[Source: Reuters]

Brighton & Hove Albion left Tottenham Hotspur with a hangover by thrashing the Europa League winners 4-1 away on Sunday but missed out on a European place after finishing eighth in the Premier League standings.

Spurs were in celebratory mood following their triumph against Manchester United in Bilbao in midweek and took the lead through a Dominic Solanke penalty after 17 minutes following a clumsy foul on Mathys Tel by Mats Wieffer.

However, Brighton pushed for an equaliser and got it six minutes after the break through Jack Hinshelwood, who rifled the ball into the roof of the net, and he grabbed their second with a clever back-heel in the 64th following another corner.

Matt O’Riley then scored from the spot after Diego Gomez was fouled by Yves Bissouma, and Gomez netted a stunning fourth in added time for the visitors when he expertly curled the ball into the far top corner from just outside the area.

The defeat was the 22nd of a dreadful Premier League season for Spurs, which piled the pressure on their Australian manager Ange Postecoglou, and led to speculation that he faced the sack.

Tottenham ended the campaign in 17th place, their lowest league finish in 21 years, with 38 points being the club’s worst ever Premier League tally.

However, on Sunday, the home fans were more focused on celebrating their European success.

Spurs’ 1-0 win over Manchester United ended the club’s long trophy drought and earned a place in the Champions League.

“How do I assess our season? Outstanding,” said Postecoglou.

“Won a trophy which we haven’t for 17 years, and we’re in the Champions League. Ask any supporter at the start of the season if they’d take that and there wouldn’t be a person in the house that wouldn’t.”

The players came back out after the game for a lap of the pitch with the Europa League, Spurs’ first silverware since 2008 and their first European trophy for 41 years.

Whether that is enough to extend Postecoglou’s reign remains to be seen.

“It doesn’t bother me asking me about my future,” he added. “I can’t answer. I’m pretty relaxed about it. It has been an unbelievable season. I couldn’t be any prouder.

“I’ll have a break and then hopefully we’ll be back first day next season to start things.”

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