It was more exciting than necessary, but in the end it became clear that Tottenham is a Premier League club next year as well.
Tottenham secured their place in the Premier League with an intense 1-0 win over Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while West Ham were relegated despite a solid win on their pitch.
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Spurs knew that it would almost certainly be enough to avoid defeat, but the pressure increased considerably when the news broke that West Ham beat Leeds during the afternoon. Roberto De Zerbi’s side nevertheless held their own in a nerve-wracking finish that stretched all the way over the 100-minute mark.
Palhinha became the hero in the first half
The decisive moment came already in the 43rd minute. João Palhinha was the match-winner for Tottenham.
After Spurs had repeatedly threatened set pieces, Palhinha headed in the post. He reacted quickest to the rebound and put the ball past Jordan Pickford for the only goal of the game.
Tottenham had controlled much of the first half and recorded a whopping 14 shots before half-time. Kevin Danso fired an early effort outside, while Conor Gallagher slammed into the back of the net after a defensive misunderstanding from Everton.
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Everton pressed – but Spurs held off
Everton came out strong after the break and pressed Tottenham deep in the closing minutes. Micky van de Ven was responsible for a decisive interception when he denied Beto from close range. Goalkeeper Antonín Kínský then made a fantastic late save when he stopped Tyrique George in injury time.
As the news spread that West Ham had beaten Leeds 3-0, the excitement around the stadium increased. Everton were never able to find the equaliser, however, and Tottenham were finally able to unleash their jubilation at the final whistle.
De Zerbi completes the turnaround
The result completed a dramatic turnaround under Roberto De Zerbi, who has led Spurs away from the danger of relegation after a very turbulent season.
The relief was evident inside the stadium at full-time, although the celebrations were partly subdued – largely due to how the season as a whole had developed for Spurs.
However, the point was clear: Tottenham had survived. Exactly.
