Tottenham Hotspur avoided relegation on the final day with a 1-0 win over Everton, thanks to João Palhinha's scrappy first-half goal. The win secured the club's top-flight status after a brutal season that saw them finish 17th for the second consecutive year. Relief washed over the stadium as De Zerbi booted a ball into the crowd and players collapsed in tears.

Spurs spent £220 million under Thomas Frank last summer, yet the squad remained broken. Frank departed by February, Igor Tudor lasted seven games, and De Zerbi arrived as a last resort. Two 17th-place finishes for one of the Premier League's so-called big six exposed years of poor recruitment, lengthy injury lists, and confused management decisions.

The match unfolded with all the tension of a relegation scrap. Palhinha headed against the post and scraped home the rebound, goal-line technology confirming the strike. Everton offered little threat, while Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro held the defense together. Kinsky made one more outstanding save in injury time, and Tottenham crawled nervously over the safety line.