Spurs can’t shake losing habit

Tottenham may have been hammered by Chelsea in last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final, but they left Wembley with two valuable commodities: an excuse and a burning sense of injustice.

The reason for their 5-1 defeat was not, according to Harry Redknapp or his players, their inability to defend properly — instead, it was the decision of referee Martin Atkinson to award Chelsea’s second goal despite replays showing Juan Mata’s shot had not crossed the line.

No matter that they scored almost immediately after that goal, before wilting in such dramatic fashion; it was the referee, of course.