Sunderland striker Darren Bent missed a penalty on his return to White Hart Lane as Tottenham Hotspur secured victory through goals from Robbie Keane and Tom Huddlestone.
Bent had the chance to level for the visitors against the side he left last summer but Heurelho Gomes saved his spot-kick, a crucial moment in the Barclays Premier League match as Steve Bruce's men were gaining momentum.
Instead, Huddlestone grabbed his third of the season with an effort that crashed in off the crossbar, doubling the lead after Keane's early strike.
Bent caused his former side problems as early as the sixth minute when he carried the ball down the right flank and crossed between Jonathan Woodgate's legs - but Jordan Henderson stabbed wide when he met the ball following a late run into the penalty area.
Spurs, however, were ahead in the 12th minute with a goal that had Sunderland's defenders and bench appealing for an offside that never arrived, with replays suggesting Keane was just about level with the last man.
hanging cross
Benoit Assou-Ekotto's hanging cross from the left was guided into Keane's path by Peter Crouch, with the flag staying down as the Spurs captain met the ball with a volley. Craig Gordon saved that effort but the ball squirmed through the Sunderland goalkeeper and was tapped in by the Republic of Ireland international, his eighth goal of the season.
Sunderland had a couple of sighters on goal straight after the opener, firstly when Steed Malbranque tricked Vedran Corluka and laid on a chance that Kieran Richardson planted wide. Full-back Phil Bardsley was also off target with an effort from 30 yards.
There were two penalty shouts in quick succession 12 minutes before the interval. The first was when Gomes dived at the feet of Bent and looked to have got some glove on the ball as the Sunderland striker was sent sprawling. Defoe then thought he was fouled at the other end but was himself penalised.
Andy Reid, another former Spurs player in the Sunderland ranks, struck the post before the break with a 35-yard dipping drive that had Gomes beaten. The Brazilian goalkeeper then had to rush out to block Richardson's finish with his shins after Corluka's backpass sold him short.
crash home
Bent got his chance to level seven minutes after the break, although the penalty he earned looked dubious as he was going to ground before Gomes touched him.
Referee Kevin Friend only gave the Spurs stopper a yellow card when he was the last man, with Gomes parrying Bent's placed spot-kick, an effort that lacked conviction.
Shortly afterwards, Gomes saved twice more, both times from Malbranque, with the Frenchman's first drive requiring a readjustment after a deflection.
At the other end, Huddlestone had a powerful drive cleared off the line by Paulo da Silva, with Gordon taking a knock to his wrist in the build-up.
Gordon's injury saw him replaced by former Spurs goalkeeper Marton Fulop - but the first thing he had to do was pick Huddlestone's thunderbolt out of the net.
Niko Kranjcar's ball over the top was held up by Defoe and he laid the ball back for Huddlestone to crash home off the crossbar from the edge of the area.
Gomes pulled off another stunning save to deny Michael Turner before the end.
