Antonio Conte cuts frustrated figure as toothless Tottenham draw at Brentford

The north London derby on 12 May looms ever larger for Tottenham. Just when it seemed fourth place and a return to the Champions League was within their grasp, they revert to unreliable type. Spurs handed back the advantage to Arsenal by making it just a single point collected from a possible six.

Way out in west London, Spurs were low on energy and cohesion, Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski in attack isolated from a midfield swamped by Brentford’s greater numbers and zest. It was impossible not to consider how different matters might have been had Christian Eriksen been the Tottenham playmaker supplying his former teammates a quality of chance they struggled to find all evening.

Arsenal’s chaotic wins over Chelsea and Manchester United had ratcheted up the pressure. A combination of those results and last week’s defeat to Brighton left Tottenham needing victory against opposition whose plan is making life as difficult possible for their opponents. Thomas Frank’s team had won their last two London derbies in a run of five wins from six.

Spurs had further capital concerns, having won just one of their last 11 London derbies. Antonio Conte had made one change from Brighton, swapping in Ryan Sessegnon for Sergio Reguilón in the left wing-back role vacated by Matt Doherty’s long-term injury. The latter, once a fringe player, appears to be sorely missed.

Where pressure envelops Spurs, Brentford are in a sweet spot. Relegation is a discarded worry and Eriksen has added magic to a team willing to run through a brick wall for Thomas Frank. These are the days of their fans’ lives and Brentford had won the five previous games the Dane had started. Among the away supporters, Eriksen’s name was received with a