Tottenham fans have known it for weeks but now it’s official: Spurs will not be competing in the Champions League next season.
Defeat at Villa Park means the club, who have occupied a Champions League spot for the majority of the campaign, will finish a chaotic season outside the top four for the third time in four seasons.
They were 14 points ahead of Aston Villa as recently as 11 March. Now Spurs and Villa are locked on 57 points with two games left.
Once again Tottenham, who can finish no higher than fifth, were guilty of giving their opponents a head start.
Across their last five games in the Premier League, Spurs have conceded seven goals in the opening 10 minutes: 1:01, 5:11 and 8:12 v Newcastle, 6:13 v Manchester United, 2:48 and 4:53 v Liverpool, and 7:26 v Villa.
They’ve conceded 59 in the Premier League, including 37 in 18 away from home.
“It’s happened far too many times,” said interim boss Ryan Mason about conceding early. “If we want to be a big team, challenging at the top of the table, that can’t happen.
“We wanted to win today but it’s still in our hands and we need to win the next two games. Hopefully we can do that.”
(BBC Sport)
