Spurs return to top four after beating Nottingham Forest 3-1

Tottenham Hotspur climbed back into the top four for the first time since February on Sunday, beating Nottingham Forest 3-1 at home to edge out Aston Villa on goal difference with a game in hand.

Tottenham's Timo Werner, right, celebrates with captain Son Heung-min during a Premier League match against Nottingham Forrest in London on Sunday. [AP/YONHAP]

Tottenham Hotspur climbed back into the top four for the first time since February on Sunday, beating Nottingham Forest 3-1 at home to edge out Aston Villa on goal difference with a game in hand.

Spurs pulled ahead in the 15th minute when Forest defender Murillo deflected a Timo Werner cross into his own net, with Chris Wood tying things up for the visitors before the end of the first half.

Micky van de Ven restored Spurs’ lead in the 52nd minute, with Pedro Porro putting the game out of reach just six minutes later.

Captain Son Heung-min, fresh off his 400th appearance for the London club the previous Tuesday, assisted van de Ven’s goal, his ninth assist of the season, and had an attempt of his own tipped onto the post in the final frame of the game.

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min celebrates after a Premier League match against Nottingham Forrest in London on Sunday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

The win is a timely one for Spurs, lifting the club into the top four with seven games left to play this season. Villa, now knocked down to fifth, are tied with Spurs on 60 points but trail on goal difference and have only six matches left to play.

In the Premier League, the top four clubs qualify for the UEFA Champions League. For clubs — both in terms of finances and image — it’s one of the biggest goals of the season.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has other priorities.

“Couldn't care less about the race for fourth mate,” Postecoglou said after Sunday’s game. “What I care about is the way the team is progressing. Pleased with today. It had a little bit of everything. We started the game well, not just the goal, I thought we controlled the game well.

Tottenham's head coach Ange Postecoglou applauds after the end of a Premier League match against Nottingham Forrest in London on Sunday. [AP/YONHAP]

“Then we conceded from a counter attack which was obviously disappointing. I thought we lost our way a little bit towards the back end of that first half, but a super reaction and the whole second half we were really dominant.

“We played some good football and scored a couple of good goals and created a couple more against a team that is desperate for points and fighting for everything. I guess every team is fighting for something and I thought we handled it really well.”

Son, who was voted by fans as man of the match, now has 15 goals and nine assists on the season, putting him one assist away from a +10 in both columns. Son has broken that milestone twice before in his career; in 2020-21 with 17 goals and 10 assists and in 2019-20 with 11 goals and 10 assists.

Spurs now enter what is likely to be a difficult sprint toward the finish line, with matches still to play against all of the top three clubs.

Tottenham will be back in action next Saturday against Newcastle on the road. They were meant to host Manchester City the following week, but that game has been postponed while the reigning champions play the FA Cup semifinals.

A week later it will be Arsenal at home, followed by Chelsea and Liverpool on the road. The last few games should offer some respite, with Burnley and Sheffield followed by another Newcastle game to cap off the season.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]