Cisse only arrived on Thursday on a season-long loan from Marseille, but he wasted no time winning over the Sunderland fans as his late header secured the club's first victory of the season at White Hart Lane.
The France international is determined to be a major success in the Premier League following his frustrating three-year spell at Liverpool.
Tottenham fans must be fearing the worst already, following their second consecutive defeat and the impending departure of star forward Berbatov.
Berbatov was not even among the substitutes as Ramos revealed he was not in the right frame of mind and would have been a disruption in the dressing room.
The Bulgarian striker seems certain to leave the club in the next few days and Tottenham fans will be praying the club can bring in a couple of big name forwards to kick-start their season.
Tottenham started brightly and could have broken the deadlock after just ten minutes when summer signing David Bentley fired a 25-yard drive wide of the post.
Gareth Bale received a yellow card on 25 minutes after attempting to win a penalty for the home side following a challenge by Danny Collins. Referee Mike Dean adjudged the player to be diving inside the box.
Steed Malbranque had a major point to prove to Juande Ramos on his return to White Hart Lane and came the closest to breaking the deadlock for Sunderland on 38 minutes.
The French midfielder broke clear just outside the box and saw his 30-yard shot came back off the post. The rebound fell to El-Hadji Diouf who fired the ball over the bar.
Bale had a golden chance to put Tottenham into the lead on 48 minutes. Bentley's corner picked out the Welsh defender who had a free header inside the box, but he directed his close-range effort inches over the bar.
Tottenham keeper Heurelho Gomes was called into action for the first time on 53 minutes when Diouf's cross picked out Daryl Murphy, whose shot produced a fine save from the Brazlian keeper diving low to his left.
But Sunderland got their just rewards when they finally opened the scoring on 55 minutes.
Ledley King, back in the side after injury, failed to clear the danger. Richardson beat Jermaine Jenas to the ball before firing an unstoppable shot past Gomes into the corner of the net.
The home side should have drawn level on the hour mark. Craig Gordon failed to deal with an inswinging free-kick from Bentley. The rebound fell to Jonathan Woodgate who had an open goal, but he somehow fired the ball wide.
Bentley's shot on 70 minutes produced the save of the game from Gordon who superbly tipped the ball over the bar.
Tottenham fans finally had something to shout about when Jenas grabbed an equaliser on 72 minutes.
Luka Modric broke clear into the box and saw his low shot kept out by Gordon. The rebound fell kindly to Jenas, who made no mistake tapping the loose ball home.
But it was Cisse who stole all the headlines with the match-winner on 82 minutes.
Murphy's cross picked out Cisse, who got himself in between Bale and King and made no mistake heading the ball past Gomes into the corner of the net.