Our aim of making the top eight of the league phase of the UEFA Europa League took a huge step forward with a big 3-2 win at Hoffenheim on Thursday evening.

We started brilliantly at the PreZero Arena and led 2-0 inside 23 minutes thanks to goals from James Maddison (three minutes) and Heung-Min Son (22). We could have been out of sight by half-time as further chances came and went to Sonny, Richarlison, Pedro Porro and Lucas Bergvall.

Hoffenheim ramped up the pressure at the start of the second half, had a penalty awarded but then reversed by VAR and pulled a goal back via Anton Stach on 68 minutes. Sonny restored our two-goal advantage on 77 minutes, a trademark shift and finish, but the home side wouldn’t let go and made it 3-2 with a minute left, David Mokwa heading home.

That was the last of the scares, however, and victory means we sat fourth on the final whistle, with further MD7 results to follow this evening. The top eight progress automatically to the Round of 16, avoiding a two-leg play-off in February. We face Elfsborg in our final league phase match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next Thursday, 30 January (8pm).

More to follow…