Tottenham Hotspur narrowly avoided relegation on the final day of the Premier League season, with their campaign concluding in relief rather than celebration.

Defender Micky van de Ven described the club’s late fight for survival as both “unacceptable” and “embarrassing”, expressing his frustration that Tottenham’s fate went down to the wire.

Spurs managed to secure their top-flight status with a 1-0 victory over Everton at home, a result that ensured they stayed up while rivals West Ham United’s 3-0 win against Leeds United proved meaningless in the relegation battle.

Speaking to BBC’s Match of the Day, Van de Ven, who captained Tottenham in the absence of injured skipper Cristian Romero, said: “It is unacceptable that the last game we played this season we play for relegation. This club has some unbelievable players. It was embarrassing to let it come to the final day, but we did it, and that is what is important.”

He added: “To be honest, I was more emotional at the end of the final whistle. It has been a tough season for me personally as well. I played almost every game, and I have suffered a lot. The emotions are really happy, and we must not let it happen again.”

Midfielder Joao Palhinha, who scored the decisive goal against Everton, expressed optimism that Tottenham would improve next season. He reacted quickest to a rebound just before half-time, turning in the winner after his initial header struck the post.

The Portuguese international praised the team’s unity and emphasised that the experience would help the club grow stronger after a turbulent campaign. “A lot of things happened this season but we showed today what we can do. After a bad season like this one, we showed up as a collective and had amazing support from the fans,” Palhinha told Sky Sports.

He continued: “The club will grow up with this season and we know what we have to do in the future. It's a big pleasure to play here with a top coach and top team-mates. We have to celebrate even if we didn't finish the position we deserve as Tottenham.”

Palhinha, who has often stepped up in key moments this season, dedicated his match-winning goal to his family. “It was just a goal,” he said. “I just tried to help the team. I had a lot of emotions and wanted to dedicate it to my two sons and my parents.”