Alan Shearer has included two Tottenham players in his Premier League team of the week following their narrow 1-0 away win at Crystal Palace.
Tottenham Hotspur went into Sunday’s trip to Selhurst Park knowing the pressure on Thomas Frank was high, after back-to-back league defeats against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.
While the performance itself did little to answer any long-term questions, the result and the 3 points mattered far more, especially against a side that completed a league double over Spurs last season.
Palace had the better of large spells, yet it was Tottenham who struck first, even if Richarlison’s early finish was ruled out by VAR for offside.
The Brazilian was involved again just before half-time though, turning provider for Archie Gray, whose goal ultimately settled the contest.
Another Richarlison effort was chalked off later on, but Spurs held firm, helped by encouraging late cameos from Wilson Odobert and Joao Palhinha, to secure a clean sheet and preserve the best away record in the Premier League heading into the end of 2025.
Alan Shearer thinks Kevin Danso was key for Tottenham
Premier League all-time top scorer Alan Shearer named his team of the week for matchday 18, and the former Newcastle United striker made room for two Tottenham players following their win in South London.
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One of those was Kevin Danso, a player who has largely had to settle for a supporting role this season. His afternoon could have unravelled early on after picking up a yellow card inside five minutes, an incident that was not far away from becoming something far worse.
From there, however, the Austrian defender grew into the game, finishing with 20 defensive contributions, including 3 tackles, a block and 16 clearances, the highest tally by any defender across the Premier League this week.
Writing on the official Premier League website, Shearer said, “A very solid game. Helped the visitors keep a first away clean sheet since October.”
Archie Gray earns praise after unforgettable first Premier League goal
Shearer also included Archie Gray in his four-man midfield, alongside Ryan Cherki, Martin Odegaard and Florian Wirtz.
Beyond scoring the winner, Gray played a key role in maintaining Tottenham’s defensive shape, even if he did not see as much of the ball as you would typically expect from a central midfielder, but the 19-year-old repeatedly found himself in the right areas inside his own box, clearing loose balls and cutting out through passes at important moments.
On Gray, Shearer wrote, “Scored his first ever senior goal and, better yet, it proved to be the winner. He will never forget this moment.”