Key events<\/p>\n
The latest Premier League<\/a> golden boot standings are here; Van Hecke\u2019s second goal of the season means he is now Tottenham\u2019s top scorer this season.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Some post-match thoughts from Jan Paul van Hecke: \u201cWe created a lot of chances, the red card helped us \u2026 we had to be patient because we know they play a low block. We took a while to score the second, could have scored more, but we\u2019re happy.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A well-timed Uber Eats ad there, featuring Tony Pulis, Sam Allardyce and Alan Pardew. The ghosts of Palace past!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.30 EDT<\/p>\n \u201cI think it was Jos\u00e9 Mourinho who pooh-poohed the old saw about not looking at the table until 10 games are done; points are points after all,\u201d writes Gary Naylor. \u201cSo many clubs seem to be inconsistent or actually imploding before our very eyes. All that manager churn can\u2019t help \u2013 coaches need stability to build confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s the Premier League<\/a> table:<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Full time! Tottenham 2-0 Crystal Palace<\/p>\n Save for one nervy moment when Dwight McNeil got a sight of goal, this was very comfortable for Spurs, who took a firm grip of the game after Mateta\u2019s red card. There will be tougher tests ahead, but Tottenham look like a cohesive team again. Palace, on the other hand, look to be in trouble.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 92 mins: Kulusevski unleashes a rocket towards the top corner, but Henderson is equal to it again. He\u2019s been Palace\u2019s best player.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.21 EDT<\/p>\n 90 mins: A lovely little cameo from Williams-Barnett, jinking through Palace defenders like a spring lamb and squaring for Kudus \u2013 who shanks away from an open goal in the Sunday League style.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.37 EDT<\/p>\n 88 mins: Sage hooks Wharton and Kamada, throwing on Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma. \u201cIt\u2019s been Van Hecke of a game for Spurs!\u201d honks Peter Oh.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 87 mins: Tel takes his leave after a very impressive display, and he\u2019s replaced by homegrown hopeful Luca Williams-Barnett. Big cheers all round.<\/p>\n Spurs\u2019 Mathys Tel gets the better of Crystal Palace\u2019s Oscar Mingueza and Yeremi Pino. Photograph: Jed Leicester\/Tottenham Hotspur FC\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.31 EDT<\/p>\n 85 mins: Kudus gets in behind the back four and flicks the ball past Henderson \u2013 but he looks a mile offside, and the flag duly goes up.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 83 mins: Not much happening now, as Palace fans contemplate that long cross-capital journey home. On which subject, here\u2019s Julian Borrill: \u201cJust looking at London, the longest trip looks like Bromley to Wealdstone at 1hr 54min. But a shout-out to Brentford-Hornchurch at 1hr 24min \u2013 all on the District Line.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.15 EDT<\/p>\n 81 mins: Another fine stop from Henderson, springing to his left to save Gallagher\u2019s goalbound shot. Palace look like they\u2019re going to need him if they\u2019re to stay out of trouble.<\/p>\n A strong hand from Dean Henderson denies Tottenham another goal. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.32 EDT<\/p>\n 79 mins: Should they hold on to this lead, Tottenham will move up to eighth. Their next four games are Leeds (A), Ipswich (H), Sunderland (A) and Fulham (H) \u2013 and then it\u2019s the North London Derby.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 76 mins: Kulusevski and Udogie come on, replacing Marmoush and Robertson. Now their injury problems are easing, Spurs\u2019 bench is starting to look quite stacked.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The centre-back has been playing almost as an auxiliary forward in the second half, and he does a decent Harry Kane impression here, stretching to beat two Palace defenders with a header. Henderson saves, it hits the underside of the bar, then bounces in off Van Hecke\u2019s bonce as he falls to the floor.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Tottenham 2-0 Crystal Palace (Van Hecke 73′)<\/p>\n Spurs finally have their second goal, thanks to Jan Paul van Hecke, who bundles home Fernandes\u2019 superb cross at the far post. Game over now, surely.<\/p>\n Jan Paul van Hecke\u2019s header is pushed onto the bar by Dean Henderson \u2026 Photograph: John Sibley\/Action Images\/ReutersVan Hecke (centre) reacts quickest to nod the ball over the line. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt\/PAAnd then celebrate his goal. Photograph: John Sibley\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.34 EDT<\/p>\n 71 mins: Oof! Robertson plays an instinctive one-two with Marmoush, but his touch then lets him down and he\u2019s forced to try and chip Henderson from an impossible angle, sending the ball behind.<\/p>\n Andy Robertson gets his shot past Crystal Palace’s keeper Dean Henderson but it\u2019s too tight an angle to find the net. Photograph: Carlos Jasso\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.05 EDT<\/p>\n 69 mins: A potential Palace breakaway is halted by a handball decision. Still, with 20 minutes to go, the visitors have a route to get a result, which looked unlikely at half-time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 67 mins: Tel tries to recreate his clinical finish at Stamford Bridge, but sends his shot crashing into the hoardings to the left of goal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 65 mins: Pedro Porro is the latest Spurs player to fire high and wide. A second change from De Zerbi: Conor Gallagher is on, replacing Solanke and allowing Marmoush to push further forward.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 63 mins: Marmoush has options to his right, but his pass is poor and cut out by Mitchell \u2013 only to then ricochet back towards Henderson, who has to parry it away! Proper pinball stuff at either end.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 62 mins: Maybe now, as Kamada\u2019s cross floats across the Spurs box and finds McNeil\u2019s boot \u2013 but his well-struck shot is blocked by Solanke. That gives Tottenham the chance to break \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.53 EDT<\/p>\n 61 mins: Van Hecke has a blast from 30 yards out that isn\u2019t particularly close. At what point do Spurs fans start to get antsy about this slender lead?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 59 mins: Two changes for Palace, with Anan Khalaili and midweek scorer Eddie Nketiah replacing Pino and Mingueza. Spurs fans give former Gunner Nketiah a frosty reception.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 58 mins: Pino is robbed in midfield and Spurs use the little bit of extra space, Tel finding Solanke whose shot is deflected behind. A tenth corner for the hosts, but it comes to nothing.<\/p>\n An unchallenged Dean Henderson (centre) plucks the ball from the air. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.52 EDT<\/p>\n 56 mins: Jan-Paul van Hecke finds himself in the area and has a shot that\u2019s charged down at close range. Pierre Sage, who sounds to me like a French philosopher, chews on his pipe and ponders some changes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 54 mins: In the first 10 minutes of the second half, the ball has spent about 20 seconds in the Spurs final third. There\u2019s a penalty shout as Fernandes\u2019 shot hits Disasi on the shoulder, but not low enough to interest the VAR.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 53 mins: Mingueza goes in the book after catching Tel with a flailing arm. From the free kick, Spurs keep the ball and keep the pressure on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 52 mins: Possession is close to 80-20 in Tottenham\u2019s favour, and the territorial battle must be even more one-sided. The hosts\u2019 latest attack ends when Solanke is penalised for a foul.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 50 mins: Solanke is next to have a go, taking down Perro\u2019s cross, swivelling and lashing a shot at goal. It\u2019s central, but Henderson still has to throw up a strong arm to stop the power alone beating him.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 49 mins: Robertson and Tel are working well together on the left, and the full-back curls in a cross that Marmoush can only head towards Henderson.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 46 mins: Tel\u2019s shot is deflected off Richards\u2019 shins for a corner, which is headed out into the path of Fernandes. He drills a shot that is flicked off target by a Palace boot \u2013 I think that was heading in.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Second half<\/p>\n A half-time change for Spurs, with Pedro Porro replacing the goalscorer, Archie Gray. Not sure if that\u2019s injury-related \u2013 Gray was excellent in the first half.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cRe: Mateta. If a player decides to slide in, uncontrolled from behind, with their studs up \u2026 c\u2019mon, we\u2019ve all got work in the morning,\u201d writes David Penney.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Half time: Tottenham 1-0 Crystal Palace<\/p>\n Spurs end the first half a goal and a man up thanks to Archie Gray\u2019s header, after Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off following a VAR review. The hosts have dominated, but need another goal or two to avoid any second-half nerves.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 46 mins: Unfortunately, Dwight McNeil\u2019s through ball lands harmlessly in the giant, Jean-Philippe Mateta-shaped hole in the Tottenham half.<\/p>\n