Tottenham and Everton finished the Premier League season with an entertaining and tension-free 2-2 draw, but everyone left north London feeling like a winner.
Midway through the second half, shortly before Theo Walcott cancelled out Eric Dier's third-minute opener, news of Manchester City's third goal at Brighton filtered through to the away end, and the celebrations could really begin.
"We're all having a party when Tottenham win the cup," sang the Everton fans, finally confident their city rivals Liverpool would not win a first league title in 29 years, and turning their attentions to the Reds' Champions League final against Spurs on June 1. The home end had long since been dreaming of Madrid and not even finishing below Chelsea, who secured third-place with a draw at Leicester, could tarnish the afternoon.
There was always a chance, of course, that the day could descend into a nightmare for one or both clubs, with Arsenal still hoping the unlikeliest turn of events would see them leapfrog Spurs' into fourth place. The Gunners, who were at Burnley, needed an eight-goal swing.
There were 60,000 supporters at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but most thoughts were firmly elsewhere, with Everton fans more focussed on the Amex Stadium and Anfield, and Spurs supporters basking in the sunshine, remembering Amsterdam and dreaming of Madrid.
By the time, Spurs made it 2-2 through Christian Eriksen's direct free-kick, it had become clear that neither doomsday scenario would come to pass and the last lingering tension dissipated. The biggest cheers of the afternoon were for Lucas Moura pre-match and when the announcer read out the scores from elsewhere after full-time.
Moura was one of six players to keep his place from the Johan Cruyff ArenA and his earliest touches were cheered raucously. The Brazilian's hat-trick at Ajax has made him an overnight icon, forever a part of Tottenham folklore.
Spurs, as everyone should know by now, rarely do things the easy way, however, and supporters need only think back to the 2015-16 season to remember a nightmare involving Arsenal on the final day.
But any lingering nerves were quelled immediately. On three minutes, Everton made a hash of Erik Lamela's corner and Dier, starting at centre-half for the first time since the final day of last season, thumped home from close range. "You're never going to believe us, we're going to Madrid," sang the South Stand.
With Moussa Sissoko and Lamela working frantically, Everton struggled to get a foothold in the match, although Michael Keane headed straight at Lloris from a free-kick, and Spurs had chances to extend their lead through two Dele Alli efforts before half-time.
The England midfielder was replaced by Victor Wanyama at the interval – surely only a precaution but nonetheless a reason for concern given what is ahead – and Everton improved after the interval, as Spurs began to feel the effects of Wednesday night.
With the Everton fans already bouncing at the news from the Amex, Walcott – the former Arsenal winger who was booed pre-match – stepped inside and fired low into the far corner. Within three minutes, they had the lead as Spurs took their turn at failing to deal with a corner and Cenk Tosun bundled over the line amid a sea of bodies.
Once again Spurs were quick to dispel any fears of a collapse, when Christian Eriksen swept a direct free-kick into the bottom corner from 22 yards after Lamela was fouled.
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Line-ups
Tottenham XI: Lloris, Walker-Peters, Dier, Alderweireld, Davies, Sissoko, Alli, Eriksen, Lamela, Lucas Moura, Llorente
Subs: Trippier, Janssen, Wanyama, Gazzaniga, Aurier, Marsh, Skipp
Everton XI: Pickford, Zouma, Keane, Mina, Digne, Walcott, Schneiderlin, Gueye, Bernard, Sigurdsson, Tosun
Subs: Baines, Jagielka, Andre Gomes, Stekelenburg, Davies, Lookman, Kenny
Referee: Andre Marriner
