Tottenham Hotspur bolstered their credentials as an established top four side as they secured Champions League qualification for a third straight season, overcoming a late scare to finish third in the league table.
A fairly easy set of opening fixtures meant Spurs were off to a good start, with the defeat against Chelsea their only blot in the opening nine games, but they soon hit a blip in form that left them outside the top four for large portions of the campaign.
It was not until the festive period that Spurs finally hit top form but with Chelsea also in good nick, Mauricio Pochettino's side were pushed all the way up to the closing weeks of the campaign in the top four race.
A crucial win over the Blues finally handed them the initiative, and despite a couple of poor results late on, Spurs did just enough to hold onto their Champions League qualification spot and climb above Liverpool, thanks to three straight wins in their final three home games at Wembley.
While another top four spot represents a successful campaign for Spurs, their ability to win trophies has been called into question.
They failed to capitalise on their commanding position in the Champions League Round of 16 tie against Juventus, and suffered a narrow defeat against Manchester United in the FA Cup, while there was an early exit from the League Cup.
Despite Spurs being without two of their first choice defenders in Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose for large portions of the campaign, the replacements were more than adequate as Tottenham ended the season with the third best defensive record.
Meanwhile, Pochettino's side continued to impress at the other end with Harry Kane top scoring with 30 goals, while Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and Heung Min-Son also impressed, though they will need to perform on a more consistent basis if they are to emerge as genuine title challengers next season.
