Gary Lineker reacts to ‘Bonkers’ Tottenham developments – ‘Embarrassment’
Tottenham could still somehow qualify for the Champions League despite their disastrous season in the Premier League.
The North Londoners suffered their 18th top-flight defeat of the season when they were beaten 2-1 by Nottingham Forest on Monday.
Spurs dominated possession against Forest, but were undone by the Champions League chasers’ counter-attacking prowess.
Early goals from Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood proved enough to lead Nuno Espirito Santo’s men to victory despite Richarlison’s late header.
Shearer and Lineker hammer Tottenham over Premier League developments
Tottenham’s defeat to Forest left Ange Postecoglou’s men just 16th in the Premier League with only five games left to play.
Meanwhile, only Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt stands in the way of Spurs and the Europa League final, summarising how much of a bizarre season the North London outfit has endured.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football [23 April], Shearer said: “Been an embarrassment their season in the (Premier) League hasn’t it? They’ll say they’ve had injuries. I get that, Man United are exactly the same and everything, everything for those two clubs, Spurs and Man United, is riding on that Europa League.”
Gary Lineker added: “You imagine finishing 16th, 17th in the Premier League and being in the Champions League, it’s bonkers.”
Spurs should progress to the Europa League final
Daniel Levy has already decided to sack Postecoglou at the end of the season, regardless of whether Tottenham win the Europa League or not.
| Premier League table (15th-17th) | Games played | Goal difference | Points |
| 15 Wolves | 33 | -13 | 38 |
| 16 Tottenham | 33 | 10 | 37 |
| 17 West Ham | 33 | -18 | 36 |
With the Australian set for the sack, Spurs could appoint the likes of Fulham’s Marco Silva as a successor, while Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has also emerged as a shock contender for the Tottenham dugout.
But while Postecoglou has performed poorly in the Premier League this term, the North London outfit’s Europa League exploits have been far more impressive.
Spurs did well to fend off Bundesliga highfliers Frankfurt in the quarter-finals, and should have enough quality to dispose of Bodo Glimt in the semi-finals.
Kjetil Knutsen’s men have done incredibly well to reach the last four, given their stature, but Tottenham would be embarrassed not to beat the Norwegian side in the last four.
Spurs, therefore, will likely see themselves through to the final, where they will meet either Manchester United or La Liga side Athletic Bilbao.