Match ends, Norwich City 0, Tottenham Hotspur 5.
Antonio Conte has said he ranks leading Tottenham back into the Champions League by finishing fourth as one of the best achievements of his career.
Spurs hammered Norwich 5-0 on the final day of the season to secure their return to Europe's top club competition at the expense of arch-rivals Arsenal.
Conte said taking over from Nuno Espirito Santo in November was among the biggest challenges he had faced.
"It's never positive to come into a team during the season," he said.
"For me it was a big challenge, maybe the biggest challenge in my career. When I stay at the top level as a coach, I wanted to prove myself in a different situation with a lot of problems to solve.
"I'm really satisfied. I want to thank my staff and my players. If we were able to reach this big achievement, it's because everyone gave everything."
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- Son shares Premier League Golden Boot with Salah
When Conte was appointed, Spurs were eighth in the table having suffered a miserable 3-0 home defeat by Manchester United, their fifth loss in seven league games, and appeared to be in disarray.
The Italian's reign has not been without its issues, of course, with February's reverse at home to Wolves spelling the first time Conte had lost three league games in a row since his days managing Atalanta in 2009.
And in March, when Spurs' 3-2 defeat by Manchester United was followed by Arsenal's win over Leicester, Conte's side sat six points adrift of the fourth-placed Gunners having played a game more.
But Tottenham stayed in the hunt and seized the momentum in the race for fourth with a 3-0 win in the north London derby on 12 May, and followed that with wins over Burnley and Norwich to seal a return to the Champions League after two seasons in Europe's lesser club competitions.
Conte, who has won four Serie A titles and a Premier League with Chelsea, said he believed Tottenham could finish fourth nine games ago, at the start of April.
"I was very clear with my players and the media. I said, 'Now I feel we are ready and can fight until the end'. It was the perfect moment. The players know very well our schedule. We made a paper with our games and it was a fantastic run apart from Brighton."
The 1-0 loss at home to Brighton was Spurs' only defeat in that nine-game run.
"We got fantastic results and now we're talking about the Champions League. It's great for everyone at Tottenham."
'I dreamed of Golden Boot as a child' - Son
Conte described Sunday as a "perfect day" with the feeling of Champions League qualification sweetened by Son Heung-min scoring twice to share the Premier League Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah.
Dejan Kulusevski's double, either side of a Harry Kane header, put Spurs in command at Carrow Road before Son struck twice.
The South Korean trailed the Liverpool forward by one goal going into the final game, but Salah's goal against Wolves ensured the two players ended up joint top scorers on 23 goals.
"It's incredible to have this award," said Son, who became the first player other than Kane to finish as Spurs' top league scorer since Emmanuel Adebayor in 2013-14.
"I can't believe it. I got really emotional. I dreamed of it as a child. Literally it's my in hands. I can't believe it.
"Until my goal, I was really frustrated that I missed big chances. I told the players I missed the easiest chances and scored one of the toughest tones. I didn't give up. I wanted to score today. The team helped me a lot at half-time. They wanted to help me, you could see it today.
"This season was a great lesson. Next season we can look forward to the Champions League. Everyone deserves to be there.
"Conte gives us so many different things. Before he came here, nobody believed we'd reach the Champions League."
Spurs can look forward to rubbing shoulders with Europe's elite once again, while Norwich must regroup after a miserable campaign and hope they can seal an immediate top-flight return, just as they did by winning last year's Championship.
Player of the match
Son Heung-minSon Heung-min
Norwich City
Avg
- Squad number22Player namePukkiAverage rating
4.94
- Squad number1Player nameKrulAverage rating
4.75
- Squad number2Player nameAaronsAverage rating
4.45
- Squad number17Player nameRashicaAverage rating
4.41
- Squad number45Player nameSpringettAverage rating
4.40
- Squad number5Player nameHanleyAverage rating
4.36
- Squad number3Player nameByramAverage rating
4.31
- Squad number19Player nameSørensenAverage rating
4.26
- Squad number20Player nameLees-MelouAverage rating
4.25
- Squad number30Player nameGiannoulisAverage rating
4.20
- Squad number10Player nameDowellAverage rating
4.20
- Squad number16Player nameNormannAverage rating
4.19
- Squad number6Player nameZimmermannAverage rating
4.19
- Squad number7Player nameRuppAverage rating
3.62
Tottenham Hotspur
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-minAverage rating
8.72
- Squad number21Player nameKulusevskiAverage rating
8.50
- Squad number27Player nameLucas MouraAverage rating
8.42
- Squad number10Player nameKaneAverage rating
8.36
- Squad number23Player nameBergwijnAverage rating
8.13
- Squad number30Player nameBentancurAverage rating
8.07
- Squad number1Player nameLlorisAverage rating
7.79
- Squad number33Player nameDaviesAverage rating
7.75
- Squad number15Player nameDierAverage rating
7.74
- Squad number19Player nameRyan SessegnonAverage rating
7.71
- Squad number8Player nameWinksAverage rating
7.59
- Squad number6Player nameD SánchezAverage rating
7.50
- Squad number12Player nameEmerson RoyalAverage rating
6.68
- Squad number5Player nameHøjbjergAverage rating
6.38
Line-ups
Norwich
Formation 5-4-1
- 1Krul
- 2Aarons
- 3ByramBooked at 15minsSubstituted forZimmermannat 36'minutes
- 5Hanley
- 19Sørensen
- 30Giannoulis
- 10DowellSubstituted forSpringettat 61'minutesBooked at 74mins
- 16NormannBooked at 31mins
- 20Lees-MelouSubstituted forRuppat 71'minutes
- 17Rashica
- 22Pukki
Substitutes
- 6Zimmermann
- 7Rupp
- 11Placheta
- 18Tzolis
- 28Gunn
- 40Tomkinson
- 42Gibbs
- 45Springett
- 46Rowe
Tottenham
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Lloris
- 6D Sánchez
- 15Dier
- 33Davies
- 12Emerson RoyalSubstituted forBergwijnat 73'minutes
- 5Højbjerg
- 30BentancurSubstituted forWinksat 73'minutes
- 19R Sessegnon
- 21KulusevskiSubstituted forLucas Mouraat 68'minutes
- 7Son Heung-minBooked at 85mins
- 10Kane
Substitutes
- 8Winks
- 14Rodon
- 22Gollini
- 23Bergwijn
- 27Lucas Moura
- 42White
- 44Scarlett
- 45Devine
- 51Craig
- Referee:
- Chris Kavanagh
- Attendance:
- 27,022
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home40%
- Away60%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away19
- Shots on Target
- Home0
- Away13
- Corners
- Home3
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Norwich City 0, Tottenham Hotspur 5.
Post update
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Grant Hanley (Norwich City).
Post update
Attempt missed. Christoph Zimmermann (Norwich City) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Milot Rashica with a cross following a set piece situation.
Post update
Foul by Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Teemu Pukki (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Steven Bergwijn.
Post update
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Christoph Zimmermann (Norwich City).
Booking
Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Tony Springett (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Max Aarons (Norwich City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Steven Bergwijn (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Dimitris Giannoulis (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Lucas Moura tries a through ball, but Harry Kane is caught offside.
Goal!
Goal! Norwich City 0, Tottenham Hotspur 5. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner following a set piece situation.
Post update
Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Love it
3 wins in the last 3 Inc' v Arsenal
13 prem wins this calendar year
inc' away win v City & away draw v Pool.4th place Well deserved,Conte Mentality.
North London rightly celebrates. Great to see Son top joint score. Well deserved.
Conte legend already. COYS
Arsenal - Chumps
High 5 to that.
Golden Boot to Son awesome.
We love you Tottenham we do
Oh Tottenham we love you.
Back in Champions League again well deserved. Exciting times ahead.
Oh & Happy annual Woolwich Day yet again. Battered 3-0.
COYS