Tottenham descended into chaos on Wednesday evening after slipping to defeat against Bournemouth, with Micky van de Ven and his team-mates embroiled in a full-time spat with their own fans, and captain Cristian Romero posting - and then editing - an incendiary statement on social media seemingly hitting out at the club hierarchy.
The north London side are enduring a turgid winter that has seen them claim just one win over the packed festive period.
Fans have found themselves increasingly at odds with manager Thomas Frank, with last Thursday's goalless draw against Brentford a high watermark for discontent as the away fans attempted to distract themselves from actions on the pitch by singing songs mocking the team's playing style.
But emotions hit a fever pitch on Wednesday evening, as Spurs let a crucial point slide in the dying minutes at the Vitality Stadium, courtesy of Antoine Semenyo's winner five minutes into added time.
As players stayed out in the immediate aftermath to thank their travelling fans, footage captured van de Ven wandering over to a section of Spurs supporters, seemingly incensed.
The Netherlands international appeared to call out fans in the front row, gesturing at them with his hand to come on to the pitch in an invitation to physically confront him.
Van de Ven got close enough to the stands that a number of stewards intervened, circling the defender to ensure that neither he nor fans crossed the divide.
The longer the player stayed talking to the supporters at the front, the more those standing behind them became involved in the explosive situation, with a member of Spurs staff eventually coming over to lead van de Ven away.
The next figure to wander over to the stands applauding the fans was Frank himself, who was roundly booed.
Pedro Porro initially had a better effect on the supporters, who clapped his arrival, before he went straight for the fans at the front of the stands in anger, having to be held back by concerned stewards.
Porro argued with the supporters, before team-mates Guglielmo Vicario and Ben Davies came to lead him back on to the pitch, with Joao Palhinha staying back in a bid to calm tensions.
Palhinha listened to fan concerns for some time.
Romero, known for being a forthright presence for his side with his captain's armband on, let his words do the talking in a post shared on Instagram which appeared to lob thinly veiled criticism in the director of club bosses.
'Apologies to all fans of you who follow us everywhere, who are always there and will continue to be,' he began. 'We are responsible, there's no doubt about that. I am the first (to admit that).
'But we will keep facing up to it and trying to turn the situation around, for ourselves and for the club.
'At times like this, it should be other people coming out to speak, but they don't - as has been happening for several years now. They only show up when things are going well, to tell a few lies.
'We'll stay here, working, sticking together and giving our all to turn things around. Especially at times like this, keeping quiet, working harder and moving forward all together, is part of football. All together, it will be easier @spursofficial (white heart emoji).'
In a telling gesture, Romero later edited the post to remove the phrase 'to tell a few lies'.
Spurs are in the midst of a shake-up behind the scenes this season, with long-time chairman Daniel Levy exiting the club in September.
Sporting director Fabio Paratici restarted work with the side following the conclusion of his 30-month ban in October, but has since been courted by Serie A side Fiorentina over an immediate move away, sowing concern at the start of the January transfer window.
Earlier on in the evening, Frank further blotted his copybook with the Spurs faithful when he was pictured sipping from a cup emblazoned with Arsenal's crest.
Tottenham's loathed north London rivals were the last visitors to the Vitality Stadium, and the manager was keen to stress that he hadn't noticed the incendiary symbol at all.
'I definitely did not notice it,' said Frank after the final whistle. 'It would be completely stupid of me to take it if I knew.
'It's a little bit sad in football that I need to be asked about it. I would never do something that stupid.
'I think we're definitely going in the wrong direction if we need to worry about me having a cup with a logo of another club.'