Spurs 1 – 4 Brighton – MC Global Concept

Europa League winners Tottenham were brought back down to earth with a final-day 4-1 home hammering by Brighton, who missed out on European qualification despite their eighth-placed finish.

Four days on from ending their 17-year trophy drought with Europa League glory in Bilbao, Spurs’ party atmosphere was punctured by a stunning Brighton second-half turnaround.

It meant Tottenham finished a dismal 17th in the Premier League – their lowest finish since promotion to the top flight in 1978 – as they became the first side in top-flight history to lose 22 games in a 38-game season and not be relegated.

A 22nd league defeat of the season also equalled Spurs’ all-time club record for most defeats in a league season (22 in 1934/35).

Their appalling domestic season is what has put Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou’s future in serious doubt, with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy failing to provide clarity on the Australian’s position in his end-of-season message.

Dominic Solanke’s first-half penalty opener had looked to have kept the party going in north London, but Spurs’ Europa League hangover came to the fore in the second half as Brighton blew them away.

Jack Hinshelwood scored twice in the space of 13 minutes, following up his 51st-minute equaliser with a clever backheeled finish to complete the turnaround.

Yves Bissouma then brought down Diego Gomez for a penalty to allow Matt O’Riley to further Brighton’s advantage in the 88th minute.

Gomez then scored a stunning stoppage-time strike to pile more misery on Spurs, although it did not dampen the Europa League trophy parade at full-time.

Ange: Why am I even being questioned on my Spurs future?!

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou on his future in his post-match press conference:

“I’ll be honest, I’ve been finding it really weird talking about my future when we’ve done something unprecedented.

“I’ve had to answer the questions because no one else at the club is kind of in the position to do so, I guess. But I can’t answer that question about me and my future, and part of me is kind of thinking, well, why have I been asked that question? But it is what it is.

“And I’ve got no doubt, though, that this could be a real sort of defining moment for this club because wherever I’ve been, I’ve kind of made an impact where I’ve brought success to a club that hasn’t had for a while, and you just have to look at those clubs’ trajectory even after I’ve left, they’re still competing for things.

“I really think this is a moment in time where this club can really push on and be a real contender for honours on a yearly basis.”

On his gut feeling over his future: “My gut feeling is that I feel, right now, that I’ve done something that no one believed I could. And I shouldn’t be here, sitting there, talking about it. That’s my feeling, but it is what it is.

“You’re right to ask the question, but you’re asking the person who can’t give you that answer. And I guess, even for you guys, you wouldn’t be asking it if there wasn’t a doubt. But I can’t answer it. There’s nothing I can say that can answer that question. Other people can, so from my perspective, it doesn’t diminish the achievement.

“I’m so confident about what we can build at this football club, and I want to push on and take it to the next level and we’ll see whether that happens or not.”

Hurzeler: Eighth-placed finish a ‘great achievement’

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler:

“I judge the season my way, and we faced adversity and challenges, but always stuck together.

“I can judge it the right way, and I’m really proud of my team and my staff and the whole club.

“We didn’t reach Europe but we can’t influence the other results.

“It’s a great achievement and we can be proud, but there are things to improve and we know it. That’s the challenge for next season and we’re looking forward to it.”