Tottenham Hotspur

Archie Gray’s first senior goal ensured our 2025 finished on a high note as we enjoyed a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.

The 19-year-old midfielder nodded home from close range shortly before half-time at a cold Selhurst Park for the only goal of the game on what was the 112th appearance of his fledgling career and 60th in our colours.

We had to weather the storm at times as Palace dominated for much of the game, although we did see two Richarlison goals disallowed for offside and hit the post through Wilson Odobert, but in the end we dug deep and ground out an important result to bring the curtain down on the year.

Thomas Frank made two enforced changes to the team that started against Liverpool last time time out – Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons were both suspended so Kevin Danso and Richarlison stepped in. Japan international defender Kota Takai took his place on the bench for the first time.

Palace had some promising moments in the opening quarter-of-an-hour without troubling Guglielmo Vicario, while we had the ball in the back of the net on 17 minutes, Richarlison tucking home a lovely low Pedro Porro cross but it was ruled out by VAR as Lucas Bergvall was offside in the build-up.

Jean-Philippe Mateta struck a right-footed drive just wide shortly afterwards before sending a header over from close range after Maxence Lacroix had nodded back across goal in the 27th minute. Ten minutes before the break Adam Wharton latched onto a stray Djed Spence pass deep inside his own half but his shot was comfortably saved by Vicario.

We’d been on the back foot for much of the half yet took the lead on 42 minutes thanks to Gray’s big moment. Pedro Porro’s deep corner was met at the back post by Randal Kolo Muani, Richarlison flicked it on and there was Gray to nod home from three yards out. It might have been his first senior goal but it’s unlikely he’ll score any easier in his career!

We took a slender lead into the interval but it was Palace quickly out of the blocks again at the start of the second half, Yeremy Pino with an early chance but his effort took a deflection for a corner, which came to nothing. They had a glorious opportunity to level on 55 minutes, Pino’s cross headed back into the six-yard box by Nathaniel Clyne only for Justin Devenny to blaze over with a shot on the turn.

Palace substitute Eddie Nketiah flashed a ball across the face of goal as the Eagles continued to press as the game entered its final quarter. Lacroix then glanced a header just wide before we fashioned our first effort on goal of the second period, Odobert cutting in off the left flank and curling a shot into the arms of Dean Henderson in the Palace goal. We thought we’d added a second with 15 minutes remaining, Richarlison tucking home a Mohammed Kudus cross on a breakaway, only for VAR to once again intervene and disallow it, our Brazilian forward this time offside. Richarlison then fired straight at Henderson as we started to see more attacking opportunities in the final minutes, with Odobert rifling a smart low effort against the post in another near miss.

In between those chances, there was a return to action for Radu Dragusin, coming off the bench for his first appearance since an ACL injury suffered in late January. That meant a back five to shore things up for the final minutes and, not only did we do just that, but almost added a second seven minutes into stoppage time when Pedro Porro cut back for Rodrigo Bentancur whose effort was well saved by Henderson. That was the last chance though as the whistle blew moments later, giving us three huge points on the road in front of our fantastic and noisy travelling fans.

We can confirm the starting line-ups and substitutes for our final game of 2025 away to Crystal Palace this afternoon (Sunday 28 December, 4.30pm UK).

Thomas Frank has made two enforced changes to our team with Kevin Danso and Richarlison coming in for Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons, both of whom are suspended after being sent off against Liverpool last weekend.

Japan international defender Kota Takai is in the squad for the first time following his summer arrival and subsequent injury problems. He’s on the bench alongside fellow centre-half Radu Dragusin, who returned to the matchday squad against Liverpool after missing the bulk of the calendar year following knee surgery.

Here’s our full line-up…

Starting XI: Vicario, Danso, Richarlison, Gray, Bergvall, Kudus, Pedro Porro, Spence, Bentancur, van de Ven (c), Kolo Muani.

Substitutes: Kinsky, Dragusin, Takai, Davies, Palhinha, Johnson, Odobert, Tel, Scarlett.

Hosts Crystal Palace line up as follows…

Starting XI: Henderson, Mitchell, Lacroix, Guehi (c), Lerma, Pino, Mateta, Clyne, Hughes, Wharton, Devenny.

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

Pape Matar Sarr was an unused substitute as Senegal drew with the DR Congo on matchday two of the Africa Cup of Nations.

A winner of the continental tournament with his nation in 2021, Pape was named amongst Senegal's substitutes for the second successive game as they faced their 2026 World Cup qualifying rivals once again.

A side they pipped to qualify for next year's tournament in North America earlier this season with Pape scoring a dramatic late winner as Senegal came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in the capital of Democratic Republic of Congo, the nations are now in the same AFCON group, but nothing could separate them this time in Tangier.

The DR Congo broke the deadlock in the game just after the hour mark with Cedric Bakambu tapping in from close range but, just eight minutes later, former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane had Senegal level to secure a point for Pape's nation.

The draw keeps Senegal on top of Group D but only on goal difference with the DR Congo just behind them.

Next up for Pape and his country is the test of Benin on Tuesday 30 December - kick-off 7pm (UK).

Our post-Christmas fixture sees us make the trip across the capital to face Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Here’s everything you need to know...

What time does the match start?

The game begins at 4.30pm UK time.

How can I watch the game?

The match will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event – check the Spurs on TV web page to see if the game is on in your region if you’re based overseas.

Wherever you are, as always, our Match Centre here on tottenhamhotspur.com and the Spurs Official app will bring you full live text and audio commentary throughout the game, keeping you fully up to date.

Video highlights will be available across club channels from two hours after the full-time whistle, with a full match replay available on SPURSPLAY from midnight.

What is the team news?

Cristian Romero and Xavi Simons will both miss the game through suspension after being sent off against Liverpool last weekend.

Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke are still out, while Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are away on Africa Cup of Nations duty for Senegal and Mali respectively.

Hosts Crystal Palace are also without Ismaila Sarr because of his involvement for Senegal at AFCON, while Daniel Munoz, Daichi Kamada, Cheick Doucoure, Chadi Riad and Caleb Kporha are injured.

Chris Richards and Eddie Nketiah will be assessed after picking up knocks against Arsenal in the Eagles’ midweek Carabao Cup tie.

Who is the referee?

Sunday’s match will be refereed by Jarred Gillett, with Scott Ledger and Mark Scholes as his assistants.

The fourth official will be Darren England.

James Bell and assistant Marc Perry will handle VAR duties.

Which kit colours will the teams be wearing?

Crystal Palace will be using their traditional red-and-blue striped shirts, complete with blue shorts and blue socks, with their goalkeeper in green.

We’ll change to our all-yellow third kit at Selhurst Park, with our keeper in orange.

Yves Bissouma made his first start since our Europa League final victory over Manchester United on Friday evening to captain his country to a 1-1 draw with hosts Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations, ending their world-record run of wins.

Sidelined with injury since the summer before a suffering a further setback in October, Yves is now back to fitness and was called upon by Mali Head Coach Tom Saintfiet to lead his nation against the challenge of the Morocco - who had won each of their last 19 games (a world record run of consecutive wins) - in their second group game at the continental championship in north Africa.

Having missed their tournament opener - a 1-1 draw with Zambia on Monday - Yves returned to the starting line-up to make his first competitive start since that unforgettable night in Bilbao to help his side claim another point in Group A.

Yves played just under in Rabat to pick uo cap number 43 as Lassine Sinayoko's penalty on 64 minutes cancelled our Brahim Diaz's first-half stoppage time opener, which also came from the spot.

The point leaves Mali second in Group A, two points behind Morocco who lead the table with one game remaining.

Next up for Yves' nation is the test of bottom side Comoros on Monday evening - 7pm (UK).

"Crystal Palace close out a stand-out year at home, but the Eagles have notable absentees - some crucial to Oliver Glasner’s defined style of play. Meanwhile, with Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero suspended, how will Thomas Frank fill those gaps?"

Rob Daly, official club commentator, presenter and pundit

Missing Muñoz...

Crystal Palace are currently without crucial right wing-back Daniel Muñoz – a player who barely misses a minute, let alone whole games. Glasner was being cautious with the Colombian international by not starting him in the December 7th game at Fulham due to a swollen knee, but three days later the Austrian confirmed, 'we have some bad news on Daniel Muñoz, he has to undergo surgery... so we're missing him for a few weeks'. The 29-year-old won the club’s Players' Player of the Season award in 2024/25 scoring six goals and claiming eight assists while helping his side to 17 clean sheets in 46 games. Muñoz is one of the Premier League’s most industrious runners – hence his value defensively and offensively in Glasner’s 3-4-3. Replacing him isn’t easy.

Repairs down the right...

Summer signing Jaydee Canvot was given a start at right-wing-back at Arsenal in the Carabao Cup before Christmas, but was taken off at half-time having struggled against Gabriel Martinelli. 34-year-old Nathaniel Clyne came on having started three league games in a row since the injury to Muñoz, despite having barely played this season prior to that. Another other issue is Ismaïla Sarr’s absence at AFCON - where he’s playing with Pape Matar Sarr for Senegal. Normally on the right side of the narrow front three, he has the pace to get in behind while also having technical quality to link play and score in tight areas. Eddie Nketiah has filled in, although he too was hooked at the Emirates, in place of Northern Ireland international Justin Devenny. Daichi Kamada is versatile enough to play in there too, having done so for Glasner at Frankfurt, but a hamstring issue means he’s out. Finally, even at right-sided centre-back there is a concern, with Chris Richards taken off on a stretcher in the Carabao Cup, due to a foot injury that required stitches.

Managing Mateta...

Meanwhile, Jean Phillipe-Mateta has had a knee issue, but Glasner insists his big striker is okay to play. "He is coping really well. We have a great medical department. There is no risk at all - we would never take any risk." The France international scored the winner in this fixture last season – a game the Eagles played with great intensity out of possession, pressing Spurs and winning the ball high to create chances. Mateta is Palace’s top scorer this season with nine in all competitions, seven in the Premier League, and the game gives him the chance to go toe-to-toe again with Micky van de Ven. The pair had an epic battle in Spurs' 3-1 home win over the Eagles in March, 2024 – a game which saw van de Ven named man of the match.

Who comes in for Cuti and Xavi?

Cristian Romero’s absence is big, although one imagines Kevin Danso comes in as the readiest replacement into Spurs’ back four. It’s worth noting Radu Drăgușin was back on the bench against Liverpool for the first time since late January following his ACL injury. Elsewhere, Xavi Simons' creativity will be missed after impressive recent performances. Many expected, when the Liverpool team was confirmed, for him to play on the left-wing – but instead Xavi remained in the number 10 role, with Lucas Bergvall operating wide, before his dismissal. Given Palace’s issues down the right, would Thomas Frank be tempted to bring in Wilson Odobert for his direct running and ability to take on defenders? Mathys Tel, Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani all operate in a similar fashion playing out there, looking to shift inside – while Brennan Johnson offers pace in behind if Spurs foresee there being gaps to exploit.

Last time at Selhurst Park...

‘Confidence’, ‘Consistency’ and ‘foundations’… those are some of the key words that Head Coach Martin Ho used to reflect on the first half of the 2025/26 campaign and the game that made him believe the project was heading in the right direction.

Sitting fifth in the Barclays Women’s Super League table and having already matched last season’s point tally, our Head Coach has certainly made a massive impact in his first role at the helm in England’s top flight after joining the Club in the summer.

There have been many aspects of the performances that have caught the eye so far, including strong defensive displays that has seen us accumulate four clean sheets in total – the second highest in the league.

Now, with a few weeks to recharge over the winter break, Martin reflected on his first six months in north London and spoke about the key elements to the positive start to life for the campaign but is determined to keep building as we head into the new year.

“It took a little bit of time to settle in, personally and professionally, and to put everything in place, but I think we hit the ground running in the first few games. We built some confidence and momentum - and we’ve been able to connect with the fans and the club through forums and performances. It’s been a really good start and hopefully there’s more of that to come in the new year.

“When the players first came in, we needed to lift their confidence (where it was) from previously - and they definitely did that. I saw a team that wanted to work hard, players with good attitude and behaviour, and staff with a strong work ethic as well. I knew there were really good foundations to build from. It was about putting the right pieces of the puzzle together to allow everything to take off.

“We’ve found the right balance in many moments, but there’s still so much work to do if we want to be a top team - effective and efficient over the long term. There’s a lot of talent here among staff and players. They just needed processes and a framework to perform. By doing that, we’ve reaped the rewards in some of our performances. Overall, I’ve been very pleased - though as a coach, I always want more.”

There have been some standout performances, from the north London derby against Arsenal, to pushing United right to the very end away from home, alongside some convincing performances at home and on the road – so we asked Martin to pick out the moment he thought ‘we’re getting there.’

“[It was] Probably after the first game against West Ham at the start of the season. There were nerves, a bit of edge - the players hadn’t played a competitive game for a while. There were moments where we had to ride the storm, and it took something special to win the game. But that helped the players relax. Going into the second game against Everton, there was less pressure, calmer, more confidence, and high motivation. That allowed us to put in another strong performance - and from then on, I really felt it building.

“We’ve taken steps forward, with bumps along the way - that’s natural for any team. We’ve grown mentally, which is the biggest thing. We’ve used disappointing moments as learning experiences and now going into the break I feel we’ve shown our behaviours more consistently. The focus now is building performances and becoming more competitive in the games we want to be.”

Thomas Frank says Oliver Glasner has 'done a top job' as the pair prepare to cross swords again as we take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday (4.30pm UK).

Appointed from Eintracht Frankfurt in February, 2024, Glasner led Palace to FA Cup glory against City at Wembley last season, taking the Eagles into a major European football competition for the first time in the process. Currently eighth in the Premier League, Palace also put together a club record run of 19 matches unbeaten in all competitions from April to October.

Asked at his pre-match press conference how impressed he's been by Glasner's work at Palace, Thomas said: “I think Oliver has done a top job at Palace in many ways, really, really impressive.

"There is a clear identity of the team - defend low, very compact, very difficult to break down, incredibly good on the counters - probably one of the best in the league. They are very good on set pieces as well, one of the best on corners, long throws, so, very strong on set pieces as well.

"Also, when they build, they have a clear identity with their 3-4-3 system. So, they've done a really good, impressive job.”

From Jiangsu to Bristol, Castle Point to Cotswolds, Official Supporters' Club members from around the world got the chance to watch the first team squad train and then meet the players at Hotspur Way last week.

Thanks to Kraken, the Club's first-ever Official Crypto and Web3 Partner, and the Official Sleeve Partner for its Men's and Women's teams, members from 20 clubs made the trip to our Enfield base, where they watched Thomas Frank and his coaching team put the players through their paces.

After training, Thomas and the players took part in a meet and greet with supporters, signing autographs and taking selfies.

We are proud to have over 650 Official Supporters' Clubs in countries across the world - more details here...

Believe it or not, the festive football programme 'back in the day' often included back-to-back games on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Indeed, for 50 years, from entering the Football League in 1908/09 through to the 1958/59 campaign, there are 22 seasons where we played the same opposition on 25 and then 26 December.

First up, 1908, we travelled up to Oldham, Manchester on Christmas Day, a 1-0 defeat before the reverse of the fixture at the Lane, where a crowd of 40,000 watched in delight as goals from Billy Minter, Bert Middlemiss and Vivian Woodward secured a 3-0 win on our way to promotion at the first attempt.

Fans had a Christmas treat on Christmas Day three years later as we beat our future north London rivals Woolwich Arsenal 5-0 at the Lane, 47,109 in attendance this time as goals from Minter (2), Jabez Darnell, John McTavish and Middlemiss saw us home. A day later, Woolwich Arsenal turned it around at the Manor Ground, a 3-1 win - that was often the case in these back-to-back affairs.

Fast forward to 1952, and our biggest win on Christmas Day, a 7-1 hammering of Middlesbrough in front of 36,102 at the Lane - Les Bennett struck four times with Len Duquemin (2) and Eddie Baily also on target. This time around, we played the return two days later at Middlesbrough, a 4-0 win.

We hit Everton for six in 1956 with Terry Medwin (2), Bobby Smith (2), Tommy Harmer and Alfie Stokes on target at the Lane, only to draw 1-1 24 hours later at Goodison Park.

And that takes us to the last time we played on Christmas Day - a 2-1 loss against West Ham at Upton Park, followed by a 4-1 loss against the Hammers at the Lane on Boxing Day.