Tottenham’s Premier League survival hopes were hit by a crushing 95th-minute Georginio Rutter equaliser as in-form Brighton left Spurs languishing in the relegation zone by grabbing a 2-2 draw in north London.
Roberto De Zerbi was primed to celebrate a first win as Spurs boss which would have launched his side above the dotted line courtesy of a sweet Xavi Simons curler.
But instead, Kevin Danso was mugged in his own box by Jan Paul van Hecke who teed up Rutter to blast in a leveller which floored Spurs players and silenced the home fans just as they were about to revel in a first Premier League win of 2026.
Spurs will now spend another week in the bottom three, with the prospect of a demotion into the Championship scrutinised by their critics and agonised over by their supporters.
They are a point behind West Ham and are vulnerable to their local rivals extending their advantage with a win at Crystal Palace on Monday Night Football, while Nottingham Forest can push their gap to Spurs to five points if they see off Burnley at home live on Your Site on Sunday.
Simons' goal had looked like it would be the turning point in Spurs' battle for Premier League survival. A moment of wild celebration to launch from. Instead, their failure to get over the line and win has amplified the feeling this team is only going one way. A win at Premier League bottom club Wolves next weekend is now essential.
After a calamitous moment which saw Micky van de Ven kick the ball against his own post under pressure from Danny Welbeck, Spurs took the lead on 39 minutes, with Pedro Porro the unlikely scorer of the first Tottenham goal of De Zerbi's reign.
The right-back hadn't hit the net in his past 49 Premier League appearances but produced a huge leap to nod in Simons' brilliant chipped pass against De Zerbi's former club.
Simons should have made it 2-0 moments later, shooting against the post before Bart Verbruggen produced a lightning-reflex save to tip over Porro's thunderous follow-up. And Spurs - as has become a regular occurrence - paid for their failure to capitalise on those big openings.
Simons gave Pascal Gross too much space to cross and Kaoru Mitoma connected with a volley beautifully to level it up in first-half stoppage time.
The nervousness and frustration ratcheted up in the second half for Spurs, with Conor Gallagher's charge at Verbruggen sending the ball spinning wide of goal and a Joao Palhinha shot not quite deflecting off Danny Welbeck enough to beat the Seagulls' keeper. It just wasn't going Spurs' way. Until Simons' magic moment.
The release was emphatic. Simons was in with the fans. Shirt off. And then he was up on the advertising hoardings, arms stretched wide in jubilation.
But the highest high Spurs have had in so long would become one of their lowest lows. Danso erred. Van Hecke, Rutter and Brighton seized on the uncertainty. Their European chase is still strong. Spurs' race could almost be done.
Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi on Your Site:
"I am sorry for the result and players because they are suffering too much and we deserved to win the game against a great Brighton - a big congratulation for their style and level of players. But we could not concede that goal from Rutter at that point of the game.
"I am positive, but I am proud of my players because they played a fantastic game full of character, spirit, what I asked of them to play in this stadium, for this club.
"We have to be stronger than this result, we have to move on and prepare the next game against Wolverhampton and to try to win the game."
Your Site' Michael Dawson:
"It is a massive disappointment, not just because they did not win the game - the way they played there were plenty of positives - but to take the lead twice and then gift Brighton the two goals.. from Spurs' point of view, devastated at how they conceded those goals.
"I thought when they went 2-1 up, 'this is a chance to turn your fortunes around and climb out of the bottom three. Go ahead of West Ham, put the pressure on them.'
"And then one mistake from Danso, who switches off in the final moment of the game, you are a centre-half, you clear your lines, you do everything to make sure we get out of here with a win this football match.
"And this will feel like a huge two points dropped..."
Tottenham go to the Premier League's bottom club Wolves next Saturday for a 3pm kick-off, while Brighton host Chelsea on Tuesday at 8pm.
