Pr
 
 
 
 
OPPONENTS Crystal Palace 
                           
COMPETITION Premier League 
DATE Sunday 25th February 2018
VENUE Selhurst Park
CRYSTAL PALACE  SQUAD 1.  Julian SPERONI
2.  Joel WARD
3.  Patrick van AANHOLT
4.  Luka MILIVOJEVIC
5.  James TOMPKINS
6.  Scott DANN
7.  Yohan CABAYE
8.  Ruben LOFTUS-CHEEK
9.  Alexander SORLOTH
10.  Andros TOWNSEND
11.  Wilfried ZAHA
12.  Mamadou SAKHO
13.  Wayne HENNESSEY
14.  LEE Chung-Yong
15.  Jeffrey SCHLUPP
17.  Christian BENTEKE
18.  James McARTHUR
 
21.  Connor WICKHAM
22.  Jordan MUTCH
23.  Papa SOUARE
24.  Timothy FOSU-MENSAH
25.  Sullay KAIKAI
26.  Bakary SAKO
27.  Damien DELANEY
28.  Jason LOKILO
29.  Aaron WAN-BISSAKA
30.  Dion HENRY
31.  Erdal RAKIP
32.  Levi LUMEKA
33.  Jaroslaw JACH
34.  Martin KELLY
36. Nya KIRBY
42.  Jason PUNCHEON
44.  Jairo RIEDEWALD
PREVIEW Preview not prepared.
 
PREDICTION Crystal Palace    0        Tottenham Hotspur    3
 
LAST SEASON'S MEETING For a look back at the corresponding match report from last season, click here.
RESULTS HISTORY Click here for results, match reports and facts on meetings with Crystal Palace
CRYSTAL PALACE TEAM NEWS :
Wilfried Zaha (knee), Scott Dann (knee), Bakary Sako (ankle), Mamadou Sakho (calf), Martin Kelly (hamstring), Julian Speroni (knee), Joel Ward (muscle), Jeffrey Schlupp (knee), Jason Puncheon (knee), Connor Wickham (knee), Yohan Cabaye (aductor)  and  Ruben Loftus-Cheek (ankle) will all miss the Spurs game.  Apart from that they have a full squad to choose from. 
 
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR TEAM NEWS :
Toby Alderweireld (knock) and Jan Vertonghen (ankle) are doubts for the trip to Selhurst Park.
 
COVERAGE :

TV
Sky Sports 1 - (live coverage)
Highlights (Sky Sports 1) - Sunday 22.00 (repeated at 23.30 Sunday; 06.00, 07.30, 12.30, 18.00, 20.00 Monday)
Match of the Day 2  (BBC 1) - Sunday 22.30 (highlights)  Also available online.

For coverage in all parts of the world, check here and here.

Radio :  
BBC RADIO  Live coverage
Commentary may be found on
>   BBC Radio Five Live (live coverage)  606/939 MW
TalkSport (DAB or 1089 MW)
Absolute Radio  (1215 AM/MW)

If available on BBC radio, it can supposedly be heard in these countries on these stations ...
Australia (Melbourne)
SEN  -  116 AM  Live Transmissions: TWI, Saturday. 12.45 & 15.00 matches
Australia (Sydney) 
Radio 2  -  1611AM  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 12.45 Match
Singapore
Media Corp Radio  -  93.8 FM  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 15.00 Match
South Africa 
SABC (Radio 2000)  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 15.00 Match
Uganda  Radio 1 (English) 90.0 FM, Radio 2 (Lugandan) 87.9 FM  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 15.00 Match
North America (USA, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean) 
Sirius Satellite Radio  Live transmission: Saturday - 12.45, 15.00 (TWI) & 17.15 (BBC) Sunday - 14.00 & 16.05 (BBC) Mon, Tue, Wed - Various times (BBC)

Internet :
The THFC Official website   Live webcast  - subscribers only
BBC London -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01tdhcm  Live commentaries listed down the page.
TalkSport (DAB or 1089 MW)

 
Cr
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Crystal Palace  0 (0)  
                                                                     

Premier League
Sunday 25th February 2018
Selhurst Park
Tottenham Hotspur  1 (0)

Kick off 12:00
 
 
Goal-scorers  
None Kane  88m 00s
 
Cards  
    
None

    

    
Dembele  (foul on Townsend)  45+1

    
 

 
 
Crowd :   25,287 Weather :  Sunny, cold
Referee : Kevin Friend (Leicestershire) Assistant Referees :  Mr. H. Lennard; Mr. M. Wilkes
Fourth Official :  Chris Kavanagh  
Spurs kicked off and played towards the Holmesdale end in the first half.
Game time : -  90 + 7 minutes.
 
 
 
Crystal Palace : kit Tottenham Hotspur : kit
13  Wayne HENNESSEY

29  Aaron WAN-BISSAKA
  5  James TOMKINS  (27  Damien DELANEY  85)
24
  Timothy FOSU-MENSAH
  3  Patrick van AANHOLT

10  Andros TOWNSEND  (14  LEE Chung-Yong  87)
18
  James McARTHUR     
  4  Luka MILIVOJEVIC  (c)
44  Jairo RIEDEWALD

  9  Alexander SORLOTH

17
  Christian BENTEKE

Unused subs: 
30  Dion HENRY
31
  Erdal RAKIP
23
  Papa SOUARE
36
  Nya KIRBY
28
  Jason LOKILO
 

   1  Hugo LLORIS  (c)

24  Serge AURIER
15  Eric DIER
  6  Davinson SANCHEZ
33  Ben DAVIES

12
  Victor WANYAMA
19  Mousa DEMBELE       (  7  Heung-Min SON  80)

11  Erik LAMELA  (27  Lucas MOURA  66)
20
  DELE Alli 
23
 
Christian ERIKSEN

10  Harry KANE 

Unused subs: 
13  Michel VORM

  2  Kieran TRIPPIER
  3  Danny ROSE
1
7  Moussa SISSOKO
2
1  Juan FOYTH
 

 
Manager :  Roy Hodgson Manager :  Mauricio Pochettino
Sponsor :   ManBetX Shirt sponsor :  AIA
Kit Supplier :  Macron Kit Supplier :   Nike
Match report

Injury hit Crystal Palace were missing twelve of their squad, so they patched up the side and sent them out with a game plan to defend what they started with and it almost worked, but for the persistence and belief of Harry Kane, who scored the game's only goal with two minutes of normal time left.  It was a shattering blow for the home team, who had battled away to keep Spurs out, despite conceding 76% possession and barely manufacturing an effort worthy of the name, leaving them out of the relegation positions on goal difference.  The loss of this game could reverberate around Selhurst Park, with tough games ahead and more added to the queue for the treatment room.

Spurs had to cope with both Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen missing, but such is the depth of the squad and the versatility of it, that Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez looked rarely troubled by the Palace striking pair.  With two six foot plus strikers, you could guess what the tactics would be from the home team. But an early corner was played in low and the ball bobbled around at the near post before it was booted clear. The game settled into a pattern of Spurs knocking the ball between them and when Dele was gone through from behind, Eriksen’s free kick was chipped into the box and looked like it was Hennessey’s ball, but he and a defender left it and Davies nipped in to get there first. He managed to knock it into the six yard box from the left of the penalty area, but the ball was cleared. Ben was sure he had been fouled as he played the ball but it only resulted in a corner. It was clear that Hennessey panicked after Townsend left the ball for him.

In the ninth minute, a ball that looked as though it was going out at the Palace end was touched down by van Aanholt, only to direct it straight to Harry Kane three yards out. Taking a touch, the keeper was out quickly and the resulting shot hit it and flew over the bar. Palace were looking rocky at the back, so Spurs needed to start testing the keeper with shots on goal. However, the home team worked the ball up their left and van Aanholt put in a good low cross that Hugo dived out to hold and then a long ball down the middle saw both Eagles central defenders leave the ball for Dele to move onto it, but it was a little too high for him to get his head on it to help it over the keeper.

Palace started to get into the Spurs half more readily, but their final ball was lacking and Tottenham began to build again. The movement of the ball forward was a little slow, allowing Palace to get bodies back behind the ball, but they were having to do a lot of work without the ball to keep Spurs at bay. Some loose play at the back saw Palace fail to clear the ball and Dele won it on the edge of the box to take it through to Kane. Harry took a touch and Fosu-Mensah cleared him out, but rather than a penalty, which the referee was about to point to the spot for, it was given as offside, as Kane came back from beyond the last man.

The play in Palace’s last third was a little too precise by Spurs, who had to try and find a way around the masses of red and blue shirts that were around them. When they did find space wide, the crosses were defended well by the home defenders. Sanchez left a through ball and Benteke almost got in behind him. But Hugo came out to claim, although he had to play a bit of basketball to keep the ball inside his box ! The most the home support got worked up about in the first half was when they thought a ball had gone out for a throw-in and then something happened you don’t see very often, when two foul throws were given against Aurier !! A minute before half-time, McArthur threaded a ball through to Townsend, who cut inside and hit a shot that bobbled through to Lloris from 25 yards. The former man was also involved in an incident when he got the ball and was falling already before Dembele made contact with him. A yellow card was waved but it wasn’t clear who for until the internet confirmed Mousa’s tackle was what brought a caution.

At the start of the second half, Dele tricked McArthur, who brought him down, but play was waved on as Kane hit a shot from 25 yards, about 25 yards over the bar. Christian also skied an effort when Davies’ left wing cross came off a Palace defender to the Dane 16 yards out, but he git his shot all wrong. Worse was to come when Aurier played the ball into the box for Eriksen to help it on from the right across goal and Kane stole in unmarked and from four yards out, he put a shot wide with his left foot, when it looked like he must score. The chances were being created but not taken, as Palace’s defence was starting to be tested.

Tottenham worked a good opportunity for Aurier, who drilled a shot on goal that Hennessey beat out and Eriksen couldn’t get much on the follow-up as the pressure was building and Palace could not get the ball out of their half that easily. On one occasion they did, a long ball through the middle almost saw Sorloth get through, but a fine tackle from Aurier robbed him ten yards out. He still hadn’t learned from the first half and a third foul throw gave Palace possession in their own half, but it allowed Lucas to come on in Lamela’s place.

Van Aanholt rashly went in on Dele in the box and then wanted to continue and argument with the Spurs midfielder, but it looked like he got none of the ball. From the corner, the ball dropped for Ben Davies to spin and shoot, but he didn’t make a clean connection, although Hennessey had to dive full length to palm the ball out at the foot of his post. This was followed by a ball into the box when the corner was cleared and McArthur tried to chest it off to the keeper, but Dele got in and almost toe-poked a goal, but it went wide.

Into the last quarter of an hour and Palace were sticking to their game plan and Spurs were failing to find a way through. Pochettino decided to bring on Son for Dembele and was obviously looking to find a way to win it in the final stages. A corner fell at the far post and Kane nut-megged Sorloth before putting the ball on goal at the near post, where Fosu-Mensah almost diverted it past Hennessey, but the keeper just got to it. Davies ball across the six yard ball was behind Kane, but Aurier came in at the far post, only for the ball to get stuck under his feet with the goal gaping ahead of him. When the ball bounced around off players just outside the box, Lucas got it through to Kane, who got a shot away, but dragged it wide across goal from the right hand side of the penalty spot.

The failure to convert the openings we were making looked costly. Aurier’s low ball was deflected off Milijovevic and a corner came. One long ball to the back post found Harry Kane heading it back past where the keeper had come from and the two men on the line couldn’t stop it as the ball rustled in the back of the net. His marker Delaney was too interested in the player rather than the ball and paid the price for it. The master marksman once more broke the deadlock.

Dele and Lucas linked well with a couple of nice touches before Fosu-Mensah took out Moiura, with a tackle much worse than Dembele’s in the first half. Just outside the box, Eriksen hit the free-kick and it took a flick off Delaney’s head for a corner. Tottenham were happy trying to keep the ball in the corner as injury time ticked on. And the time ticked out for Palace and Spurs recorded their 15th game unbeaten in all competitions.

Palace put in a dogged display, but they put so much into it, the effort took its toll towards the end. And surprisingly, with such a lot of height in their side, they should conceded from a corner. Eriksen had tried the same one about five minutes earlier and swung it off at the far post. This time, the ball took the keeper out and Harry showed his composure to get his header on target and despite missing a few chances to put Spurs in control, his mental toughness shows he is up in the top class of strikers in the world.

It was an important three points and the game reflected the way matches have gone against Palace over the last two or three years. Tight games, with Spurs dominating and just getting over the line with the odd goal. A lot of changes in the home team made their decision making shaky, but their shape was honed on the training pitches over the last two weeks, as they were without game last week with it being FA Cup week. Tottenham were patient, but were almost frustrated, as the clear scoring chances were not taken.

Full credit to the Spurs players for continuing their own style of play and the win makes it the longest unbeaten run since George Graham’s time in charge 19 years ago. It also allows Poch to use the squad in the Rochdale game, with a league game against Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

Pete Stachio

 

Erik Lamela played his 100th Premier League game for Spurs.

Harry Kane scored the 150th goal of his career.
 

 
 

 

PUB FACT*

Roy Hodgson was not the Croydon Athletic player that was used to base the comic strip football Hero "Roy of the Rovers" around.
 

 

 
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What you thought
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Other scores during this week :
Bournemouth 2 Newcastle United 2 Saturday
Brighton & Hove Albion 4 Swansea City 1 Saturday
Burnley 1 Southampton 1 Saturday
Liverpool 4 West Ham United London 1 Saturday
Stoke City 1 Leicester City 1 Saturday
Watford 1 Everton 0 Saturday
West Bromwich Albion 1 Huddersfield Town 2 Saturday
Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1 Sunday
League Cup Final
Arsenal 0 Manchester City 3 Sunday

 

League Table  2017-18
  P W D L F A Pts GD
1 Manchester City 27 23 3 1 79 20 72 +59
2 Manchester United 28 18 5 5 53 20 59 +33
3 Liverpool 28 15 9 3 65 32 57 +33
4 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 28 16 7 5 53 24 55 +29
5 Chelsea 28 16 5 7 50 25 53 +25
6 Arsenal 27 13 6 8 51 36 45 +15
7 Burnley 28 9 10 9 22 25 37 -3
8 Leicester City 28 9 9 10 40 41 36 -1
9 Everton 28 9 7 12 32 47 34 -15
10 Watford 28 9 6 13 38 47 33 -9
11 AFC Bournemouth 28 8 8 12 33 43 32 -10
12 Brighton & Hove Albion 28 7 10 11 26 37 31 -11
13 West Ham United London 28 7 9 12 35 50 30 -15
14 Huddersfield Town 28 8 6 14 25 48 30 -23
15 Newcastle United 28 7 8 13 27 38 29 -11
16 Southampton 28 5 12 11 29 41 27 -12
17 Crystal Palace 28 6 9 13 25 43 27 -18
18 Swansea City 28 7 6 15 21 41 27 -20
19 Stoke City 28 6 8 14 28 54 26 -26
20 West Bromwich Albion 28 3 11 14 22 42 20 -20


Position before match :  5th
Position after match :  4th
Position after the weekend :   4th

 

* Pub facts may not actually be true, but after a few pints everyone might think so.

 

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