The spate of mid-table English teams going far in watered-down European competitions has produced memories which will last a lifetime for disbelieving fans. But another natural consequence might be the methodical normalisation of those sides losing in the Premier League.

When Ange Postecoglou actively and justifiably sacrificed any pretence of Spurs seriousness on a domestic level to focus on the Europa League in 2024/25, the upshot was a trophy, some iconic second-season prescience, two relegation battles and a run of eight wins and 25 defeats in 45 games across two Premier League seasons and multiple managerial reigns.

“When we got to the end of the January transfer window, I assessed our situation and made the decision there and then that this was the trophy we were going to go for,” said Postecoglou after trading domestic form for European silverware.

“Everything we’ve done since then in terms of training and teams I’ve selected has been about making sure that when the Europa games came around, we would be in the best possible position to tackle them. That’s come at a cost, for sure, in the league, and I’ve got to take some responsibility for that.”

The rotation which meant beaten finalists Manchester United won one of their last nine Premier League games in 2024/25 fostered a general numbness to defeat that persists to this day 17 months later, and which only abated briefly under an interim coach who could not prevent the complacency from creeping back in.

As Ruben Amorim, the architect of that managed drop in standards and expectations, said: “For me the biggest concern is that feeling that ‘it’s OK’. We are losing the feeling of we are a massive club and it’s the end of the world to lose a game at home.”

Spurs and Manchester United are just about big, rich and insulated enough to survive the enduring impact of getting players used to defeat, but most are simply not built to sustain that shift once the European distraction is removed.

Nottingham Forest understandably put their eggs in the Europa basket, but have won one of 11 Premier League games since the second leg of their semi-final defeat to Aston Villa, who have been strong enough to spin all plates without making any compromises.

The continental experience of Unai Emery has been invaluable in that regard.

But Pierre Sage’s apparent incompatibility to the Premier League has mixed potently with Crystal Palace’s desensitisation of losses to leave him drowning.

The Frenchman has been deeply uninspiring and ineffective since taking over in the summer. His selections and tactics have been poor. But there is slight mitigation in how he inherited a Crystal Palace team with three trophies since May 2025 and four Premier League wins since the middle of that December.

Palace are bottom of a table compiled of Premier League results since last season’s Conference League group stage ended; they have as many points in 30 games as West Ham in 22 across that period.

It was worth it for that night in Leipzig alone, but systematically denigrating the importance of a competition can be self-fulfilling; Sage would not be the first manager sacked for it, and likely won’t be the last as Premier League teams embrace the silverware chase with a little too much tunnel vision.