Tottenham Hotspur secured Premier League survival with a tense 1-0 win over Everton on Sunday after Joao Palhinha scored the decisive goal before half-time at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Spurs started with urgency because defeat could have sent them down for the first time in 49 years. Roberto De Zerbi’s side pressed high, attacked quickly and fed off a fierce home crowd. Everton struggled to handle the intensity and failed to register a shot on target until deep into stoppage time.
Palhinha broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute. The midfielder headed against the post, reacted first to the rebound and forced the ball over the line. De Zerbi sprinted down the touchline as the stadium erupted.
The result kept Spurs two points above West Ham United, who still dropped into the Championship despite beating Leeds United elsewhere.
De Zerbi arrived after unsuccessful spells under Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor. Spurs still finished 17th for a second straight season, but the Italian changed the mood during the run-in. Palhinha also played a major role after scoring key goals under the new manager.
“We worked well,” De Zerbi told Sky Sports. “I am lucky because I have a lot of big players and big guys. With big pressure, they played a fantastic game with the ball.”
Everton offered little threat for most of the afternoon. David Moyes’ side ended the season with seven matches without a win after previously pushing towards the European places.
“The crowd were full of it and pumped up for the game,” Moyes said. “We didn’t have any opportunities until 10 or 15 minutes to go.”
The afternoon also marked the final Everton appearance for club captain Seamus Coleman, who came off the bench for his 435th match for the club.
Palhinha later praised the atmosphere inside the stadium after Spurs secured survival.
“I have never seen anything like the crowd today,” he said. “This season will make us strong for the next one.”
