Kolo Muani might have cost Tottenham their Premier League status with horrendous error, De Zerbi deserves stick for starting him | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur desperately needed a win against Chelsea to secure their Premier League place next season, but stumbled to a 2-1 defeat.

Even though their wounded opponents were there for the taking, Spurs never quite managed to find their groove until late in the second half.

Several Tottenham stars failed to rise to the occasion, especially Randal Kolo Muani, who had a dreadful outing.

Kolo Muani failed to complete any of his four attempted crosses and only completed 9/16 passes (56% accuracy). He also lost possession a staggering 15 times.

One of those giveaways was horrendous and led to Chelsea’s second goal, which made Richarlison’s late strike nothing but a consolation.

Tottenham needed the players to step up, and Kolo Muani, once again, was embarrassingly bad.

It has been a recurring theme, and manager Roberto De Zerbi should have dropped him to the bench for such an important fixture.

Sure, De Zerbi doesn’t have the bodies, but Kolo Muani has been so bad that he should not be anywhere near the starting line-up.

Kolo Muani has looked short of confidence, sharpness, and composure for weeks, and Tottenham paid a brutal price for persisting with him.

In a game that demanded security in possession and ruthless decision-making, he offered neither.

Every loose touch invited their opponents forward, every failed action drained momentum from a side already carrying enormous pressure.

De Zerbi cannot escape criticism here. Managers are judged on difficult calls, and this was one he got badly wrong.

Leaving Kolo Muani on the pitch despite weeks of underwhelming displays felt more like hope than logic.

Even an unfit alternative or a tactical reshuffle would have been preferable to watching the same problems unfold again.

If Tottenham drop out of the Premier League, this defeat will be remembered as one of the defining reasons why.

And De Zerbi’s loyalty to an out-of-form forward will deserve serious scrutiny.