Spurs (L) and Blackpool players tussle for the ball during the game that ended 1-1 

EUROSPORT

A Jermain Defoe screamer gave Tottenham Hotspur a 1-1 draw at home to Blackpool, a result that all-but ends Spurs' Champions League hopes but that takes Ian Holloway's side out of the Premier League relegation zone.

However, Manchester City’s quest for fourth spot suffered a dent when they lost 2-1 at Everton, while West Ham’s survival chances also suffered a set back when they could only draw 1-1 at home to Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle beat 10-man Birmingham 2-1 and Bolton slipped up 1-2 at home to Sunderland.

But back at White Hart Lane, Adam - who almost joined Spurs in January and should not have been on the pitch after a late tackle that left Gareth Bale with a potentially serious ankle injury - thrashed home 76th-minute a spot-kick awarded only seconds after Heurelho Gomes had saved his first penalty.

That initial penalty was controversial: Michael Dawson clearly handled but he was just as clearly pushed as he flew into the ball.

Gomes’s stop from Adam’s low spot-kick was as brilliant as his subsequent flap and foul on Gary Taylor-Fletcher ludicrous: goal-line calls notwithstanding, errors from the blundering Brazilian have now cost Spurs three of their last five matches.

But with the clock ticking down Defoe latched on to a pass from Luka Modric to thrash a sublime shot from outside the box that flew into the bottom right.

Spurs will see it as two points lost as they sit on the brink of failure to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition - Manchester City had given them half a chance by losing to Everton but only need draw with the North London side in midweek to ensure fourth place.

Blackpool, meanwhile, move out of the drop zone on goal difference, returning Wigan to 18th slot.

On evidence of the first half it was difficult to tell which side were competing for a European place and which fighting the drop.

Spurs were clearly a touch below par but Blackpool were crisp and dangerous with their passing, helped by a slick White Hart Lane pitch as they kept the ball well.

The hosts had a few half-chances - Dawson and Modric sending deflected shots wide - but the best opportunities fell to Holloway’s men midway through the first half.

First Gomes showed his shot-stopping ability to keep out Adam’s spectacular volley, DJ Campbell’s follow-up deflected wide, while from Adam’s resultant corner Sergei Kornilenko pounded a free-header over when he really should have scored.

Spurs, meanwhile, got much of their joy from the left flank as Bale and makeshift full-back Danny Rose enjoyed time and space to put in some brilliant low balls that were respectively missed by Rafael van der Vaart and tipped away by Matt Gilks.

In between there was another decent save from Gomes, again keeping Adam out after his shot was deflected, with the goalless half-time score fair given the relative lack of opportunity.

A draw was ultimately the fair result: with Redknapp a public critic of the Europa League, Spurs will turn their attentions to Bale, while Blackpool are in the situation of being the masters of their own destiny: a home win against Bolton Wanderers may well set them up for a final day of the season against a Manchester United side with both eyes on the Champions League final.