Spurs hit self-destruct button again as season agony prolonged

Tel had already shown his erratic side in the first half when he found himself in a tight spot in his own penalty, then attempted to resolve the problem by delivering a perfect cross onto the head of an onrushing Leeds United forward, only for Kevin Danso's desperate clearance to spare his embarrassment. This was nothing compared to a bicycle kick in his own area that connected with Ethan Ampadu's head, leaving the Leeds captain in a heap. The Video Assistant Referee merely confirmed what everyone else in stadium knew, De Zerbi raising his eyes to the heavens as Dominic Calvert-Lewin slammed home the penalty. After being a relatively low-key presence in his early Spurs games, which have included vital wins away at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa , this was the night when the Italian's combustible temperament bubbled throughout. De Zerbi jumped up and down on the spot in disgust at slow play from his team in the first half, then incurred the wrath of referee Jarred Gillett, who delivered a touchline dressing down as the Italian repeatedly left his technical area. He received a yellow card as things threatened to boil over late on, with 13 minutes of added time increasing the unbearable tension around the stadium. …