James Maddison has admitted it’s “a bit embarrassing” that Tottenham discover themselves preventing relegation on the ultimate day of the season after a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea left their Premier League survival within the steadiness.
Enzo Fernandez curled a surprising long-range effort into the underside nook on 18 minutes to provide Chelsea the lead, earlier than Andrey Santos slotted dwelling from six yards on 67 minutes to double their benefit.
Richarlison’s close-range end with 16 minutes remaining gave Spurs hope, however they might not discover the equaliser, with Maddison’s stoppage-time free-kick clearing the bar within the closing act of the night.
Tottenham should now keep away from defeat in opposition to Everton on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, or hope that Leeds United do them a favour in opposition to West Ham, to safe their top-flight standing.
Maddison, making solely his second look of the season after a protracted harm absence, got here off the bench together with his facet already two targets down and left in little doubt concerning the scale of what’s required this weekend.
“We now have to provide every thing for the membership, for the badge, for the followers. It’s a bit embarrassing that we’re on this place. We’re going to want our followers, who had been unbelievable tonight. I believe now we have one of the best away following within the league.”
On his personal return from harm and what he can contribute on Sunday, Maddison was trustworthy concerning the limits of the place he’s bodily.
“It’s an terrible time. You wish to get on the pitch at 1-0 and have an effect on it. It’s much more troublesome at 2-0. It was a little bit of a dagger as I used to be approaching. I’ve been out for a very long time, so I’m not going to be at my fluid greatest. I’ve had a large harm and you need to respect the harm a bit. I’m going to do what I can on Sunday.”
He added: “It’s my job, it’s what I’m paid to do. I haven’t performed this season, however after I do, it’s what now we have to do. Anybody who has labored in soccer or has had this harm, it’s not straightforward to drop again in. It will be catastrophic for my profession if one thing had been to occur.”
De Zerbi: ‘We performed an excellent recreation – we misplaced’
Roberto De Zerbi reduce a pissed off however defiant determine in his post-match evaluation, refusing to just accept that the efficiency warranted the end result whereas acknowledging the moments that price his facet.
Tel struck the publish early within the match, and Richarlison had a header held by Sanchez earlier than the hour, however Spurs had been undone by Fernandez’s opener after which misplaced possession in a harmful space to permit Santos to make it 2-0.
“We created a primary probability to attain with Tel. It was an enormous save for Sanchez. Then we concede one nice aim as a result of Fernandez, an enormous participant, we may do one thing higher. Then we keep within the recreation till the second aim, we misplaced a silly ball. We conceded a second aim. However earlier than the second aim, we created an enormous large probability with Richarlison.
“I believe we performed an excellent recreation. We misplaced.
“Now is just not the time to assume an excessive amount of of this recreation. We now have to arrange for the subsequent recreation. We play in our stadium with our followers. With our qualities, with character, with delight and braveness, now we have to play. However I’m optimistic as a result of immediately we performed a great recreation.”
West Ham play Leeds on the ultimate day. If Spurs fail to win in opposition to Everton and West Ham take three factors, the hole between the edges may shut sufficient for aim distinction to find out who goes down.
