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Brentford have failed to win any of their four Premier League home games against Tottenham, with three consecutive draws being followed by a 2-0 defeat last season.

Tottenham have won their last four Premier League matches against Brentford and have only lost one in nine overall (W5 D3), a 3-1 defeat in May 2023.

Having won their first league game in five consecutive calendar years between 2020 and 2024, Brentford lost 3-1 at home to Arsenal on New Year’s Day 2025.

Tottenham have lost their first league game in two of the last three calendar years (D1), including a 2-1 home loss to Newcastle in 2025. They’ve not lost their opening league game in consecutive calendar years since 2008/2009.

Brentford are playing a London derby on New Year’s Day in the league for a fifth time (W2 D1 L1) – they drew 0-0 with Fulham in 1994, beat Dagenham and Redbridge in both 2008 and 2011 in League Two and lost 3-1 to Arsenal last year.

Brentford have won eight of their last 12 Premier League home games (D2 L2), including four of the last five. Since the start of that 12-game run in April, only Man City (11), Aston Villa (10) and Arsenal (9) have won more Premier League home games than the Bees.

Tottenham Hotspur have played eight London derbies on New Year’s Day in the league previously and only lost once (W5 D2), a 3-0 defeat to West Ham in 1983. In the Premier League, they’ve won both January 1st London derby games – a 1-0 win over Fulham in 2011 and 5-3 win over Chelsea in 2015.

Tottenham lost all four of their Premier League matches in January last season, one of three teams to do so, along with Wolves and Southampton. They’ve lost 10 of their last 16 January games (W5 D1), with their last win coming against Thomas Frank’s Brentford in 2024.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is set to return to Brentford, a team he managed for 278 league games between 2018 and 2025. He is the first former Bees manager to return there for a league game since Mark Warburton in November 2020 with QPR (a 1-2 defeat), with Warburton also the last former manager to win at the Bees (4-3 with Nottingham Forest in August 2017).

Kevin Schade netted three times in Brentford’s 4-1 win over Bournemouth last time out, as many goals as he’d netted in his previous 18 Premier League games. In doing so, he became the first German player to score more than one Premier League hat-trick.

Match of the Day pundit Joe Hart says Richarlison stood out for Tottenham Hotspur in a match where they were 'absolutely battered' by Crystal Palace, despite winning 1-0.

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Tottenham boss Thomas Frank spoke to BBC Match of the Day after his side's victory away at Crystal Palace: "Sometimes you need those margins to help you a little bit and that could have helped massively in a tight game. In the end we got over the line. The team showed great resilience today and I think the desire beat the details in the game, the desire just to win.

"I liked the discipline in the team, the way we gave very few transitions away which is the threat of Crystal Palace. The discipline to not give those away was good because that is what they want. We defended excellently, we gave maybe one chance away in open play and the rest was set pieces. In such a tight game to get the 1-0 win and a clean sheet, in a performance that is not perfect, is a massive thing."

On the side's resilience: "I don't think it's for me, they fight and they battle because they want to be a good team. They fight for each other, for the club, the staff, the fans most importantly. I liked the character and mentality in team today, there is so much to improve but you need to have that in the Premier League, especially away from home."

On Archie Gray's performance: "Very pleased for him. He shows a lot of character and there has been a lot of growth in him, no doubt about that, he just adds small layers. It's not like we are a fully free-flowing team yet, there have been a few bumps on the way, and he has been in the team and keeps doing well. Sometimes it is easier coming into a team where everything is working in a perfect way, so I think he shows that he has that resilience."

On the goal coming from a set-piece: "I think it's hugely important. It shows that one moment can decide the game. We've seen a lot of set piece goals this season from a lot of teams, so we work very hard on it. First and foremost the players need big praise because they are buying into it and understand how important it is."

On pressure easing after this win: "Every win is very nice. It was a good win, it instilled things in the character of the team which is important because that will get you through bad spells, but there is so much more we can improve."

Spurs goalscorer Archie Gray also spoke to BBC MOTD: "That is a huge win, it was really important that we came away with three points it's a really important game for us. It was a scrappy game but good that we have the three points."

On pressure from his teammates: "I wouldn't say it's pressure, we are frustrated. You can feel it from the fans and everyone. We know we can do better and we have been working hard to put that right."

On scoring his first senior goal: "It's incredible, I don't know how to sum it up. It's a feeling I have been waiting for a very long time. After 112 appearances, I will give myself leeway because of the positions [I have played] but it's an incredible feeling. I think my family will be bantering me about how I have only scored now."

While Thomas Frank has been unable to oversee a dramatic upturn in Tottenham's fortunes during an inconsistent start since his summer appointment, these important three points ensured there remains much to aim for in the second half of the campaign.

Spurs will begin the new year as they began 2025, positioned in the bottom half of the Premier League, as Frank attempts to put his stamp on his new team.

The former Brentford boss had celebrated just one win in the past eight league games – taking five points from a possible 24 - and, while a transition period was always going to be required, the toothless nature of some of those performances has contributed to fan frustration.

For the fifth time this season – a tally matched only by second-from-bottom Burnley – Spurs failed to attempt a shot in the opening 30 minutes of a Premier League match.

Following Archie Gray's crucial goal, they went another 30 minutes without registering an attempt before Wilson Odobert was inches away from securing the points.

But in a low quality contest, Frank's men showed the necessary grit and determination to seal a victory which he will hope can provide a springboard.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has named four changes following the Eagles' Carabao Cup quarter-final loss to Arsenal on Tuesday.

Dean Henderson returns in goal, while Nathaniel Clyne, Will Hughes and Justin Devenny are also given starts.

Eddie Nketiah, Jaydee Canvot and Walter Benitez drop to the bench, while Chris Richards misses out through injury.

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Clyne, Lacroix, Guehi, Mitchell, Lerma, Hughes, Wharton, Devenny, Pino, Mateta.

Subs: Benitez, Nketiah, Uche, Esse, Canvot, Sosa, Rodney, Drakes-Thomas, Benamar.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank names two changes from the team which lost to Liverpool last weekend.

Both are enforced following the red cards for Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero in that match, with Richarlison and Kevin Danso coming in.

Tottenham XI: Vicario, Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence, Gray, Bergvall, Bentancur, Kudus, Richarlison, Kolo Muani.

There are two games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

All kick-off times GMT

Follow all of the action and reaction here

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Both teams have got problems at the moment.

Crystal Palace have been feeling the effects of a heavy schedule, and at the moment their squad seems really stretched.

That's the main reason I am thinking Tottenham might get something at Selhurst Park and, let's face it, Thomas Frank really needs to.

Frank must be hoping the way his team played with nine men against Liverpool can kick-start his side's season, but I'm not sure that will happen.

I am certainly not going to back them to win this one, but I am hardly confident about Palace's chances either.

Sutton's prediction: 0-0

Wonderkid Wharton

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner refused to blame fatigue for the comprehensive defeat at Leeds in their most recent Premier League outing.

The Austrian lamented his team's defending in the 4-1 reverse and said they "fully deserved to lose", but did not acknowledge the fact that some of his key players looked more than a little jaded.

"I think we had the wrong mindset," added the 51-year old. "We lost every second ball."

The Elland Road result was the most recent example of Palace struggling after a European fixture and they have failed to win any of their six top-flight games this season following a match in the Conference League proper.

The Eagles will be glad then of a return to Selhurst Park, although they have also gone four home games without a victory in all competitions since a 3-1 success over Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar in early November.

Palace, however, have won their final league match of the calendar year in each of the past four seasons and they will expect to do so again when they take on Spurs, a side who they defeated twice in the Premier League in the previous campaign.

Adam Wharton has been integral to much of Palace's recent success and keeping him fit and at the club will be key to any future endeavours. The midfielder has started 15 of the club's 17 top-flight games this season and contributed three assists so far.

If Wharton keeps his place in side for this game, he will have made more Premier League starts for Crystal Palace than any other player aged 21 or under.

He is currently on 46, the joint-most for the Eagles alongside France international Michael Olise.

Spurs on the slide

Tottenham started the season unbeaten in eight away games in league and cup but those bright beginnings have faded. They have since failed to win any of their past five fixtures on the road in all competitions, losing four and drawing the other.

Spurs will seek to arrest that form without captain and defender Cristian Romero and attacking midfielder Xavi Simons after both were sent off during last weekend's defeat by Liverpool. Romero's red was his fifth as a Spurs player and first since November 2023 against Chelsea.

The Liverpool loss was Tottenham's fifth at home this season and performances in front of their own supporters have been largely lacklustre for quite some time. The overall picture this season also evokes negativity when it is compared to 2024-25. Spurs have fewer wins and fewer points, while they have scored 13 fewer goals than they had at this stage in the previous campaign.

On Jean-Philippe Mateta's knee issue: "He is coping really well. We have a great medical department. There is no risk at all - we would never take any risk."

On his players' response to their crowded schedule: "Mixed feelings to be honest. Of course, it was maybe the worst performance of this season against Leeds. Maybe we have to accept it, with all the games. This can happen."

On the role of the Christmas break: "It's important for everyone. We always try to find these days. Sometimes it's not so easy. Everybody visits family. Spending time with them, you start thinking about different things and that's important. There are different topics to talk about. Hopefully everybody is not talking too much about football - I hope the same [for myself] when I go home!"

On Sunday's opponents: "It's a great team, a very good manager there. To win against them we have to show a great performance. Like every single Premier League game, it'll be a nice challenge for us."

On how he would advise a coach about managing fixture congestion: "Do it differently than we did. Since 22 November, we played every third game with no training sessions - it made it difficult. It's not the perfect situation. But there is no other solution. You just play and rest and prepare on the screen. When we meet on the 26th, it's not possible to do a high intensity session. Resting, resting, resting. The best thing is to win a game, and then you get confidence."