Ryan Mason: Tottenham cannot expect to compete with that sort of away record

Ryan Mason refused to defend Tottenham’s wretched away record after slipping to defeat at Aston Villa.

Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz scored for the home side as a 2-1 win moved them level on points with sixth-placed Spurs.

Harry Kane’s last-minute penalty added a flattering look to the scoreline, with Tottenham second best.

They have not won away since January or outside of London since October and are now clinging to a European spot with two games left.

“Many different things contribute to that. Ultimately it is not good enough for a club this size. You cannot expect to compete where we want to compete with that sort of record,” said Mason.

“It needs to improve. It needs to be a collective, it needs to be driven from all of us. It isn’t good enough. It is nowhere near the level we should be at and it needs to change.

“We’ve had a disappointing season in terms of where we are in the table but many other things as well. There probably hasn’t been that consistency, that alignment and that togetherness throughout the whole club.

“That is probably the most important thing going forward that we are going to change and I am absolutely confident that that will change. I believe that will happen.”

Villa have guaranteed a top half finish for the first time in 12 years and remain in the hunt for Europe.

“The victory is so important because the dream is alive,” Luiz told the club’s official site. “My dream, and our dream, is to play in Europe, and we continue.

“We have one more game at home, we’re so strong at home, in six games we haven’t lost, and we need to continue.

“The process is difficult; it’s training every day. It’s so hard, but I’m so happy to score in the game, with the free-kick.”