THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MANCHESTER, England — Tottenham qualified for the Champions League for the first time Wednesday, Peter Crouch’s late headed goal clinching a 1-0 victory over Manchester City and a top-four finish in the Premier League at the expense of City.
Man City goalkeeper Marton Fulop parried Younes Kaboul’s cross to Crouch, who sent the ball into the net in the 82nd minute.
"For a club like us to break into the top four is a fantastic achievement — it’s probably one of the best nights I’ve been part of," said Crouch, who made his first league start since March. "I was in the right place at the right time. The ‘keeper made a good save and I was in the right place just to nod it home."
Tottenham has 70 points, four more than fifth-place City with one round left in the season. Spurs can still finish third and avoid a playoff to reach the Champions League group stage if they beat Burnley on Sunday and north London rival Arsenal loses at home to Fulham.
The win completes a dramatic turnaround for Tottenham, which was facing relegation from the Premier League 16 months ago. If Spurs have to negotiate a playoff and succeed, they will be back in the European Cup for the first since 1962.
"It’s been a terrific season for us, we’ve played some great football along the way and we deserve it," said manager Harry Redknapp, who took charge in October 2008 with Spurs bottom. "We picked an attacking team and took a big gamble. We were one point in front — we could have played 4-5-1 but went for it."
But it leaves City manager Roberto Mancini facing an uncertain future. The Italian’s predecessor, Mark Hughes, was fired in December following a loss to Tottenham that left the owners fearful of missing out on the top four.
"I think I will stay here," Mancini said. "I’m not a magician. I don’t have a magic wand. We tried and we worked very hard for this. I’m disappointed because we lost this game and we didn’t deserve to. We have been very unlucky in some games."
Spurs have won 11 of their last 11 league encounters with City, but they faced a barrage of early pressure from the home side’s powerful strike force for much of the first half and had goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes to thank for keeping the score level.
Having recovered after injuring his groin in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Bolton, Gomes denied Carlos Tevez after the Argentina striker made an early burst forward.
And the Brazilian made two decisive interventions toward the end of the half — producing a low two-handed save to thwart Adam Johnson’s strike from outside the area and pushing the ball wide when Gareth Bale nearly turned it into his own net.
It took nearly 20 minutes before Tottenham threatened to score, with Crouch’s diving header from Bale’s cross slamming against the back post.
From another cross from Bale on the left flank, Ledley King headed into the net in the 21st. But the captain was adjudged to be jumping all over Gareth Barry and the goal was disallowed.
City was rocked by the loss of Barry early in the second half with a minor ankle problem. But the club doesn’t belief the England midfielder’s injury is serious with five weeks to go before the World Cup starts.
Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe’s first real contribution came in the 56th minute. He hit a shot with the outside of his boot but it was blocked by Fulop, the former Tottenham goalkeeper who was signed by City last week on an emergency loan following Shay Given’s season-ending injury.
The breakthrough should have come in the 71st, but Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s low cross into the box was missed by both Defoe and Crouch.
Crouch missed a golden opportunity shortly afterward when his close-range header was directed straight down at Fulop’s legs.
But after Kaboul outmuscled Bellamy down the right, his cross was parried by Fulop straight to Crouch and the England striker hit the target with the rebound.
It ensured Tottenham is the first team to gatecrash the traditional top four of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool since 2005, when Everton went on to fail to advance from the Champions League qualifying round.
Spurs are taking the place of Liverpool, who they beat on the opening weekend of the season.
In Wednesday’s other match, Fulham prepared for its Europa League final against Atletico Madrid next Wednesday by losing 1-0 at home to Stoke after Matthew Etherington’s late goal.