Ange Postecoglou returns to his native Australia with a Tottenham victory to soothe a difficult end to his first season in charge.
Dejan Kulusevski scored twice and Pedro Porro once against already relegated Sheffield United, as Spurs sealed fifth and qualification for the Europa League with 66 points while singing ‘Shame About the Arsenal’.
It is an improvement of six points on last season when they had a Champions League campaign to contend with and comes after losing Harry Kane so probably a par score, with elements of promise and plenty of scope for improvement.
They have only won four of their last 11 games and those were against the bottom four teams.
Postecoglou and his players drove straight to East Midlands Airport from Bramall Lane, from where they were flying to Melbourne for a post-season friendly against Newcastle United.
Tottenham beat Sheffield United 3-0 on the final day of the season to secure Europa League
Dejan Kulusevski broke the deadlock in the 14th minute with Spurs’ first chance of the game
Kulusevski fires a low shot across the face of Foderingham and into the Blades net
The Spurs players celebrate with the Swede after scoring the first goal of the game
Chris Wilder’s Blades are going Down Under in another sense. Back into the Championship after a dismal campaign in which they have only won three times, scored 35 goals and conceded a record 104.
This defeat went some way to summing up the experience. They worked hard but were outclassed by a better team who led from the 14th minute.
Collecting a pass from Heung-min Son after Micky van de Ven had won the ball wide on the Spurs left, Kulusevski drove the ball low past Wes Foderingham on the turn and into the net off the far post.
Sheffield United had started well enough. They might easily have scored first with Ben Brereton Diaz was clean through in the opening seconds, released by Ben Osborn who was injured making the pass and forced off.
Diaz fired that one over and then hit a post at 0-0 when picked out by Gustavo Hamer.
Diaz looked just offside on the replays so it might not have counted and once ahead Tottenham dominated the rest of the first half.
Foderingham, one of five players leaving the Blades at the end of the season, made a series of fine saves. He foiled Kulusevski, Porro and James Maddison, all before the interval.
Rodrigo Bentancur fizzed a low shot against the inside of a post and the goalkeeper saved again as Son pounced on the rebound.
Cristian Romero turned a cross from Porro wide from close range when he should have hit the target.
Chris Wilder’s side were under pressure with Tottenham zipping passes around and the home crowd growing increasingly frustrated with referee Andrew Madley.
Even so, Sheffield United did have one excellent chance to equalise on the break. Foderingham’s long kick found Hamer, who slid a pass to Cameron Archer but his touch let him down, forcing him wider than he wanted and he dragged his effort wide with his left foot.
Archer wriggled clear for another opening early in the second half. This time, Guglielmo Vicario stood his ground, made a strong save and Spurs stretched clear first through Porro’s searing strike, teed up by Brennan Johnson after a block by Oliver Arblaster and another Foderingham save.
Kulusevski seemed to enjoy himself at centre forward as scored his seconds six minutes later, turning in a cross from James Maddison.
Pedro Porro hammers home a second goal for Spurs to put them in control at Bramall Lane
The Spaniard celebrates with the away support after doubling Spurs’ lead in Sheffield
Five minutes after Porro’s goal, Kulusevski got his second of the day to make it 3-0 to Spurs
Kulusevski and James Maddison celebrate linking up to score Spurs’ third goal of the day
There was still time for one more VAR intervention when referee Madley showed a red card to Andre Brooks when Son fell down during jostling at a corner.
The collision appeared accidental and even the Tottenham captain did not look like he wanted anyone sent off and satisfied when the decision was reversed.
On a day of small mercies, at least there will none of that in the Championship.
