David Hytner was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and here’s his report. Congratulations to Tottenham Hotspur, commiserations to West Ham, and thank you, dear reader, for sticking with this MBM. Remember, everyone: there’s always next year.
David Moyes talks to the BBC: “I didn’t think it was a great performance from us … we need more players … I’m really sad for [former club West Ham] because there are a lot of great people who work behind the scenes there … we weren’t sure if it was Nottingham Forest, West Ham or Tottenham … I thought all three were too strong to go down … having longevity and being a one-club man is very rare and [Seamus Coleman] deserves a lot of credit.”
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Roberto De Zerbi talks to Sky: “I’m lucky because we have a lot of big players … under big pressure they played fantastic … maybe it was the best performance in my time here … next season we have to build a top, top, top team … we don’t have to change too many players … but we have to bring in some first-level players.”
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It wasn’t the way Seamus Coleman would have wanted to bow out. A row in the dugout with Vicario, followed by a six-minutes-plus-stoppages run-out when the jig was effectively up. But who’ll remember that, as opposed to the other 434 appearances he made for the club? The departing club captain, who has served Everton so well for the past 17 years, taps the badge on his chest and blows a kiss to the travelling Evertonians. He’ll be missed, and remembered fondly.
Spurs captain Micky van de Ven speaks to the BBC. “It’s unacceptable that the last game we played this season, we play for relegation … this club has some unbeilvable players so it was embarrassing to let it come to the final day … but we did it and that is what is important.”
Amid the relief at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, there’s also plenty of residual anger. After such a close shave, fans will be expecting a root-and-branch post-mortem during the summer, followed by plenty of positive action. Here’s their first demand.
A disappointed James Tarkowski talks to Sky Sports: “I didn’t think we played very well and it probably took us 75 minutes to get going … it has been a disappointing end to the season and we’ve drifted down the table … we’ve ended the season on a bit of a low … it’s probably just a sign of where we are at as a team … we knew we weren’t the finished article … I am proud but the way it has ended is disappointing … we were in an exciting position five or six weeks ago so it hurts and feels a bit rubbish … but on reflection in a few weeks time we’ll probably say it wasn’t a bad season … we’ve got to progress and improve next season.”
Tottenham’s goalscoring hero Joao Palhinha speaks to Sky Sports. “It’s an amazing feeling … after a really tough season in every single way … we showed today with all the crowd … I never seen anything like that to be honest … after a bad season … to have this environment and support … the club will grow up with this season … we know what we have to do in the future … we have to celebrate … our supporters deserve this.”
Tottenham Hotspur were in serious trouble of going down for the first time since 1977. Roberto De Zerbi arrived just in time on his white horse to save the day: Spurs, once told what’s what, took 11 of the final 18 points available (and would have had four more were it not for strange and unaccountable defensive errors against Brighton and Leeds). So a brighter future stretches out ahead … certainly brighter than it looked during that Igor Turor interregnum, which seems positively psychedelic now. Some big decisions required going forward, though, because once the sugar-rush of survival subsides, two 17th-place finishes is nowhere near good enough for a club of Tottenham’s standing. Work to be done. Though it’s better starting the latest rebuild in the Premier League than the Championship, huh.
As for Everton, they finish in 13th spot. Given their recent scrapes with relegation, that’s not the worst outcome. But there had been hope of European football, a dream that slipped away with four defeats in the last six games. While Spurs grabbed an 11-point haul from the last 18 on offer, Everton bagged just two. David Moyes with a few puzzles to solve, if he gets the chance.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 38 | 44 | 85 |
| 2 | Man City | 38 | 42 | 78 |
| 3 | Man Utd | 38 | 19 | 71 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 38 | 7 | 65 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 38 | 10 | 60 |
| 6 | AFC Bournemouth | 38 | 4 | 57 |
| 7 | Sunderland | 38 | -6 | 54 |
| 8 | Brighton | 38 | 6 | 53 |
| 9 | Brentford | 38 | 3 | 53 |
| 10 | Chelsea | 38 | 6 | 52 |
| 11 | Fulham | 38 | -4 | 52 |
| 12 | Newcastle | 38 | -2 | 49 |
| 13 | Everton | 38 | -3 | 49 |
| 14 | Leeds | 38 | -7 | 47 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 38 | -10 | 45 |
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 38 | -3 | 44 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | -9 | 41 |
| 18 | West Ham | 38 | -19 | 39 |
| 19 | Burnley | 38 | -37 | 22 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 38 | -41 | 20 |
Spurs celebrate … but while glee abounds, it’s not that sort of celebration. A lot of smiles, cheering and waving, but a lot of relieved faces as well. A few exhausted and emotional ones, too, everyone having been put through the ringer this afternoon. West Ham did all they could, but Spurs went front-foot from the off, and deserved their victory today, saving themselves just in time. Congratulations to Tottenham Hotspur; commiserations to West Ham United. What a relegation battle it’s been.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 38 | -3 | 44 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | -9 | 41 |
| 18 | West Ham | 38 | -19 | 39 |
| 19 | Burnley | 38 | -37 | 22 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 38 | -41 | 20 |
FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Everton
… the whistle goes. Roberto De Zerbi races onto the pitch, because Spurs are staying up!
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90 min +11: Ndiaye crosses from the right. Keane lurk, waiting to plant a header home from close range. But Gray eyebrows out for a corner, from which nothing comes, and then …
90 min +10: Roberto De Zerbi discusses timekeeping with the fourth official. But he knows Spurs are nearly there anyway.
90 min +9: Another Everton cross in from the right. Tarkowski heads over from close range. Spurs so, so, so close to safety now!
90 min +8: George bursts in from the left flank and pearls a shot towards the top right. It’s powerful, and heading in, but Kinsky sticks out a strong arm to tip over. That would have set up quite the denouement, and Kinsky continues along his redemption arc!
90 min +7: Kinsky takes his sweet time over a free kick. Can you blame him?
90 min +6: Coleman curls in from the right. Alcaraz rises to meet the cross, but he’s leaning back and can only flash a header wide left. Spurs getting closer and closer, despite doing a proper number on their fans’ nerve-ends.
90 min +5: Spurs blooter long down the middle. Kolo Muani nearly gets on the end of it, but Pickford claims, in his usual erratic manner of course, by rushing out of the area, heading backwards, then nearly clattering the Spurs man en route to claiming the ball once he’s back in his box. He’s entertaining, you’ve got to give him that.
90 min +3: Sarr is fine to continue, but will have to wait to come back on. While he’s on the sidelines, Keane meets a long ball but heads it harmlessly over the bar.
90 min +2: … and he’s still down, so this match is almost certainly going to tick over into 100 minutes plus.
90 min +1: Sarr is down, having taken a whack upside the head.
90 min: One last change for Spurs as Dragusin comes on for Udogie. Meanwhile West Ham have beaten Leeds 3-0, Callum Wilson scoring their final goal deep in injury time. And speaking of which, there will be nine additional minutes in N17.
89 min: Danso goes down again, but this time because he’s been clattered by Tarkowski, who gets booked. Spurs are so close now, and their fans are in fine voice.
88 min: Palhinha is booked for delaying a restart. Then George wins a corner down the left off Spence. But Spurs clear their lines, then Danso goes down to eat up some time. Kinsky tells him to get up, because Spurs don’t want him waiting on the sidelines for 30 seconds should the physio come on. Danso gets up.
86 min: Alcaraz, Keane and George open Spurs up with a crisp interchange down the inside-left channel. George is one on one with Kinsky but instead of trying to dink over, looks for Beto in the middle. A combination of Van de Ven and Kinsky somehow clear. Hearts in mouths all around the stadium there!
84 min: An Everton triple change. Barry, Dewsbury-Hall and Iroegbunam make way for Beto, Alcaraz and, making his 435th and final appearance in an Everton shirt, Seamus Coleman.
83 min: Porro draws a foul in a footrace with George down the Everton left, and celebrates as though he’d just scored a second goal.
82 min: Spurs make another double change. Gallagher and Bentancur are replaced by Gray and, as expected and earlier trailed, Maddison.
80 min: Sarr jinks in from the right and nearly makes enough space for a shot. He then topples over in the vague environs of Iroegbunam’s leg. He claims a penalty, but gets booked for simulation instead.
79 min: A huge cheer breaks out. It’s not news of a Leeds United goal, but the sight of James Maddison putting his shirt on, ready to come on.
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78 min: It’s become extremely scrappy. Not sure who this benefits. Your guess is as good as mine.
77 min: A couple of loose Spurs passes. Loud groans. It’s going to be a long final 13 minutes plus stoppages for the denizens of N17.
75 min: GOAL! West Ham 2-0 Leeds. In N17, Kolo Muani lashes a long-range shot over the bar. Meanwhile across London, Jarrod Bowen doubles West Ham’s lead against Leeds. They’re doing all they can to stay up. Can Spurs see it out?
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73 min: Spurs – the beneficiaries of another tactical seminar by Roberto De Zerbi during the drinks break – make a double change. Tel and Richarlison are replaced by Sarr and Kolo Muani. When Richarlison takes his seat in the dugout, does he have a face on, do you think?
72 min: Drinks break!
71 min: Tel dribbles fast and hard down the inside-left channel. Iroegbunam takes the ball off his toe, adroitly on the edge of the box. Perfectly timed. It had to be. Everton counter, Garner and Barry briefly threatening to open Spurs up down the right, only for both to drop the pace and turn tail. Danger over.
69 min: … so this is how the table looks now. “All Spurs have to do is not panic and concede twice in the last 30,” notes Hugh Molloy. “Remind me what this ‘Spursy’ thing means again?”
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 38 | -3 | 44 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | -9 | 41 |
| 18 | West Ham | 38 | -21 | 39 |
| 19 | Burnley | 38 | -37 | 22 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 38 | -41 | 20 |
67 min: Kinsky doesn’t really deal with Garner’s corner. But Spurs eventually clear their lines. Everton making most of the running now.
66 min: Everton enjoy some more possession … and Ndiaye wins a corner down the left. The change in atmosphere is pointed. A goal now for Everton would send everyone off into a flat spin.
64 min: GOAL! West Ham 1-0 Leeds. Taty Castellanos has broken the deadlock at the London Stadium … and the mood suddenly darkens in N17. Spurs are still in the box seat, and there’s no need to panic yet, but the nerves are going like the clappers now.
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62 min: Everton make a double change, replacing Rohl and O’Brien with George and Armstrong.
61 min: Tel is down getting a spot of treatment. Time for an impromptu drinks break.
59 min: Bentancur knocks Garner to the ground on the right flank. The resulting free kick leads to some head tennis, and an awful lot of murmuring in the stands. Spurs eventually clear their lines, but at some cost to their fans’ nerves.
57 min: Garner comes sliding in on Palhinha, then gives him a sly little upwards flick-kick as they continue to tangle. VAR has a look, but waves play on. Everton have got away with a couple of challenges on the edge of legality this afternoon.
55 min: More sterile Everton domination. It causes Roberto De Zerbi to come to the touchline and tell it as he sees it.
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53 min: Everton enjoy a relatively long period of possession, but achieve nothing with it. A reminder, though, that only Arsenal (35) and Manchester City (33) have so far won more points away from home than Everton (26) this season.
51 min: Dewsbury-Hall makes off down the left and is skittled by Van de Ven. He sends in a harmless free kick that Tarkowski tries to make something out of, but fails. Everton have been awfully toothless this afternoon. “The White Heart Danes is certainly a great name for a Spurs supporters’ club in Copenhagen and would be difficult to beat,” writes Kevin Thomson. “Just thinking that a Hearts supporters club in Russia’s Volga-Ural region could be called The Jam Tartars.”
49 min: … and doubly fortunately for Pickford, nothing comes of the resulting corner.
48 min: Spence cuts in from the right and aims for the bottom right. His shot is a dribbler, but Pickford, in an attempt to scoop it up, nearly shovels it into his own goal! The ball squirts inches wide of the right-hand post. Pickford blows out in relief. So close to a humiliating gaffe.
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47 min: Spence battles his way down the right and wins a corner off Mykolenko. The linesman – the same one with the knackered battery pack – doesn’t see the Everton man’s final touch, and awards a goal kick! That’s put the tin lid on it. The PGMOL, ladies and gentlemen.
Spurs finally get the second half started. Apart from the linesman’s battery pack, there have been no changes.
The West Ham v Leeds game has now reached the 51st minute. What nonsense.
Seems they were waiting to synchronise the second-half kick-off with the West Ham game. At which point the game at West Ham were given the go-ahead to start … only for this technical issue with the assistant referee to crop up. The fans whistle in irritation. This is a fiasco.
Spurs are left hanging for a minute or so by Everton, who emerge from the tunnel late, having presumably been given a full-fat bollocking for their first-half performance. They were abysmal. Then everyone has to wait while one of the linesman gets his walkie-talkie battery replaced. Dear me.
HALF TIME: West Ham United 0-0 Leeds United. So with Leeds holding the Hammers at the London Stadium, and with apologies to Simon McMahon’s liver (26 min), here’s the table AS IT STANDS. West Ham will be playing Championship football next season.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Crystal Palace | 38 | -10 | 45 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | -9 | 41 |
| 18 | West Ham | 38 | -22 | 37 |
| 19 | Wolverhampton | 38 | -40 | 22 |
| 20 | Burnley | 38 | -38 | 21 |
HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Everton
A deserved lead for Spurs on the balance of play. Will it stop the nerves jangling in the second half? Of course it won’t! But the mood is a whole lot better since Palhinha headed against the post and rammed home the rebound. A whole lot better.
45 min +5: Mykolenko requires some treatment after being caught late by Spence. But with the half-time whistle so close, he’s staying on, for now at least.
45 min +3: The sub keeper Vicario is in a very strange mood this afternoon, incidentally. That row with Seamus Coleman, and now there’s footage of his celebrating the goal by taking De Zerbi in a headlock from behind.
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45 min +2: The stadium is now bouncing, by the way, like that’s breaking news given what’s just happened! Roberto De Zerbi reacted to the goal by wheeling around in a heightened state. Can you blame him?
45 min +1: The first of four additional minutes.
45 min: A long Everton throw comes in from the right. Bentancur barges into the back of Tarkowski, but though VAR has a quick look, there’s not going to be a penalty. Garner drags a poor shot wide right.
44 min: That goal was a proper mess, but Spurs won’t care! Barry had hooked Palhinha’s shot from just behind the line. Danso followed it up, ramming home, but that’s Palhinha’s goal.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Everton (Palhinha 43)
After a shaky few minutes, Spurs are finishing the half strongly … Richarlison dribbles down the left and wins an actual corner this time. Tel sends it to the far stick. Palhinha heads against the right-hand post. The rebound falls to him, and he pokes over the line. Bedlam!
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41 min: Gallagher is going nowhere near the left-hand corner flag. But Rohl gifts him a free kick by needlessly barging into his back. A free kick that’s almost the same as a corner. Porro sends it long … and Pickford punches it clear likewise.
40 min: Tel, just inside the Everton box on the left, drops a shoulder and looks for the top-right corner with a curler. It’s heading in, and it’s not clear that Pickford will get to it, so Tarkowski does exceptionally well to block. Tel spins around in frustration, suggesting he knew he’d hit a good one there, and the shot was on its way.
38 min: Ndiaye wins the ball and makes good down the right. His cross is deflected into the air. Palhinha tries a weird back-flicked header across the face of his own box that nearly drops to Barry. He’s fortunate it doesn’t, and Everton clear their lines. Those anxiety levels are rising and rising.
36 min: Rohl finds Dewsbury-Hall down the left. A ball’s slipped into the box along the channel in the hope of finding Barry. Kinsky claims. Everton are beginning to grow as an attacking force, albeit from a very low starting point.
35 min: Palhinha romps down the inside-right channel and shoots. Deflection. Corner. The set piece is sent in, and Danso wins a free header on the penalty spot. He flaps a weak effort down and straight into the arms of Pickford. Spurs have had their chances. Danso has now had two of them. Will they end up regretting these misses?
33 min: Dewsbury-Hall swings the corner into the six-yard box. Spurs let the ball sail all the way through. They’re fortunate that there’s nobody in blue to poke home. Eventually Spence clears. Audible anxiety as the volume dropped through all of that.
32 min: Dewsbury-Hall tries a curler towards the top left from the right-hand edge of the Spurs box. It’s blocked. But Spurs come again, Ndiaye dribbling in from the right but not quite making enough space to get a shot away. He makes do with winning a cornner. From which …
30 min: The xG so far: Spurs 0.38, Everton 0.03. Which tells quite a few stories, on both micro and macro levels.
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28 min: … though having said that, Everton have just spent a couple of minutes in Spurs territory, and there are a few frustrated groans from the home fans as a result. All of which will be music to the ears of David Moyes.
27 min: Dewsbury-Hall advances down the left and wins a throw, which Mykolenko prepares to hoick long … but then throws short to Ndiaye. There goes another chance to dispatch the ball into the Spurs box. What on earth are Everton up to?
26 min: The game restarts. “It’s partly cloudy and 20 degrees in Dundee, Scott, which qualifies as a heatwave in my book,” begins Simon McMahon. “Fear not, though, as I am having regular drinks breaks while watching the drama unfold, including a single malt every time the ‘as it stands’ table is shown. It’s been a long hard season, so why not? Good training for the World Cup too.”
Hey, have a nippy sweetie on us.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 38 | -3 | 44 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | -10 | 39 |
| 18 | West Ham | 38 | -22 | 37 |
| 19 | Wolverhampton | 38 | -40 | 22 |
| 20 | Burnley | 38 | -38 | 21 |
25 min: A drinks break, and it’s time for some tactical instruction as well. Roberto De Zerbi talking ten to the dozen. A lot of beneficial advice to impart.
23 min: Spence gets the run on Mykolenko down the right. He crosses, hoping to find Richarlison in the middle for a tap-in. Pickford reads the danger and punches clear. Spurs looking far more dangerous than Everton, though that won’t stop the nerves jangling.
22 min: Everton finally put a set piece into the box. Garner curls it in; Tarkowski tries to flick it goalward but only manages to send the ball sailing harmlessly wide left. “White Heart Danes is a great name for a Scandinavian supporters’ club. Much better than Mads It’s Tottenham.” Peter Oh, ladies and gentlemen. He’s here all season. Try the water.
20 min: Rohl advances down the right and competes for a loose ball with Van de Ven. Both fall to the floor. Rohl is awarded the free kick, even though he’s caught Van de Ven on the follow-through, studs on shin. Spurs think that should be a sending off, but the VAR doesn’t. You’ve seen them given. It didn’t look great.
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18 min: O’Brien has another nibble at Tel, who appears to have the easy beating of him. At this rate the Everton defender won’t be lasting the 90 minutes, one way or another.
17 min: Spurs have already taken eight attempts at goal. Everton none. The home side have done pretty much everything except score.
15 min: Before the free kick, there was a minor brouhaha in the dugout involving Vicario and Seamus Coleman. We only see the aftermath, both men gesticulating at each other while effing and jeffing. It’s very hot. Tempers can fray.
14 min: The free kick comes in from the left by Porro. Everton don’t deal with it, and the ball ends up at the feet of Palhinha, on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. He slices wildly off target. Two big chances, both falling to players Spurs wouldn’t have hand-picked to convert them.
13 min: Tel rolls O’Brien down the left and is hauled back by the shoulder. The Everton right-back goes into the book. Another Spurs free kick in a dangerous position.
12 min: Gallagher comes through the back of Garner out on the right. Free kick, and another chance to send one into the mixer. But again they turn down the opportunity, Dewsbury-Hall trying to find Rohl with a too-cute pass down the inside-right channel. Kinsky claims with a yawn.
10 min: Spence, wearing a protective mask over his jaw, backs himself in a footrace with Mykolenko and wins a corner down the right. Tel swings it in. Danso wins a header, which clanks off his team-mate Palhinha and back to him. He pulls a fierce snapshot wide left. That was a really good chance, albeit one Spurs would have preferred to fall to a striker.
8 min: Mykolenko loses the ball on the Spurs right touchline. Porro gets another chance to cross. Blocked. But the Everton defence is suddenly looking rather jittery. All good signs for Spurs.
6 min: Gallagher bustles his way down the inside-right channel but can’t make it into the box. Positive run, though. The ball’s laid off to Porro, whose shot is blocked. But Spurs win a throw, from which Porro swings a cross in from the right. Pickford and Keane run into each other while attempting to clear, and the ball drops to Gallagher on the left-hand edge of the six-yard box. He lashes a shot from a tight angle into the side netting. Some in the crowd think it’s a goal. It’s not a goal. But this is a lively start by Spurs, and Gallagher in particular.
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4 min: Unlike Everton, Spurs put it in there. Porro sends the free kick long, and Tarkowski is forced to flick behind for a corner. That leads to a brief game of head tennis, which Keane wins. It’s fast and frantic.
3 min: … and now Bentancur draws a foul from Ndiaye, 30 yards out on the left flank. Now it’s Tottenham’s turn to have an early chance to put something into the mixer.
2 min: The corner’s played short, which is a surprise. Dewsbury-Hall floats a cross in the hope of finding Iroegbunam, but Bentancur heads clear. Everton let Spurs off a bit there, because you could sense the anxiety when that corner was won in such short order.
20 sec: Ndiaye barges down the right touchline and wins the first corner of the game off Udogie. Nerves jangling already? Nerves jangling already!
Spurs get into a huddle … the home fans holler … and Everton get the ball rolling. What an atmosphere. What high stakes.
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The teams emerge from the tunnel. A febrile atmosphere as sun flickers across the glorious Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Roberto De Zerbi and David Moyes shake hands, friendly yet with fixed steely, competitive stares. A lone trumpet gets the choir going, as the Spurs go marching in. A banner reads: ALL TOGETHER ALWAYS. The tension is palpable and the referee hasn’t even instigated the coin-toss yet. Meanwhile Mary Waltz sends a communique to all Spurs fans: “I understand your feelings. Having experienced three years of relegation campaigns with my beloved Everton I feel your pain. It is like surgery without anesthesia. The ulcers will go away if not the PTSD.”
Sky Sports have been flitting around all over the place, which is fair enough with ten final-day fixtures all kicking off at once. But that means there’s been no airtime for a pre-match chat with David Moyes. But on the subject of the Everton boss, here’s Kári Tulinius: “No one will be referring to Barry and Beto as the Killer Bs anytime soon, but they’ve been much improved in the close season to how they played in the autumn. Moyes surely deserves credit for that. I suspect Everton will be better next season.”
There’s already been one big result today. Bolton Wanderers have made it back to the Championship after a seven-year absence. Billy Munday was at Wembley to watch the Trotters thrash Stockport County 4-1 in the League One play-off final, and here’s his report.
Pre-match postbag. One email is enough, when it crystallises the mood of Spurs fans as succinctly as this does. “I will be watching the thriller in N17 in Copenhagen, with 100 other Danish nervous wrecks known as White Heart Danes,” writes Lars Bøgegaard. “For months I have tried to come to peace with the Spurs relegation and then came the six points at Wolves and Villa. Now it’s crystal clear: It really is hope that kills you.”
Roberto De Zerbi speaks to Sky Sports. “I believe in my players … they are good players … good guys … we have to play a football game with our qualities and our values … and let’s hope … [Djed Spence] can give us more energy … the fans are incredible … you have to play for them … keep our energy just on this game [and not West Ham v Leeds] … it is tough to stay focused on this game … but we have to play a normal game with everything we need.”
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Roberto De Zerbi has been out on the pitch waving his arms about in an extremely exuberant style, exhorting the fans to make the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a cauldron in terms of atmosphere as well as temperature. It’s 30 degrees out there, with little or no wind. UV level high. Seek shade, wear sunscreen. And stay hydrated!
… and at the risk of turning this MBM into some sort of retro-relegation compendium, here’s Gary Naylor. “I was there in 1994,” he writes of Everton’s 1994 scrape with ignominy, requiring to beat Wimbledon on the last day only to go two down after ten minutes. “It was, and is, my favourite game. You’ve got to embrace it. There’ll be Tottenham or West Ham fans feeling the same come 6pm.”
… and here are two more entertaining old articles that are extremely relevant today. Tottenham fans may wish to give them the bodyswerve, to be fair, it’s far too hot to be getting your dander up.
Speaking of relegation battles involving Everton … this is always worth revisiting. And if not today, then when?
The stakes aren’t quite as high for Everton. Their hopes of European football were jiggered last weekend by that home defeat to Sunderland. But they can still finish in the top half of the table for the first time in five years if they win today, providing Newcastle and Sunderland fail to beat Fulham away and Chelsea at home respectively. That’d represent some welcome upward momentum following a few years hovering over the relegation places, and it’d set the seal on an acceptable return for the first season of the new post-Goodison era.
Whatever fate befalls Spurs this afternoon, their new manager Roberto De Zerbi has doubled down on his commitment to the club. When the Italian took over in April, he said he would remain in charge regardless of results, and when asked on Friday if he stood by that, he said: “Yeah, I confirm everything. It’s still an honour to be a coach for Tottenham. Even if on Sunday we play for the relegation fight, it’s not a problem. I consider football something more than the table.”
Tottenham Hotspur make just one change following the 2-1 defeat at Chelsea. Djed Spence replaces Randal Kolo Muani. James Maddison, who gave Spurs a boost when coming on at Stamford Bridge, is again on the bench.
Everton also make just the one change to their starting XI after their 3-1 home loss to Sunderland. Thierno Barry replaces Beto up front. Seamus Coleman, hoping to make his 435th and final appearance for the club, starts on the bench.
The teams
Tottenham Hotspur: Kinsky, Spence, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie, Palhinha, Gallagher, Bentancur, Porro, Richarlison, Tel.
Subs: Vicario, Dragusin, Bissouma, Maddison, Gray, Bergvall, Solanke, Sarr, Kolo Muani.
Everton: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko, Iroegbunam, Garner, Röhl, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye, Barry.
Subs: Travers, McNeil, Beto, George, Dibling, Coleman, Alcaraz, Aznou, Armstrong.
Referee: Michael Oliver
VAR: Paul Tierney
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Team buses trundling up to stadiums are these days afforded the same amount of coverage, and imbued with similar levels of importance, as red-carpet arrivals at Cannes. So we can exclusively reveal that the Tottenham Hostpur carriage has made it through a thousands-strong throng of wellwishers to dispatch the team at the front door, ready for work. Some atmosphere outside the ground. Expect similar inside it.
Preamble
Oh Tottenham. How has it come to this? Champions League finalists in 2019, and Europa League winners just 12 months ago, one of the grandest clubs in England are now possibly 90 minutes plus fingernail-and-artery-bothering add-ons away from relegation to the second tier for the first time in nearly half a century.
Ah but let’s leave those questions for later. And they’ll be a lot less pointed should Spurs escape the executioner this afternoon. The maths are simple: beat Everton and they stay up. A draw will almost certainly be enough, unless West Ham beat Leeds 12-0, which, given that scoreline would tie a top-flight record set 134 years ago* and matched only once since, 117 years ago†, is not going to happen. But a defeat … hoo boy.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 37 | -3 | 43 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 37 | -10 | 38 |
| 18 | West Ham | 37 | -22 | 36 |
| 19 | Burnley | 37 | -37 | 21 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 37 | -41 | 19 |
The good news for Spurs: under Roberto de Zerbi, they’ve lost just one of their last five fixtures. And even if the worst was to happen, West Ham would still need to win to leapfrog them to safety. However, Spurs have only won two matches at home all season, against Burnley and Brentford, while Everton have the sixth-best away record in the division, winning seven of 18. Also in David Moyes, Everton have a manager who is on record saying he’d “love to keep West Ham in the league if I can”, having previously managed them to European glory.
So imagine the tension in N17 should Everton score first this afternoon. But Spurs beat the Toffees 3-0 on their own patch last October, so glee is as likely an outcome for the hosts as misery. At least that’s what they’ve got to tell themselves as they go into their most important game for a generation … and the bean counters will tell you that yes, that does include last year’s Europa League final. Kick-off is at 4pm BST. It’s on!
*: West Bromwich Albion 12-0 Darwen (April 1892)
†: Nottingham Forest 12–0 Leicester Fosse (April 1909)
Updated
