t see much amiss. Football is a contact sport, the whereabouts of the lines are unclear, and if there’s no wild action or malign intent, which there wasn’t, I’d have a hard time blaming the player.

Villa have been the better team in Nottingham, especially in the second half, and when Tielemans collects a cross, he opts not to have a swift swat with his left foot, instead seeking a better opportunity only for the ball to run away from him. But they soon fashion a further shooting opportunity, Cash’s effort tipped behind, and the corner causes minor panic before the ball bounces kindly for Sels, who collects.

Here come Sunderland again, Van de Ven blocking from Rigg after a swift interchange; he’s then replaced by Talbi, with Hume coming on for Mukiele.

A second Sunderland goal now looks more likely than a Spurs equaliser. Next for De Zerbi’s men: Brighton (h).

Triple change for Villa, Luiz, Maatsen ad Buendia replacing Barkley, Rogers and Digne. And almost immediately, Buendia chops a pass that zips into Watkins’ path, perhaps fortuitously, the eventuating shot flying over the bar.

Sunderland counter and, when Diarra marauds through the inside-left channel and squares for Brobbey, Udogie does really well to lever him out of the road, preventing a potentially match-clinching goal in the process.

“That push from Brobbey probably wasn’t a booking,” emails Richard Coopey, “but he knew exactly what he was doing and that was a snide, nasty bit of play.”

Harsh, I think – it was a shove looking to con the ref, but I don’t think he thought anyone would get hurt.

“After the deflected goal De Zerbi had a look that said: ‘So this is what it’s like to manage Spurs’,” reckons Kári Tulinius. “I can sort of see the bones of what he’s trying to get Tottenham to do, stretching the game, creating space and attacking at speed, but the players are still having to think before doing. There just isn’t much time to graft the muscles onto that skeleton.”

Yup, it’s a tricky one. At this point, the ideal is probably a vibes manager, not a systems manager, but the board probably think De Zerbi can do the job permanently, so have gone for him on that basis, hoping to stay up and assuming, if they don’t, that under him, there’s a better than decent chance they come straight back up again.

Oh man, Romero won’t be able to continue and he’s leaving the pitch, tears in his eyes. It didn’t look a bad injury – a dead-leg type thing – but he wants to be on the pitch, and now he isn’t, replaced by Danso.

The great Rob Smyth is under way with Chelsea v Man City…

Vila are on the attack in Nottingham, Sels shoving out a cross that falls nicely into the path of Rogers … who sends his shot screeching over the bar.

Gosh, Brobbey chases down as Romero seeks to shepherd back to Kinsky, there’s a little shove from the striker and a collision follows, Romero running through the keeper’s head. De Zerbi wants a second yellow for Brobbey but the ref isn’t showing one, and there’s a lengthy pause while treatment is administered to both Spurs players.

De Zerbi was preparing a triple change, which he makes after the goal: Tel, Sarr and Palhinha replace Gray, Bergvall and Richarlison.

As they did in the first half, Spurs find Richarlison pulling left, and again, his finish is tame, passed straight at Roefs. De Zerbi needs to do something, I think, because he team look impotent, whereas Sunderland are more menacing.

We might have a new entry into my Players I’d Struggle Most to Have XI: Brian Brobbey is pushing to join Antonio Rudiger in the team.

It’s been a slow start to the second half at Sunderland, neither side threatening. I wonder if De Zerbi might gamble and try Simons, because his side has a serious lack of guile, invention and quality.

Watkins goes for the line and Williams slides in to block; there’s no contact but both hurt themselves and after a pause, both seem fine to continue.

Tielemans is caught trying to play out and Jesus moves through the centre, opting to shoot from the edge when he might’ve continued, wafting over the top. Villa will know they’ve got away with one.

“Not news, but Villa are soooooo much better with Tielemans in that midfield unit,” reckons Benjamin Gravestock. “Makes all the players round him better, too.

Villa got sucker-punched, properly, there - Forest were showing nothing very much at the time. Bizot is a solid enough ‘keeper but if Martinez is going to physically deteriorate - this recurring back issue seems to be more recurring - I’m not sure he’s ever going to regain the heights he once hit and Bizot hasn’t shown enough to convince me he has the chops to be the no. 1.

Was heartened to see a link with James Trafford in the summer and think he would have a good chance of being the main guy next season but my football supporting friends think he’ll stay because Pep sees him as ‘the future’. Given Donnarumma seems to have quite a lot of future available to him, I think Trafford/Villa would be an excellent match.

Am hopeful we can kick on in the second half; Villa need to build a run after the extended disappearance in the Ber-tieleginnmar-a Triangle (sorry).”

Yup, agree on Bizot, and Donnarumma isn’t going anywhere, I shouldn’t think – at 27, he could easily play another decade at similar level. Trafford is too good to wait around, too, so I’b be surprised id he’s not on the move again this summer.

Forest finished the first half strongly and they’ve started the second well too, Hudson-Odoi curling a cross to the far post and Igor Jesus is up … but, under pressure, he heads down and wide of the near post.

We go again…

Righto, I’m going to restart my computer in the hope it improves matters – currently, I’m watching Sunderland on my laptop and Forest on my phone, with no game permitted by my main screen.

Udogie crosses low from the left and someone, O’Nien I think, slides to intercept but leaves the ball there for Solanke – this is a chance – but the finish is a little rushed, sidefooted hard and allowing Roefs to block when a dink probably means 1-0.

We’re into added time and, when Sunderland put a ball into the box from a free-kick and the flick-on lands in Brobbey’s path, Kinsky is out quickly and well to block the punched shot, Mukiele lashing the follow-up into Gallagher’s body.

And here it comes, Osula sliding in pursuing a low cross from Miley, looking like he might score with his buttocks before adjusting legs, cramp football-style and, from a seated position, flicking in. It loos simple, but it’s excellent improvisation.

“Strange world Daniel,” writes Stephen O’Sullivan. “I’m actually watching Palace v Toon clear as a bell here in Kuala Lumpur. Palace a whisker away from the lead.”

Isn’t it just. I fear my new internet connection, much better and faster than the one it replaced, so they told me, is in fact not so.

…then smashes it over the top.

…he takes his time preparing himself too…

I bet Xhaka fancies this…

It’s a really tight game at the Stadium of Light but Sunderland look likelier, Brobbey’s physicality and nous causing Spurs’ centre-backs a problem. And, as I type, he tempts Van de Ven into a foul, converted into a yellow card by the dissent which follows, and his team now have a free-kick on the edge of the box, well right of centre.

More importantly, why doesn’t Brobbey have a song to this?

Brobbey struggles for the ball with Porro, eventually introducing elbow to coupon. So Porro goes down, as one might – now that you ask, obviously I’d have brushed it off myself – and the ref shows a yellow card. That’s the right call, just about; I can’t pretend I’m not suspicious as to Brobbey’s intentions, but it was more of a jab than a swing, so there’s just enough ambiguity to keep it 11 v 11.

Sunderland win a throw, hurled in by O’Nien, and when the ball is only half-cleared, it drops on to Xhaka’s laces, on the edge of the box, right of centre … and he connects beautifully, his shot zipping fractionally wide.

I’d not be surprised to see Chris Wood come on for Forest at half-time – currently, they lack a box presence, constantly moving the ball but with no one to aim at or play off.

At Selhurst, it’s still Palace 0-0 Newcastle, but aggravatingly, I’m not currently allowed to watch the game. Hopefully, a half-time turn-off-and-on sorts things.

Here come Villa again, again feeding a pass into Rogers, who turns around the corner and into the path of Watkins, through the middle. The first touch is heavy but works nicely, inciting Sels to come out … only for the finish to bobble just past the post.

Sunderland are coming. Again, Le Fee provides the impetus, picking his way to the by-line before standing up a cross … that Brobbey heads over the top. I’d like another look at it, not currently possible because my SkyGo has again forsaken me, but on first look, that seemed a very bad miss.

Sunderland lock-on as Spurs play out and just when it looks like they’ve got them, Brobbey fouls Romero unnecessarily. Regis Le Bris won’t be chuffed with that ill discipline because, prior to it, his players were doing exactly what he wants them to. But, as I type, Le Fee feeds a pass into the box where, with typical measure, Romero seeks to backheel a clearance, instead megging himself; he’ll be relieved to see the ball run away from Brobbey.

Villa are playing nicely at Forest, moving the ball quickly and dominating possession. This feels a lot like a first-goal match.

OK, we’re back with pictures from Sunderland – fuzzy ones, but nevertheless.

At Falkirk, by the way, Rangers won 6-3, so now trail Hearts by a point.

The corner comes to nothing and I’ve now lost coverage at Sunderland, apologies.

At Forest, Anderson carries forwards and finds Hudson-Odoi, who sets back to Williams on the edge; the shot looks to be going wide of the near post, but Bizot decides he can’t chance it, tipping around the post … and the corner eventually yields another.

Kolo Muani carries forward, moving from in to out before finding Richarlison, who opts to take on the shot first time, seeking to curl low from the edge, left of centre, only to shoot straight at Roefs.

Nice from Villa around the edge of the box, short passes creating a shooting opportunity for McGinn, who digs out an effort from the edge, curling low and just wide of the far post.

My SkyGo is currently misbehaving, so I’ve not got pictures from Palace, but rest assured I’m working on it.

Sours are knocking the ball about from keeper to defender, on which point this is a huge day for Kinsky, who suffered so miserably in Spain. But in the meantime, Solanke hits the by-line, narrowly missing Bergvall with his cut-back, then Porro leathers wide.

…and everywhere else.

We’re away at the City Ground…

Out come our various teams at our various grounds.

It’s absolutely hosing down in Nottingham, where there’s a late change to the Villa XI: Emi Martinez has hurt himself in the warm-up, so Marco Bozxit comes in.

“Why isn’t Xavi Simons starting for Spurs?” wonders Mike Nagle. “He’s their most creative midfielder. Why also leave out Palhinha, the most experienced defensive midfielder? It’s baffling. I hope the manager knows what he’s doing.”

I think the answer is as we discuss below: against Sunderland, De Zerbi wants legs and physicality, with Simon likely to come on once things slow down. I’d have played him myself, perhaps instead of Kolo Muani, because, as you say, he has the class their starting XI lacks, but Palhinha is probably a bit one-dimensional and immobile for what the manager wants.

Forest v Villa promises to be an absolute banger. I keep saying this in blogs of this ilk, but I struggle to believe a team with a midfield of Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White can possibly go down. The problem they have today is Villa are really strong in that area – Onana and Tielemans will be in front of the back four, but McGinn, Barkley and Rogers and all drop in.

For that reason, I wonder if Forest’s likeliest route to goal is a set-piece, but I also fancy them down the flanks, where Aina and Williams, backing up Hutchinson and Hudson-Odoi, have a really good chance of mithering Cash and Digne.

So how do Spurs beat Sunderland? Well, that midfield offers a big clue: they must match their hosts for endeavour, running hard but also running smart. Otherwise, they’ve got to serve Solanke with crosses and cut-backs, while he must hit the front post and look for one-touch finishes. Otherwise, I quite like Richarlison in the air and, as Everton fans can testify, few are as adept as he at allaying relegation fears.

And there looks to be a more solid look about the side he’s sent out, with players in their natural positions. In particular, I like the legs in midfield, though I’m still concerned about where the goals might come from – none of the front three can reliably create for themselves, and there’s a lack of wingers and invention around and behind them.

All that said, I’m really looking forward to seeing how Spurs look, having had a couple of weeks to absorb new instructions. I very much doubt De Zerbi leaves things alone for fear of confusing them – I’d expect his instructions to be the pro forma, from now.

Email! “I know little to nothing about football tactics,” writes Niall Mullen, “but I think I can solve your ‘bait the press’ blues and maybe, in the process, become the greatest coach ever. My idea is that a player passes to another player, and then, using their athletic ability and spatial awareness, they run into a position beyond their teammate, who, using their skill, passes the ball back to them. This will take the opposing player out of action and get the ball rapidly up the field. I call this move the to-me-to-you aka the Chuckle Brothers’ triangle.”

That sounds far too basic.

Finally to Sunderland, where Robin Roefs is back in net, so Melker Ellborg drops out; otherwise, Nordi Mukiele, Reinildo and Enzo Le Fee replace Lutsharel Geetruida, Trai Hume and Chemsidine Talbi.

Otherwise, De Zerbi uses Antonin Kinsky in goal, with Guglielmo Vicario still out, while in front of him, Djed Spence and Kevin Danso are replaced by Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro, whose spot in midfield goes to Conor Gallagher; in midfield, Lucas Bergvall and Randal Kolo Muani replace Pape Matar Sarr and Mathys Tel.

At the City Ground, Vitor Pereiera picks the same side that beat Spurs last time out in the league; Elliot Anderson, suspended in Europe, returns to the starting XI, while Chris Wood, who started in midweek after missing most of the season, is on the bench.

As for Villa, Youri Tielemans starts in the league for the first time since the end of January – he played the full 90 in midweek – while Ezri Konsa is rested, Victor Lindelof coming in, and Ross Barkley taking the place of Emi Buendia.

Oliver Glasner makes five changes to the side which won so well against Fiorentina, and understandably so, with the return coming up in midweek. Out go Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Evann Guessand Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr; in come Jefferson Lerma, Will Hughes, Brennan Johnson, Yeremy Pino and Jorgen Strand-Larsen.

And Eddie Howe also makes changes, but his are more punitive than precautionary. Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Harvey Barnes, Anthony Elanga, Nick Woltemade and Jacob Ramsey are benched, with Sandro Tonali, Lewis Miley. Malick Thiaw, Will Osula, Tino Livramento and Jacob Murphy promoted.

But before we do, news from Scotland: after Celtic and Hearts won yesterday, Rangers were in trouble, trailing Falkirt 2-0 after 26 minutes. But they’ve since hit a seam, scoring four times between 42 and 58, and now look certain to close the gap at the top.

Right, let’s dig into those teams…