Tottenham were denied a fourth successive Premier League top-three finish as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Everton.
Spurs could have finished as the best of the rest behind the incessant Manchester City and Liverpool if they had bettered Chelsea’s score at Leicester, but they had to make do with fourth position.
They needed a fine Christian Eriksen free-kick to earn a point in the 75th minute after quickfire goals from Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun had cancelled out Eric Dier’s early opener.
The point does at least guarantee Champions League football next season, regardless of what happens in Madrid when they take on Liverpool in the culmination of this season’s European Cup.
But finishing in the top four, still with the prospect of winning a first-ever Champions League, has to be regarded as a fine achievement by Mauricio Pochettino’s side given the circumstances they have come up against this season.
Everton’s pursuit of seventh had ended last week and they face a summer of trying to find a way of breaking the top-six’s dominance.
Dier was in the perfect place as a loose ball from Erik Lamela’s corner fell to him and he smashed home from six yards out.
The biggest excitement Everton fans had was when they learned of Manchester City’s second goal at Brighton, putting them ahead of Liverpool for the title, but their team did improve as it went on and could have levelled before the break.
There was a distinct end-of-season feel about the game, with fans from both sides getting most of their entertainment from Liverpool’s demise in the title race.
Finally, Everton’s following had some goals of their own to cheer as they turned the game on its head in the space of three minutes.
Before they knew it the Toffees were in front as Tosun bundled the ball home after Michael Keane’s header from a corner had been cleared off the line.
