A 5-0 Boxing Day win over Bournemouth lifted Spurs above Manchester City into second but it was their failure to put this match to bed while they were on top that ultimately cost them at Wembley.
Harry Kane gave the home side the lead with a wonderful strike midway through the first half and Spurs - after scoring 11 goals in their last two matches - might have expected to kick on and subject Wolves to another hammering.
But the home side could not add to their tally despite dominating possession and Wolves produced a stunning second-half revival, with Raul Jimenez and Helder Costa finding the net after Willy Boly had equalised with the visitors’ first shot on target, ending Tottenham's five-match winning run in the league.o's side have looked cpable of scoring with every attack of late and, after Dele Alli sent an effort harmlessly over from the edge of the area, they drew a superb save from Rui Patricio with a bending Christian Eriksen strike from 20 yards.
The opener arrived in the 22nd minute, when Kane curled a wonderful left-footed effort beyond the Portugal goalkeeper from outside the box, although Wolves will feel aggrieved that play was not stopped for a potential foul on Ivan Cavaleiro in the build-up.
Goalscoring opportunities were a rarity early in the second half but the match started to threaten an unlikely twist 20 minutes in, when Cavaleiro was sent clean through on goal only to be chased down and dispossessed by the backtracking Davinson Sanchez.
That opening came during a period of Wolves pressure, causing the nerves to jangle for Spurs.
Those nerves proved well-founded when Boly headed home from a Joao Moutinho corner in the 72nd minute and Jimenez then squeezed a finish inside Hugo Lloris’s right-hand post to leave Pochettino's men stunned.
And things got worse for Spurs before the final whistle, with Costa curling a neat finish around Lloris three minute from time to complete a memorable triumph for Wolves, who climb to seventh in the Premier League.
What does it mean? Damaging defeat for Spurs
Spurs have been touted as realistic title challengers in recent weeks and their thumping victories over Everton and Bournemouth only enhanced that view. But a home defeat to Wolves undoes some of the hard work that put them in the mix and this could be a result they come to rue at the end of the season.
