Tottenham’s bid to qualify mechanically for the Champions League subsequent season took successful as they have been comprehensively crushed by Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Rodrigo Muniz struck twice for Fulham, to safe a victory that pushes them into the highest half of the desk. His opening objective was an adroit take and end after an excellent cross from Antonee Robinson, and he added the third of the match by bravely scrambling in a unfastened ball after Calvin Bassey hit the publish.
These objectives got here both aspect of a objective that Sasa Lukic glanced in together with his thigh after 49 minutes, as Spurs fell aside both aspect of half-time.
James Maddison missed a gilt-edged probabilities for the guests within the first half, with their day summed up when Brennan Johnson and substitute Timo Werner missed shut vary probabilities in fast succession simply after the third objective.
Tottenham stay in fifth place, two factors behind Aston Villa and 6 forward of Manchester United within the race for Champions League locations.
TALKING POINT – Defeat may put Spurs beneath stress
What a distinction every week makes. Final weekend Tottenham have been purring within the second half at Villa Park, as their four-goal salvo closed the hole on their hosts and supplied them the possibility to maneuver into fourth place tonight.
Tonight issues look a bit totally different. England’s coefficient in European competitions may give the Premier League a further place within the Champions League subsequent season; in that case, that would flip right into a struggle between three golf equipment for 2 locations.
Tottenham may nonetheless hook in Villa in fact; their lead over Manchester United is a snug six factors tonight. They may nonetheless be cautious of a run of fixtures in April and early Could that reads Newcastle away, Manchester Metropolis dwelling, Arsenal dwelling and Liverpool away. How Spurs cope with such a taxing run could possibly be the important thing to this race for Champions League areas subsequent season.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham)
It’s some streak that Muniz is on. His brace at this time makes it seven in seven matches. After a depressing time within the Championship with Middlesbrough final season he appears to have discovered his contact now, as evidenced by the proper management and end for his first objective at this time.
PLAYER RATINGS
Fulham: Leno 6; Castagne 7, Tosin 6, Bassey 7, Robinson 7; Palhinha 6, Lukic 7; Willian 6, Pereira 7, Iwobi 8; Muniz 8
SUBS: Tete 6, Reed 5, Jiminez 6, Wilson 6, De Cordova-Reid 6
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario 7; Porro 6, Romero 6, Dragusin 5, Udogie 6; Bissouma 5, Sarr 6, Maddison 6; Kulusevski 6, Son 5, Johnson 5
SUBS: Hojbjerg 6, Richarlison 6, Werner 5, Lo Celso 6, Bentancur 5,
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
42′ GOAL! FULHAM 1 (MUNIZ 42) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0 Fulham lead, and it is a magnificence! Spurs give the ball away, and Pereira feeds Robinson on the left wing. Robinson’s cross is ideal, proper in behind Dragusin for Muniz. It wants first contact and Muniz finds it, killing the ball completely earlier than reversing a half-volley into the far nook previous Vicario.
49′ GOAL! FULHAM 2 (LUKIC 49) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0 It is two for Fulham! Iwobi works the assault once more on the correct, reducing infield earlier than feeding the overlapping Castagne within the space. Castagne fires in a cross first time, and it clips the thigh of the onrushing Lukic and flies into the far nook!
GOAL! FULHAM 3 (MUNIZ 61) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0 Recreation over, absolutely. The nook finds Palhinha, whose header down into the six yard field finds Bassey. Turning shortly, Bassey shoots and hits the close to publish; the ball pops out to the sting of the six-yard field the place Muniz beats Dragusin to it to make it three!
64′ DISALLOWED GOAL! Crikey, that was virtually 4. Fulham take a free kick, the ball is nodded again to Palhinha and his low drive goes in off the substitute Jiminez, who was offside.
68′ TWO SHOCKING MISSES! Oh my. Throughout the house of a minute, each Johnson after which Werner fail to show in a fizzed, low cross from barely two yards out. It isn’t occurring for Spurs tonight.
KEY STAT
- Fulham’s victory ended a run of seven successive Premier League defeats to Tottenham.