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

Yellow Advertiser

It’s okay for Ange as Spurs hit back in style

Submitted by daniel on Sat, 19/10/2024 - 17:57

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United – Premier League – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Reaction

Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 West Ham United

Ange Postecoglou needed a response, and he got one!

Off the back of a wretched defeat at Brighton before the International break, the Lilywhites found themselves trailing to a Mohammed Kudus goal as capital rivals West Ham United looked set to rub salt in an already gaping wound.

However, goals from Dejan Kulusevski, Yves, Bissouma, a Jean-Clair Todibo own-goal, and one from Heung Min Son turned the tide Tottenham’s way and relieved some of the criticism aimed at teh Australian in recent weeks.

“It was very good,” the Spurs boss beamed.

“Even the first half we had to work pretty hard, it was a bit of an arm wrestle. They’re a big, physical team and you have to match them in certain areas.

“Obviously, disappointing to concede but we worked our way back into the game and had some good chances in the late first half and got our rewards for it.

“Second half we went up a gear and again I thought our football was excellent but we did some of that hard stuff we needed to do to gain control, particularly in the midfield area and it gave us a good platform.”

Postecoglou failed to beat West Ham, Chelsea or Arsenal during his first season in charge. On securing the success, he added: “I guess so when you put it in that frame of reference.

“It’s important for our fans for sure because these are the games they want to feel good about and win obviously. Personally, for me, any game we win I get equal joy out of it as I’ve always said.

“Part of the kind of momentum we built in the second half came through the edge the supporters gave us, especially after the second goal you could really feel the atmosphere inside the stadium lift and that pushed us along and we had a fifteen-twenty-minute spell where we were outstanding.

“It goes hand in hand. We need the supporters especially at home to provide but to be able to provide we need to give them something in return. Today is hopefully a little bit of a reward for our fans.”

Yellow Advertiser