Tottenham Hotspur have not won a game in the Premier League since stopping the hemorrhaging in their last terrible run of form with a 1-0 squeak of a victory over a Crystal Palace side in turmoil on Dec. 28. This Thursday, Spurs will face that same Eagles side once more in another state of crisis, coming off brutal losses to London rivals Arsenal and Fulham.
As if the moment could not get any bigger or more important for a Spurs side set to face former Europa League Final hero Brennan Johnson for the first time after selling him this winter transfer window, Spurs now have the opportunity to move up in the tense Premier League relegation battle.
Leeds United just lost 1-0 to fellow Premier League returnees Sunderland, once again reenforcing the idea that they have one of the least talented squads in the Premier League. But they are still two points ahead of Spurs despite a significantly worse goal difference at -11.
Tottenham can jump ahead of Leeds
So Tottenham have a can't miss opportunity to at least move into 15th, leapfrog Leeds, and give themselves potentially more breathing room over a West Ham United side that just got shellacked 5-2 by reigning champions Liverpool over the Premier League weekend.
Tottenham have, if anything, looked even worse than West Ham and Leeds in recent weeks, so Igor Tudor has to finally get a win for Spurs as interim manager. Failing to get three points against Crystal Palace this week would be nearly a disaster, and Spurs have to start proving they can take advantage of other teams slipping up.
This is all about survival at this point, and even though Spurs finished 17th last season in the Premier League for their worst ever league finish, a relegation fight is unfamiiliar territory for them. They were never at risk of going down in 2024/25 due to the sheer futility of the Premier League newcomers at the time, but clubs like Sunderland and even Leeds have proven semi competent.
Tottenham vs. Crystal Palace is a rivalry matchup with a lot of stakes. Spurs have only obtained four points in their last 10 Premier League outings. Now, they must survive Oliver Glasner, Johnson, and the Eagles. No, they must do more than survive. They must win, and it is going to take all hands on deck to do so. Spurs supporters will see exactly what Tudor, hired to save them, is made of.