Assistant coach Bruno Saltor has admitted Tottenham could not cope with the "weight" of the occasion after a damaging 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday left the club hovering just above the relegation zone.
Nottingham Forest compounded Tottenham's relegation fears with a 3-0 win in north London while Aston Villa strengthened their Champions League ambitions with a 2-0 victory over West Ham in Premier League action on Sunday.
Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira has hailed his side's spirit and resilience after they edged Midtjylland on penalties to reach the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday night.
Xavi Simons wasted no time shifting his focus back to domestic matters after a standout European night, underlining the urgency of Tottenham's Premier League run-in.
Nottingham Forest's global head of football Edu Gaspar has been told to stay away from the club's stadium and training ground as uncertainty grows over his future.
Manchester City were held 2-2 by Nottingham Forest in their Premier League encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday to dent their title hopes.