Tottenham suffered their 17th defeat of the Premier League season in a thrilling 4-2 setback against Wolves, a result that not only hampers their hopes of finishing in the top half but also sparks fears of a possible drop further down the standings.
Wolves’ victory narrows the gap between the two sides to just two points, leaving Spurs vulnerable to an alarming drop in league position, possibly as low as 17th.
With next week’s crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt looming large, Ange Postecoglou opted to rotate heavily, making six changes.
Ben Davies, Archie Gray, Djed Spence, Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr, and Mathys Tel all came into the starting XI, while regulars such as Micky van de Ven, Lucas Bergvall, and Rodrigo Bentancur were given a breather.
Unfortunately for Sarr, his return started on a sour note. A clumsy foul on Jean-Ricner Bellegarde handed Wolves an early opportunity, and they capitalized.
Spurs failed to properly clear the resulting free-kick, and Rayan Aït-Nouri was on hand to volley home past Guglielmo Vicario.
There was a brief pause for a VAR review on a potential offside, but the goal stood, setting the tone for a turbulent afternoon for the visitors. The situation could have worsened soon after when Jorgen Strand Larsen nearly punished Vicario for a poor clearance, but the striker failed to convert.
Tottenham responded with more attacking intent, as Bissouma forced Jose Sa into a save, Tel had a shot deflected, and efforts from Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson missed the target.
However, just before halftime, another lapse proved costly. Vicario parried the ball directly into the path of Djed Spence, resulting in an own goal that handed Wolves a 2-0 lead, completely against the flow of play.
Spurs clawed one back shortly after the break. A sharp move involving substitute Bergvall and Johnson saw Tel finish at the far post—his second league goal in as many matches.
But any momentum Spurs had was quickly extinguished. Cristian Romero misjudged a long ball, allowing Aït-Nouri to pounce and square for Strand Larsen, who made no mistake from close range.
Richarlison rekindled hope for the visitors with a tap-in, but a final defensive blunder sealed their fate. Matheus Cunha, making his return from suspension, capitalized to score the decisive goal and secure all three points for Wolves.
This latest setback leaves Postecoglou’s side reeling as they prepare for a defining trip to Germany, while Wolves, now 14 points above the drop zone, can begin to breathe easier.
