Preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace

At risk of setting a new record for their longest-ever Premier League winless run, Tottenham Hotspur host Crystal Palace on Thursday night in their third straight London derby.

The Lilywhites are now without a victory in 10 top-flight games after Sunday's 2-1 loss to Fulham, although their visitors also suffered defeat by the same scoreline to Manchester United last time out.

Match preview

Two games into his reign, and Igor Tudor may have already had his Antonio Conte moment, having refused to hold back in an incendiary press conference following Sunday's excruciating loss at Craven Cottage.

The Croatian was understandably aggrieved at an apparent push from Raul Jimenez on Radu Dragusin going unpunished - one week on from Randal Kolo Muani being penalised for a similar incident against Arsenal - but he then lamented the "amazing" situation in which his team are 'lacking' in all thirds of the field.

Tudor's scathing assessment was not inaccurate given that Tottenham are still the only team without a Premier League win in 2026, and Sunday's failure saw them equal their longest streak without success in the competition, set all the way back in 1994.

Thankfully for the relegation-threatened Europa League winners, the failures of Nottingham Forest and West Ham United at the weekend means that their situation has not got any worse; they are still 16th in the Premier League table with a four-point gap to the drop zone, at least until this week's fixtures kick off.

However, reeling from four straight losses in the top division, no team is on a worse run of form than Tottenham at present, but there are no prizes for remembering who their most recent Premier League victory came against.

Thursday's tussle will pit together two managers destined to move on at the end of the season, as while Tudor's days at Tottenham are very likely numbered, Oliver Glasner's at Crystal Palace undoubtedly are.

Uncertainty over the Austrian's future perhaps contributed to the Eagles' appalling 12-game winless run between December and February, but the situation has looked a little rosier for the FA Cup holders of late, with three victories to show from their last six in all tournaments.

Crystal Palace were also on course to end Michael Carrick's unbeaten run as Man United manager at Old Trafford, as Maxence Lacroix stunned the Mancunian crowd just four minutes in, but the Frenchman's penalty concession and red card turned the contest on its head.

The 14th-placed visitors at least cannot drop any lower with another defeat on Thursday, and Glasner's men have suffered just one loss from their last nine Premier League London derbies away from home, which came against leaders Arsenal in October.

However, Palace were the victims of Tottenham's last Premier League success, as Thomas Frank's Spurs won 1-0 at Selhurst Park in December, but the Eagles came away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a 2-0 victory during the closing stages of 2024-25.

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Crystal Palace Premier League form:

Crystal Palace form (all competitions):

Team News

Tottenham were finally blessed with some good news on the injury front against Fulham, as Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro returned following their layoffs, but Djed Spence was ruled out before kickoff with a minor calf problem.

Whether Spence is cleared to face Palace remains to be seen, but none of Tottenham's other absentees - Destiny Udogie (thigh), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), Ben Davies (ankle), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), Rodrigo Bentancur (thigh), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), James Maddison (knee), Wilson Odobert (knee) and the suspended Cristian Romero - will be back for Thursday.

Spurs fans are crying out for Mathys Tel to be given a shot from the first whistle after his positive impact at Craven Cottage, while Richarlison has also made his case for a start after his eighth goal of the Premier League season at the weekend.

Tudor and Glasner can empathise over suspended centre-backs for Thursday's derby, as Lacroix will serve his one-game ban this week for his denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity at Old Trafford.

Chadi Riad should be drafted into Glasner's back three to cover for Lacroix, who takes his place on the sidelines with the injured Cheick Doucoure (knee), Eddie Nketiah (thigh), Jean-Philippe Mateta (knee) and Jefferson Lerma (thigh), but the latter two could be back at some point this month.

Jorgen Strand Larsen also looked a little worse for wear as he was taken off on the 58-minute mark against Man Utd, but there is nothing to suggest that the Scandinavian will not be fit to lead the line in North London.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Danso, Van de Ven, Dragusin; Porro, Sarr, Palhinha, Gray; Simons; Tel, Richarlison

Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:

Henderson; Canvot, Richards, Riad; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Johnson; Strand Larsen

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Crystal Palace

Predicting Tottenham to win a Premier League game in 2026 has been nigh on impossible so far, but the stage is set for the Lilywhites to finally turn their fortunes around - at least for 90 minutes.

Richarlison and Tel have shown potential up top, and with an inconsistent Palace missing the indispensable Lacroix, Tudor could make it third time lucky.