Tottenham Hotspur interim head coach Ryan Mason has admitted that there is a lack of "togetherness" within the club following their 2-1 Premier League defeat to European rivals Aston Villa.
The Lilywhites' fleeting hopes of Champions League football were extinguished in the West Midlands, where Unai Emery's side were fully deserving of their narrow success.
Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz both netted for the Lions before Harry Kane's penalty reduced the deficit heading into added time, but it was too little too late for Tottenham to spark a comeback.
With Manchester United and Newcastle United both winning on Saturday, Tottenham are officially out of the top-four race, sitting nine points below the Red Devils with just two games remaining.
The North London club's on-field misfortune coincides with continued turmoil off the field regarding the sporting director and managerial situation amid reports that Julian Nagelsmann is no longer a contender to become Spurs' next head coach.
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The travelling fans chanted for under-fire chairman Daniel Levy to leave the club at various points during Saturday's game, although Mason is "absolutely confident" that Tottenham will soon pull together and create harmony within the club.
"Obviously we've had a disappointing season in terms of where we are in the table but also many other things. There probably hasn't been that consistency, that alignment, that togetherness throughout the whole club," football.london quotes Mason as saying.
"That's probably the most important thing going forward that we're going to change. I'm absolutely confident that will change. Football can change very quickly. When you've got people here that care about the club and want to make it better I believe that will happen.
"We can't hide from the fact that we are where we are. It's a difficult moment, but at the same time everyone is pulling together and trying to create a togetherness now and going forward and ultimately results change that on the pitch for sure, but the environment that you set within is probably the most important thing."
Saturday's defeat continued a miserable run of results on the road for Tottenham, who are now winless in nine successive away games since a 3-0 FA Cup third-round win over Preston North End in January.
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Mason was at a loss to explain Tottenham's unsightly record on the road, although he admitted that the alarming statistic was "not good enough" for a club of Spurs' stature.
"Many different things contribute to that, but ultimately it's not good enough for a club this size. And you can't expect to be competing where we want to compete and have that sort of record," Mason added.
"So that needs to improve. That needs to be a collective, that needs to be driven from all of us. But it isn't a good enough stat and it needs to change."
Tottenham were also dealt a double injury blow before the game with the absences of Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga, and Mason could not guarantee that either man would return before the end of the season.
Spurs remain sixth in the table for the time being, but Villa have now moved level on points with Mason's side, who could drop below Brighton & Hove Albion if the Seagulls pull off a shock win at Arsenal on Sunday.
Tottenham's final home game of the season sees the Lilywhites host Brentford in next Saturday's London derby before they meet Leeds United at Elland Road in gameweek 38.
Ben Knapton
