Tottenham Hotspur's inconsistencies bedevilled them once again as Adama Traore scored the only goal of the game in a crucial 1-0 win for Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.
The Spaniard - once linked with a move to the Lilywhites - volleyed home in the final 10 minutes to sink a Cristian Stellini-led Spurs, whose top-four chances suffered a significant blow while Wolves gave their survival prospects a massive boost.
There was little to write home about for Wolves fans in the opening exchanges, as Spurs dominated proceedings from the off and went close through Dejan Kulusevski in the 19th minute, but Jose Sa got a fingertip to the Swede's curling attempt.
All eyes would have been on the potentially volatile battle between the hot heads of Cristian Romero and Diego Costa, but the latter's first Premier League start for two months was brought to a cruel end in the 28th minute, as the veteran striker had to be stretchered off with a nasty-looking knee injury - Raul Jimenez assumed number nine duties in his place.
Spurs' momentum was ostensibly disrupted by injuries to Costa and Max Kilman - who was fine to carry on - but Sa had to be on hand once again to keep out Ivan Perisic's header from close range in the 41st minute.
Wolves survived an eight-minute period of added time at the end of the first half - during which Pedro Porro crashed a free kick against the bar - and it was then Son Heung-min's turn to rattle the woodwork in the 47th minute, with a small deflection helping the ball on its way to the frame of the goal.
Having survived several Spurs surges forward, Wolves grew into the contest as the hour mark approached, and Fraser Forster was called into action to beat away Jimenez's header in the 55th minute - four minutes after the Mexican's cross into the danger area just evaded Nelson Semedo for a tap-in.
With Harry Kane still starved of opportunities at one end of the field, Wolves captain Ruben Neves soon led a one-man barrage against the Lilywhites, forcing two saves from Forster in the 69th minute and sending a third speculative effort a whisker over the bar barely a minute later.
Clement Lenglet was a very lucky man in the 73rd minute, as Joao Moutinho intercepted a lax pass from the Frenchman and fed Jimenez, who in turn found Matheus Cunha in a good position inside the box, but the Brazilian lost his footing and sent an attempt harmlessly into the side netting.
However, Wolves' positive second-half showing would be rewarded through a former transfer target of Tottenham's, as Forster once again denied Jimenez in the 82nd minute, but Traore did brilliantly to volley the rebound into the back of the net via the crossbar.
Four minutes of added time were not enough for a dejected Tottenham to claw themselves back into the contest, but they remain four points clear of Newcastle United in the fourth and final Champions League place ahead of the second leg of their European last-16 tie versus AC Milan next Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Julen Lopetegui's team have temporarily jumped up two places into 13th before they tackle Newcastle next Sunday afternoon.
Ben Knapton
