Reuters

LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) - Southampton suffered the earliest-ever relegation in Premier League history when they lost 3-1 at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, confirming their demotion to the second tier despite having seven games left in the season.

Southampton had needed a victory to stay alive in their fight for survival after 17th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers moved up to 32 points with Saturday's comeback win at Ipswich Town.

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The south-coast club, who earned promotion to the top flight only last season, have 10 points after 31 games to sit rock bottom and 22 points from the safety zone.

"We knew it was probably going to be inevitable at some point, we haven't been good enough all season... It is a sad day and one that this group of players will learn from," Southampton keeper Aaron Ramsdale told Sky Sports.

"We need wins, points, performances. It has to come to a point where the fans are happy and singing... We have to build some momentum going into the Championship season."

Southampton nearly took the lead 12 minutes in when Tyler Dibling's cross found Kamaldeen Sulemana at the far post but his shot was blocked as it rebounded off the woodwork.

If there was any hope of Saints taking a shock lead, Spurs put that notion to bed a minute later when they went down the other end where Djed Spence's cut-back found Brennan Johnson and he fired his shot into the roof of the net.

FIVE-MINUTE WAIT

Lucas Bergvall thought he had made it 2-0 with a stroke of luck from a set-piece when he stuck out his leg for a loose ball which ended up in the bottom corner, but VAR chalked off the goal for offside after a check that took nearly five minutes.

But Johnson doubled their lead minutes later when James Maddison headed the ball into the box where the Welsh forward slipped the ball past Ramsdale.

Ramsdale, however, denied Spurs several times, saving efforts from Spence and Dominic Solanke to limit the damage but Southampton did not have any luck at the other end until the 90th minute.

A cross from Sulemana found Mateus Fernandes, who expertly chested down the ball before fizzing a shot past Guglielmo Vicario to make it 2-1.

But there would be no late comeback after Welington brought down Johnson in the box, allowing Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel to step up and convert the penalty to score his first Premier League goal as Spurs sealed the three points.

The victory moved Spurs to 13th in the standings on 37 points, level with Manchester United who were hosting Manchester City later on Sunday.

"The first half was really good, really pleased. We were a bit sloppy with the ball in the second half," Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou said.

"Stuff to improve on but it is a victory with three goals, so (that is a) positive. We looked threatening every time we went forward in the first half."

Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Clare Fallon

April 4 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou said Sunday’s home game against bottom side Southampton could be the springboard needed for their Europa League quarter-final first leg against Eintracht Frankfurt four days later.

Spurs battered Saints 5-0 in the reverse fixture in December, but their inconsistency has had them slip up against lower-ranked sides, including a 3-2 defeat by Everton and a 2-1 home loss to Leicester City in January.

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With Spurs languishing in 14th in the Premier League standings and European qualification through the league looking unlikely, the Europa League has taken on added importance for the London club.

Winning the Europa League could also help under-pressure Postecoglou's relationship with Spurs supporters, some of whom booed his substitution decisions during their 1-0 loss at Chelsea on Thursday.

"Irrespective of people's feelings right now I don't think there will be a Tottenham supporter out there who doesn't want to win the Europa League. The home game in the Europa League is going to be important," the Australian told reporters on Friday.

"I thought our build-up play (at Stamford Bridge) was really good but final third play could have been cleaner and clinical. Wilson (Odobert) and Dom (Dominic Solanke) have missed a chunk of the season.

"I saw enough to build on that and Sunday is a good opportunity to do that and get to the levels we need for the Europa."

Postecoglou added that his side are in good shape physically, and that defender Micky van de Ven - who was cramping after playing 88 minutes for the first time since returning from injury - should be fine to play on Sunday.

"We need to gain some momentum. We will make a couple of changes but not too many," Postecoglou said when asked if he would rotate the squad against Frankfurt.

The Australian conceded it was a mistake to cup his ear to Spurs fans after Pape Sarr's goal, later disallowed by VAR, having earlier downplayed suggestions he was showing frustration towards the supporters.

"My mistake was celebrating a goal, VAR defeated me, I won't be doing that again," he added.

Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru Editing by Christian Radnedge

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LONDON, April 3 (Reuters) - Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said he could have blown his side's chances of hanging on for a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday by making defensive changes for the dying moments, only to realise that a full 12 minutes had been added on.

"We created chances enough in the first half, and then, to be honest, it has been my mistake because I did the change before I saw the extra time," a relieved-looking Maresca told reporters.

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"When I saw 12 minutes, I saw that probably was too early to make that kind of change. But fortunately, we won the game, and we are happy."

With the clock ticking down, and Chelsea ahead through Enzo Fernandez's 50th-minute header, Maresca replaced attacker Cole Palmer and Fernandez with defender Tosin Adarabioyo and midfield anchor Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, packing his back line.

The change allowed Spurs to pour forward in their search for an equaliser during the long period of stoppage time, which came after two long VAR checks in the second half which ruled out goals for both sides.

Maresca was full of praise for the way his players soaked up the pressure to seal the win which gave Chelsea some fresh momentum in their hunt for a top four finish and a place in next season's Champions League.

"If you want to become a team, I think you need also to learn and to play in the way we played in the last 10 minutes: win a game in a dirty way," the Italian said.

Maresca said the return of Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson from injury had given his side more shape, thanks to his incessant pressing of the Spurs defence. "For sure, with Nico we are a different team," the manager added.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou said poor defending was to blame for Chelsea's goal and he was critical of how VAR ruled out what he thought was an equaliser when substitute Pape Sarr beat Robert Sanchez with a low drive, only for it to be ruled out for a foul by Sarr moments earlier.

The Australian downplayed suggestions from reporters that he had shown frustration at Spurs fans - some of whom had booed his substitution decisions - by cupping his ear to them when Sarr found the back of the net.

"It's incredible how things get interpreted. We'd just scored. I wanted to hear them cheer. We've been through a tough time and I thought it was a cracking goal. I wanted them to get really excited," he said.

"It doesn't bother me. It's not the first time that they've booed my substitutions. That's fine. They're allowed to do that," said Postecoglou, whose side sit a lowly 14th in the league standings.

LONDON, April 3 (Reuters) - Chelsea beat London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on Thursday thanks to a goal by Argentina's Enzo Fernandez, boosting their hopes of a return to the Champions League as they climbed back into fourth place in the Premier League.

Fernandez was left unmarked to head home in the 50th minute from a perfect cross by Cole Palmer on the England forward's return from a brief injury absence, in front of England coach Thomas Tuchel who was at Stamford Bridge.

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Chelsea thought they had a second goal soon after but Moises Caicedo's volley was ruled out after a VAR check for offside.

It was the turn of Spurs to have their celebrations dashed when substitute Pape Sarr's 69th-minute shot from outside the box was ruled out for a foul in the build-up by the Senegalese midfielder.

The win restored Chelsea to the top four, one point clear of Manchester City in fifth and two ahead of Newcastle United in sixth - but with a game in hand - as the race for Champions League qualification heats up.

Spurs - whose miserable run at Stamford Bridge now stands at one win in the league in 40 attempts - stayed in 14th position with their hopes of European competition next season dependent on their ability to win the Europa League.

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca roared to the heavens and hugged his coaching staff at the final whistle in a visible sign of relief after a patchy run which included a limp 1-0 defeat by Arsenal in his side's last league match.

Spurs, who failed to register a shot on target in the first half for a second match in a row, could have stolen a point in the 89th minute but Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez flung himself across his goal to deny Son Heung-min at the far post.

Spurs supporters voiced their frustration at the club's ownership and at coach Ange Postecoglou who appeared to mock their protests when he cupped his hand to his ear when it seemed Sarr had drawn his side level.

When asked about the negative reaction from the fans to his substitutions, Postecoglou told Talksport: "It’s not the first time. Fans I guess express their opinions. That’s fine and I have to accept it."

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill said the Blues had to dig in to secure the win.

"We need to win games at the end of the day. We're fighting for Champions League. To win games we have to change style sometimes," he told Sky Sports.

April 2 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur's form under Ange Postecoglou has triggered discussions on potential replacements with the club 14th in the Premier League, but the Australian coach said on Wednesday that he is not bothered by discussions about his future.

Spurs have only 34 points after 29 league games and are set to miss out on European football if they do not win the Europa League, where they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.

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"I don't deal with it, mate. I know what my responsibilities are. I'm sure if the club decide to go in a different direction there's some outstanding candidates out there for it," Postecoglou told reporters ahead of Thursday's game at Chelsea.

"And you know what, maybe someone will think, 'Ah, Ange Postecoglou's not a bad coach, maybe we'll take a punt on him'. So it doesn't rock my world, it doesn't consume me.

"I'm here, I'm passionate about what we're doing. I was brought in to change the way the club plays, rejuvenate the squad, bring success, I'm focussed on that. That's what I'll keep doing."

Spurs have been winless in their last three games and the pressure even led to a heated confrontation between Postecoglou and a fan after they lost their last game before the international break at Fulham.

Chelsea are fourth in the standings and Postecoglou said they are tough to beat at Stamford Bridge, where Enzo Maresca's side have won their last four games.

"They're a talented squad, a good manager. I still think they've had a positive season in terms of what they're trying to build. They've got some real talent, particularly in that attacking third," he said.

"They obviously got hit by injuries as well. They've got some key players who have been missing which affects all clubs and that affected their consistency. But... at their place they're still a tough team to beat."

Postecoglou was also glad to see key defender Cristian Romero play two full games with Argentina in wins over Uruguay and Brazil, a positive sign after the centre back missed three months of action due to injury.

"Delighted if he can get through two games with his international team. It's great for us as he's not played a lot of football," Postecoglou said, adding that it was good to have him and defensive partner Micky van de Ven back together.

"Footballers need to play. Rather than him sitting around for two weeks, he needed games... Especially the Fulham game, by the 70th minute he (Romero) was pretty much cooked in terms of his physical fitness."

LONDON, March 4 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur already have a players' hotel on their training ground but are now installing bat houses and bug hotels at their state-of-the-art complex north of London as part of a commitment to the UN-backed Sports for Nature Framework.

The club is the first in the Premier League to join the scheme which promotes protecting and regenerating nature.

Hundreds of new and semi-mature trees have already been planted at the training complex and wildflower meadows and ponds have been installed. As well, more than 500 bat houses, 25 bug hotels have also been placed around the grounds.

Organic fruit and vegetables, grown at the training ground near Enfield, already end up in the staff canteen.

Last year, Spurs earned the Biodiversity Project of the Year award at the BASIS Sustainable Sport Awards for a Biodiversity Monitoring system -- a first in sport -- which records pollination and bird activity.

"We have long been recognised as the Premier League's greenest club for the work we have done to minimise carbon emissions across our operations - it is now time for us to make a firm commitment to nature and protecting the ecosystems we cannot live without," Donna-Maria Cullen, Tottenham's Executive Director, said in a statement.

"Becoming the first signatory in the Premier League of the Sports for Nature Framework means we can now demonstrate clear action across all three pillars of the UN's definition of sustainability set out at COP29 -- People, Climate and Nature."

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LONDON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Manchester City's Erling Haaland became the second player to score at least 20 goals in each of his first three Premier League seasons as the champions beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on Wednesday to return to the top four.

Haaland, back after missing Sunday's 2-0 home defeat by Liverpool because of injury, turned in Jeremy Doku's low cross in the 12th minute and it proved decisive.

The Norwegian could have added to his tally as City dominated the opening period with home keeper Guglielmo Vicario making good saves from him and Doku and Savinho putting a great chance over the crossbar.

Haaland also had a stoppage-time goal ruled out for offside after City had weathered a Tottenham siege.

City's first-half profligacy should have cost them as the hosts dominated the second period with Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel squandering glorious chances and Son Heung-min denied by City keeper Ederson after coming off the bench.

After Haaland's late effort was disallowed, Tottenham almost snatched a point when Pape Matar Sarr headed over the crossbar.

City avoided a third defeat of the season against Tottenham and moved fourth on 47 points from 27 games.

But it was another very mixed bag of a display by Pep Guardiola's side who were hanging on throughout the second half after completely bossing the first.

In the end, however, the night was all about Haaland.

He was involved in the flowing City move that led to his goal, helping the ball out to Doku before popping up in front of goal to tuck an easy finish past Vicario.

The only other player to score 20 plus goals in his first three Premier League campaigns is Ruud van Nistelrooy for Manchester United from 2001-02 to 2003-04.

Tottenham fielded their second-youngest starting side in the Premier League with Son, Dejan Kulusevski and Djed Spence all starting on the bench as manager Ange Postecoglou perhaps had one eye on next week's Europa League last-16 tie.

After three successive league victories eased the pressure on Postecoglou, Tottenham will count themselves unlucky not to have caused City more pain.

They stayed 13th in the table with 33 points.

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IPSWICH, England, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur winger Brennan Johnson scored twice in the first half before goals from Djed Spence and Dejan Kulusevski wrapped up a 4-1 victory at relegation-threatened Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday.

Johnson's double came after the hosts had twice threatened to open the scoring early on through Liam Delap, whose glancing header hit the post. Ipswich forward Omari Hutchinson got one back before halftime but Spurs were not to be denied.

The home side battled hard for an equaliser but never created any clear openings in the second half and Tottenham went further ahead with a deflected Spence shot after 77 minutes and a fine individual goal from Kulusevski in the 84th.

The win left Spurs in 12th spot with 33 points from 26 games, while Ipswich remained third from bottom on 17, five points adrift of the safety zone after fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers won 1-0 at high-flying Bournemouth.

Ipswich had enjoyed a blistering start with striker Delap coming close with a shot across goal that was just wide of the far post and then with a deft header that hit the woodwork after he outjumped the defence to meet a Kalvin Phillips free kick.

But after surviving the early pressure Spurs took the lead through Johnson in the 18th minute. The Welshman tapped the ball home after a fine cross from Son Heung-min, who outfoxed Ben Godfrey down the left and played a ball into the six-yard box.

Johnson got his second goal eight minutes later after a similar break from Son, although this time the South Korean cut back inside and delivered a precise pass across the area for Johnson to pick his spot past helpless goalkeeper Alex Palmer.

Ipswich responded when Hutchinson swept a left-foot shot into the far corner of Guglielmo Vicario's net in the 36th after Spurs defender Kevin Danso lost possession and Phillips found Jack Clarke down the left to cut the ball back.

Ipswich battled hard for an equaliser after the break but never created any clear openings and Tottenham wrapped up the points with a deflected Spence shot after he was set up following some trickery by James Maddison inside the box.

Kulusevski then ran down the right before cutting inside and firing a low shot into the far corner to seal the win. The home fans were upset as they thought play should have stopped after Jacob Greaves clashed heads with Tottenham's Dane Scarlett.

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LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur must build on their improved Premier League form and target a strong finish to what has been a disappointing season, manager Ange Postecoglou said on Friday.

Either side of successive defeats in the League Cup semi-final and FA Cup fourth round, Tottenham managed back-to-back league wins for only the second time this season.

A 2-0 win at Brentford was followed by a narrow 1-0 defeat of Manchester United and Tottenham can make it three wins in a row when they travel to 18th-placed Ipswich Town on Saturday.

Those two league wins have eased fears that Tottenham could be sucked into the relegation battle, and with the club's injury crisis easing and a less demanding schedule, Postecoglou says the buzz has returned to the training ground.

"Obviously our last two Premier League games, Brentford away and Man United at home, have been two important results for us to kind of try and arrest the form in the league," Postecoglou told reporters. "But you need to keep backing that up.

"Tomorrow's an opportunity to do that. It's not easy when you're playing away from home and in the Premier League, especially against a team that's fighting like Ipswich are.

"But it is an opportunity for us now to get another strong performance, get another positive result, and like I said, hopefully provide a bit of a foundation for us to kick on."

Tottenham finished fourth in the new Europa League format, avoiding being involved in a playoff for the last 16.

Without a midweek game for the last two weeks, Postecoglou said it has been an opportunity for some players to recharge their batteries while others have been able to regain full fitness after coming out of the treatment room.

The Australian also said it was a chance for him to start preparing proper coaching sessions again.

"I think there's two aspects of my role that you love more than most. One is game day and the other one is training," he said. "You kind of get frustrated when you're out there and you can't really do what you want to do as a coach.

"Not just me, but the other coaches as well. You kind of design sessions, but you know guys are going to sort of be walking through things and we're just providing information.

"The last two weeks, the training sessions you walk off and you're pretty excited about what you've seen. You feel good about the session you've put on and the coaches get a buzz out of it, the players get a buzz out of it."

Tottenham's last chance of a trophy this season is in the Europa League in which they have been drawn against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the last 16. The north London club are one of the favourites to win the competition, but Postecoglou said that cannot be a distraction from the Premier League.

"Europe's always been at the forefront of our minds and we did really well, and we saw how important it was that we did finish in the top eight, even finishing in the top four, because it kind of helped us this last two weeks," he said.

"It's important, but we must not be dismissive of the league."

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