Requiring just a single point to ensure a fifth-placed finish, Tottenham Hotspur conclude their topsy-turvy Premier League campaign away to Sheffield United on Sunday afternoon.
Ange Postecoglou cut a seething figure after the Lilywhites went down 2-0 to Manchester City in midweek, while the Blades most recently suffered a 1-0 loss at Everton.
Match preview
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Sheffield United's goals conceded column ticked over to a record-breaking 101 at Goodison Park in the penultimate Premier League weekend, where a solitary header from Abdoulaye Doucoure was enough for Everton to send the Blades back to Bramall Lane empty-handed once more.
Even if Chris Wilder's men had managed to snap the Toffees' impressive streak on home soil, personal pride would have been their only reward as they remain rooted to the foot of the standings - a position they will hold no matter what transpires in Sunday's batch of 4pm kickoffs.
Preparations for another promotion push in 2024-25 are already in full swing for Wilder's side, who will at least drop through the trapdoor not boasting the unwanted label of being the worst team to ever grace the Premier League; 2007-08 Derby County still hold that honour.
However, the 20th-placed hosts enter the closing weekend on a dampening six-game losing run in the division, and Wilder's side have to back to February 10 against Luton Town for their last Premier League success, trying and failing 13 times to emerge triumphant since.
There is one shred of solace for the Sheffield United faithful this weekend, though, as their side have won their final league match of the season in each of the past three years, and they could arguably not be facing a "fragile" Tottenham - the manager's own words - at a better time.
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All throughout the season, Spurs boss Postecoglou has insisted that finishing in the top four is not the ultimate goal in his first season in charge, but the former Celtic treble winner let rip and then some after Tottenham's Champions League hopes were officially extinguished against Man City.
The peculiar pre-match build-up was dominated by a portion of Tottenham fans wishing defeat upon their own side to guarantee that Arsenal would not be in control of their own title destiny, and those select few joined in with Citizens celebrations for both of Erling Haaland's goals in the second half.
Of course, Postecoglou was not so sympathetic to the North London rivalry, blasting Spurs' "fragile" nature both on and off the field in a press conference somewhat akin to Antonio Conte's explosive Southampton rant, which marked the beginning of the end for the Italian's time in the Tottenham hotseat.
While steam may still be billowing from his ears, Postecoglou can now oversee the win or draw which will propel Spurs into the 2024-25 Europa League, but Chelsea - who are three points behind - could relegate Tottenham to the Europa Conference League position if a Bramall Lane surprise is to be sprung.
Such a set of circumstances is not totally beyond the realm of possibility, as defeat to Man City marked a fifth loss from six matches for an indifferent Tottenham, who have also failed to win any of their last five on the road and have just two victories from their last 12 on their travels.
Furthermore, Tottenham's last trip to Bramall Lane in last year's FA Cup ended in an embarrassing 1-0 loss, and while they gleaned a slice of revenge with a Premier League home win in September, they needed the memorable late Richarlison show to bail them out of trouble.
Team News
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After being forced to deploy a makeshift backline at Goodison Park, Sheffield United boss Wilder will have two centre-backs at his disposal once more; Mason Holgate could not face his parent club last weekend, while Anel Ahmedhodzic is back from suspension.
Andre Brooks (illness) and Oliver Arblaster (calf) should shake off the afflictions which forced them off early against Everton, while none of George Baldock (calf), Daniel Jebbison (illness), Tom Davies (thigh) and Ben Osborn (thigh) have been ruled out just yet either.
However, Chris Basham (ankle), Oli McBurnie (thigh), Rhys Norrington-Davies (thigh) and Max Lowe (ankle) are guaranteed to miss out, while John Egan (ankle) - out of contract this summer - is unlikely to force his way into contention either.
As for Spurs, it is largely as you were from the midweek defeat to Manchester City, where eight infirm troops were absent from the ranks and will also be missing for the trip to Bramall Lane.
Richarlison (calf), Yves Bissouma (knee), Manor Solomon (knee), Fraser Forster (foot), Destiny Udogie (thigh), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Ben Davies (calf) and Timo Werner (thigh) will all watch on from the sidelines, while Giovani Lo Celso is a fresh doubt owing to a blow to the knee.
Rodrigo Bentancur, who did his best to destroy a chair on the Tottenham bench after being taken off in midweek, is a candidate to be demoted by Dejan Kulusevski, but Micky van de Ven should continue as an emergency left-back.
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Trusty; Bogle, Souza, Hamer, Arblaster, Brooks; Brereton Diaz, Archer
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Van de Ven; Sarr, Hojbjerg; Kulusevski, Maddison, Johnson; Son
We say: Sheffield United 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Postecoglou's ranting and raving in midweek may have been directed more towards the Tottenham fans rather than his own squad, but it should certainly serve as a wake-up call to the Australian's out-of-sorts players, who are never convincing in and around their own penalty area.
However, facing the worst defensive side that the Premier League has ever seen is a recipe for success for Tottenham's attackers, who should click straight back into gear and rubber-stamp a fifth-placed finish.
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Ben Knapton
