Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur – Premier League – Selhurst Park – Report
Crystal Palace 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Jekyll and Hyde Tottenham found themselves on the wrong end of the result as struggling hosts Crystal Palace snatched a surprise Premier League victory thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s first-half goal at Selhurst Park.
Following back-to-back victories in the league and Europa League, Tottenham headed to South London as firm favourites against a Palace side without a win to their name all season.
Lilywhites boss, Ange Postecoglou recognised the potential banana skin: “It’s always dangerous in the Premier League,” he explained.
“You just mentioned the Brighton game, and there’s never a game when you go in thinking it’s going to be a comfortable afternoon or evening. Especially away from home, the Premier League is always challenging.
“They’re going through a tough spell. I have no doubt they’ll get out of it because they do have some quality in the front third and they’re a hard-working team. I think for us what’s important is that we’re on a good run, we’ve been on a good run for a while, and we want to continue that. And the basis of that good run is how and we’re working and sticking to our principles.”
But Postecoglou’s warning seemingly fell upon deaf ears as his side slipped to their fourth defeat of the season.
The North Londoners fell behind just after the half-hour mark when Mateta fired Palace ahead following good work from Eberechi Eze.
Brennan Johnson deflected the ball against a post, while Palace keeper Dean Henderson saved from James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. However, Tottenham looked a pale shadow of the side that had thrashed West Ham a week previous.
Speaking after the match, a frustrated Postecoglou said: “It was a game which turned into, and it didn’t surprise me, a bit of a battle.
“Lots of stop, starting and standing around. We didn’t deal with that really well at all.
“We didn’t get to grips with just the nature of what was transpiring out there. It turned into a bit of a battle. They dealt with it better than we did.”
Spurs now turn their attention to the Carabao Cup where they face Manchester City 8ina last sixteen tie at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday, October 31 (8:15pm).
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Lacroix, Guehi (Capt), Chalobah, Mitchell, Lerma (Hughes 22′), Wharton (Kamada 88′), Munoz, Eze, Sarr (Nketiah 67′), Mateta Subs not used: Turner, Ward, Schlupp, Clyne, Kporha, Agbinone.
Booked: Mateta (foul), Munoz (foul)
Goals: Mateta 31′
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario, Pedro Porro, Romero (Capt), van de Ven, Udogie, Bissouma (Bentancur 87′), Maddison (Richarlison 62′), Kulusevski (Sarr 62′), Johnson, Solanke, Moore (Werner 62′) Subs not used: Forster, Dragusin, Davies, Gray, Bergvall
Booked: Kulusevski (foul), Johnson (foul), Van de Ven (foul)
Goals: None
Referee: Darren Bond
Assistants: Lee Betts and Steve Meredith
Fourth Official: Tim Robinson
VAR: Chris Kavanagh
Assistant VAR: Richard West