Tottenham Hotspur faced a disheartening 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, marking their fourth defeat in the Premier League this season.
The north Londoners had just begun to regroup following a gut-wrenching 3-2 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion that halted their five-match winning streak across all competitions.
As they entered the Sunday London derby, Spurs were buoyed by consecutive victories over West Ham United and AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League.
Yet, they were unable to stretch that momentum to three wins in a row, as Palace delivered yet another blow to their topsy-turvy campaign.
Jean Philippe-Mateta's goal shortly after the half-hour mark proved decisive, although Ange Postecoglou's men nearly equalised almost instantly.
Micky van de Ven's header from a James Maddison corner rattled the post, and that was as close as Spurs would come to restoring parity after a lacklustre display in south London.
This unexpected loss sees Tottenham dwelling in eighth place, a mere point above the relegation zone and five adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.
At just nine games into the season, there’s still ample opportunity to bridge the gap to the top four, but the club’s hopes of a Champions League berth are precariously hanging by a thread.
Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal are set to reignite their fierce contest for the Premier League title, seemingly assured of their top-four finishes, leaving only one spot available for the rest.
From recent seasons, it’s evident that Unai Emery and Aston Villa have no intentions of relinquishing their hard-earned place among England’s elite, solidifying their position in the race for Champions League football.
Chelsea, revitalised under Enzo Maresca’s management, are also ahead of Spurs in the hunt for European qualification.
With Tottenham's current inconsistency, even teams like Brighton and Nottingham Forest appear to have a better shot at clinching a European spot than Postecoglou’s unpredictable squad.
You never quite know what to expect from Spurs. One moment they're emphatically defeating Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford, the next they're succumbing to a team that has struggled in the league.
Tottenham’s previous losses to Newcastle United, Arsenal, and Brighton highlight their vulnerability against tactically astute opponents.
Postecoglou must devise a strategy to make his team tactically resilient, or they might as well start focusing on securing a place in the Europa Conference League.