Kamaldeen Sulemana and Southampton Relegated After Tottenham Defeat

• Apr 06, 2025

Kamaldeen Sulemana's Southampton team was officially relegated from the Premier League after a 3-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur, setting a new record for the earliest relegation in league history. With seven games left in the season, Southampton became the first Premier League side to be relegated so early, surpassing the previous record of six games.

The match, held in North London, saw Brennan Johnson score twice for Spurs. His first goal came in the 13th minute when he converted a cut-back from Djed Spence. Just before halftime, in the 42nd minute, Johnson struck again, heading in a pass from James Maddison.

Though Southampton made a late effort to get back into the game, scoring through Mateus Fernandes in the 90th minute, it wasn’t enough. Mathys Tel sealed Spurs’ win with a penalty in added time, following a foul on Johnson. The penalty made it 3-1, ensuring Southampton’s relegation.

Despite pre-match protests from Spurs fans against chairman Daniel Levy and manager Ange Postecoglou, the home side started brightly. Spurs created chances early on, with Johnson and Lucas Bergvall causing problems for the Southampton defense. Tottenham's Cristian Romero also had a strong header saved by Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Southampton had a rare opportunity when Sulemana hit the post with a shot that was deflected by Spurs defender Pedro Porro. However, Spurs quickly took control, with Johnson netting his 10th goal of the season.

Romero had another attempt saved, and Bergvall thought he had scored after a knock-down from a free-kick, but it was ruled offside after a VAR review.

In the second half, Southampton improved, holding more possession, but they couldn’t break down Spurs’ defense. Fernandes’ late goal gave them a glimmer of hope, but it was not enough to prevent their relegation.

With only 10 points, Southampton now faces the possibility of finishing with fewer points than Derby County’s record-low 11 in the 2007-08 season. Tottenham’s win lifted them to 13th place with 37 points.