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14 min: Maxence Lacroix has played the most games of anyone this season, and he seems happy to pass the ball around the back. Spurs\u2019 forwards are doing little to press and chase.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n 13 min: All Palace on the attack. Mateta has a sniff of a chance when Devenny tries to force his way through but an offside flag stops the move.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 12 min: Long ball to Kudus, who seems recovered, but there\u2019s jeers as Bergvall losess the ball. Up in the stand, Chris Richards looks on. He\u2019s expected to be back soon, good news as that looked a nasty injury he suffered against Arsenal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 10 min: Mateta spins and turns, this time failing to find a teammate but he looks on his game. Spurs beware. They also have worries that Mohamed Kudus has a back problem. They\u2019ve not been at it, at all.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 8 min: Palace look lively, full of spring on the break. Mateta is sent away by Tyrick Mitchell but Spurs are back in numbers this time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 6 min: There\u2019s a few contenders for the kick but the wall is hit when Pino smashes low. That was a waster.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 5 min: Mateta sends Devenny away and Danso is struggling, and clips the Palace player. That resulted in a yellow, and VAR rules that\u2019s the correct decision. No Dogso, you see. Palace must settle for a free-kick.<\/p>\n Danso in action with Mateta. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.45 CET<\/p>\n 4 min: Djed Spence and Marc Guehi get into a tussle. Guehi seems set to see out the season at Palace, though he is able to sign a pre-contract from Thursday, 1 Jan.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 2 min: There\u2019s a drum beat audible but Selhurst sounds quiet; most grounds this weekend have. The festive fare can have a draining effect.<\/p>\n Archie Gray of Tottenham in action. Photograph: Chloe Knott\/Tottenham Hotspur FC\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.39 CET<\/p>\n Away we go at Selhurst<\/p>\n 1 min: Will Palace miss players like Munoz and Sarr? Their squad is being stretched to its limits by their heavy schedule; they have already played 30 games this season. Spurs kick off having won just one game in eight in the Premier League<\/a>. Devenny, making only his second start of the season, has the first dart of the day. Spurs beat the ball awat, and it\u2019s back with Vicario.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Glad All Over plays, signifying a Palace game is on its way. Odd that the Dave Clark Five were known as the \u201cTottenham sound\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s a cold day in London, and Selhurst awaits the teams, who are both in the tunnel and will enter the pitch from the corner.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Richard Hirst gets in touch: \u201cWatching the video of John Robertson in the piece you linked to I was reminded not only of his ability but also of the state of the pitches. It really was a different game then: maybe football did begin in 1992!\u201d<\/p>\n So does Jeremy Boyce: \u201cLooking forward to the match and I\u2019m almost certain that Palace will have benefited from a few days to rest tired legs after their hectic pre-festive schedule. So what will Glasner\u2019s team talk consist of ? Mostly \u201cLads, it\u2019s Tottenham\u201d I would think. Frankly, I\u2019m beginning to wonder if Franck\u2019s decision to take the ill-fated manager\u2019s job at the cheese shop won\u2019t turn out to have been as ill-judged as Graham Potter\u2019s when he swallowed the devil\u2019s shilling and moved from a great career at a smaller club to ignominy and ridicule at a bigger one. And then another. Spurs aren\u2019t in crisis, yet. But defeat today would leave them small goal difference and points away from the Postecoglou vortex of the drop zone.<\/p>\n \u201cA win for Palace would leapfrog them back to the Europe places, where of course they already are. As are Spurs. Who will be there next year ? Glasner, a much-touted one day \u201cBig-Club\u201d boss would be well advised to read the tea leaves and everything else possible before deciding anything should such an offer materialise. 3 – 1 Palace then….\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s an obituary of one of British football\u2019s very best players.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Last time out, both teams coming off a defeat:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Palace had that disappointing loss in the Carabao Cup to Arsenal this week, from which Oliver Glasner makes four changes. Dean Henderson has the gloves, while Nathaniel Clyne starts in defence and Will Hughes and Justin Devenny play in midfield.<\/p>\n Suspension robs Spurs of Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero for their red cards against Liverpool, as Richarlison and Kevin Danso come in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The benches:<\/p>\n Palace: Benitez, Nketiah, Uche, Esse, Canvot, Sosa, Rodney, Benamar, Drakes-Thomas. The referee is Jarred Gillett (Australia)<\/p>\n Share<\/a>The starting teams<\/p>\n Crystal Palace: Henderson; Lerma, Lacroix, Gu\u00e9hi; Clyne, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Pino, Devenny; Mateta.<\/p>\n Tottenham: Vicario; Pedro Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence; Gray, Bentancur; Kudus, Bergvall, Kolo Muani; Richarlison.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s been a golden year for Crystal Palace<\/a>. This is their last of 2025.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n That Thomas Frank is under pressure is no secret. Though he is a tough character and pulls few punches.<\/p>\n At Br\u00f8ndby, I didn\u2019t win the first eight games and then we were unbeaten in nine,\u201d he said. \u201cAt Brentford, we lost eight out of 10 games and then we were unbeaten in 10. So I am convinced we will see a similar pattern here. I\u2019m not in doubt of that. Because I know how to make a competitive team. We will make a very competitive team here, as well.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Preamble<\/p>\n The pressure\u2019s on for Thomas Frank. Spurs are having last season all over again, and he was supposed to be the manager to change things. Oliver Glasner meanwhile, can do no wrong, aside from sign a new Crystal Palace<\/a> contract. A Palace win would put them into the reaches of the top five, while Tottenham can go a point behind the Eagles should they win at Selhurst. Maybe that wouldn\u2019t be so bad, after all.<\/p>\n Kick-off at 4.30pm. Join me.<\/p>\n
Tottenham: Kinsky, Dragusin, Joao Palhinha, Tel, Johnson, Takai, Odobert,
Davies, Scarlett.<\/p>\n