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 stability.
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 residence from six yards on 67 minutes to double their benefit.
Richarlison’s close-range end with 16 minutes remaining gave Spurs hope, however they may not discover the equaliser, with Maddison’s stoppage-time free-kick clearing the bar within the ultimate act of the night.
Tottenham should now keep away from defeat towards Everton on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, or hope that Leeds United do them a favour towards 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 along with his aspect already two objectives down and left in little doubt in regards to the scale of what’s required this weekend.
“Now we have to provide all the things for the membership, for the badge, for the followers. It’s a bit embarrassing that we’re on this place. We’re going to wish our followers, who had been unbelievable tonight. I believe we’ve got one of the best away following within the league.”
On his personal return from harm and what he can contribute on Sunday, Maddison was sincere in regards to the limits of the place he’s bodily.
“It’s an terrible time. You need 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 must 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 we’ve got to do. Anybody who has labored in soccer or has had this harm, it’s not simple 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 minimize a annoyed however defiant determine in his post-match evaluation, refusing to simply accept that the efficiency warranted the outcome whereas acknowledging the moments that value his aspect.
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 a giant save for Sanchez. Then we concede one nice objective as a result of Fernandez, a giant participant, we might do one thing higher. Then we keep within the recreation till the second objective, we misplaced a silly ball. We conceded a second objective. However earlier than the second objective, we created a giant large probability with Richarlison.
“I believe we performed an excellent recreation. We misplaced.
“Now will not be the time to assume an excessive amount of of this recreation. Now we have to organize for the following recreation. We play in our stadium with our followers. With our qualities, with character, with delight and braveness, we’ve got to play. However I’m optimistic as a result of at the moment we performed recreation.”
West Ham play Leeds on the ultimate day. If Spurs fail to win towards Everton and West Ham take three factors, the hole between the edges might shut sufficient for objective distinction to find out who goes down.
