All the build up before the game had been about Darren Bent's return to his former club, and much of the talk after it will also surround the striker.
Bent left White Hart lane in somewhat acrimonious circumstances in the summer, and suffered an u
nhappy return as he missed a second-half penalty.
The spot-kick was the cause of some controversy with many feeling Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes should have seen red for bringing down Bent.
But it wasn't just an unhappy return for Bent, as four more members of the Black Cats squad, were also facing one of their former clubs - Steed Malbranque, Marton Fulop, Andy Reid and Fraizer Campbell (on loan).
Black Cats boss Steve Bruce had to reshuffle his pack before the game with Lorik Cana and Kenwyne Jones out through suspension - the Sunderland boss opting for a 4-5-1 formation.
Despite the changes the Wearsiders started fairly brightly and posed a real attacking threat for much of the encounter.
However, they were unable find the breakthrough they sought due to some excellent goalkeeping from Gomes and the intervention of the woodwork.
The talking point will be whether or not those saves would have been made if Gomes had been dismissed.
However, Sunderland must still ask questions about whether they should have done better with their finishing.
The Black Cats took the game to the Londoners early on, but it was the hosts who drew first blood.
Spurs broke on the counter-attack Benoit Assou-Ekotto crossed for Sunderland summer target Peter Crouch, he nodded on and Robbie Keane snatched a goal.
There was a suggestion of offside about Spurs's 11th-minute opener, but referee Kevin Friend and the linesman remained unmoved despite the protests of Bruce and his assistant Eric Black.
Sunderland went close on 37 minutes, as Andy Reid's dipping shot from 25 yards hit the inside of post before bouncing back into play and being cleared.
Moments later Kieran Richardson went through on goal and collided with Heurelho Gomes in the Spurs goal. Claims for a penalty were waved away.
And Spurs were also denied a spot-kick later in the half as Jermain Defoe went down in the area.
However, Friend wasn't as dismissive on 52 minutes as Gomes felled former team-mate Darren Bent.
The keeper had clearly denied the Sunderland striker a goal-scoring opportunity, and by the letter of the law should have received his marching orders, but was instead shown a yellow card.
It proved to be a real turning point as Bent, jeered by the home fans, saw his penalty saved by Gomes.
The Brazillian stopper then pulled off two good saves to deny Malbranque.
Spurs weren't without chances of their own with Crouch and Defoe going close only to be denied by the Black Cats keeper Craig Gordon.
The Scot was extremely brave to deny Defoe and was injured in the process, the striker catching him in the face.
The £9m man had to be replaced by Marton Fulop (another ex-Spurs man) and the Hungarian's first action was to pick the ball out of the net after a thunderous Tom Huddlestone effort bounced over the line after crashing down off the crossbar.
Spurs were now looking to hit Sunderland more and more on the counter-attack with Niko Krancjar and Crouch both going close to extending their lead.
Sunderland continued to press, but with time running out they seemed to run out of ideas and it Harry Rednkapp's Spurs who emerged victorious.
