Sat 25 July 2020, 14:29
Tottenham HotspurOn Sunday, we face our final test of the Premier League season as we travel to Crystal Palace (4pm kick-off).
Once again, the action will be played out behind closed doors, but supporters will be able to watch the full game live on Sky Sports Action.
Team news
Roy Hodgson will be without defenders Patrick van Aanholt, James Tomkins, Mamadou Sakho and Gary Cahill for the clash as they are all unavailable through injury. Captain Luka Milivojevic may return however, after missing Monday's 2-0 defeat to Wolves with a knee problem.
Palace’s form
Returning to action on 20 June, after the season’s three-month suspension, Crystal Palace immediately continued where they had left off as they picked up their fourth win on the trot - a 2-0 triumph over Bournemouth - which lifted them up to ninth and had them beginning to look towards the European spots. They were just four points off the Europa League places.
However, seven games later, Roy Hodgson's side have not picked up another point in the league since that win over the Cherries, a run of form which has seen them drop to 14th in the table. In that period, they have found the back of the net on just two occasions, failing to score in six of their seven defeats.
One to watch
If there is one man that makes the Eagles tick it is their talismanic winger, Wilfried Zaha. Having graduated from their youth system, Zaha has made over 350 appearances for Palace and in that time, he has been involved in 127 goals. Electric on the wings with quick feet and the ability to beat opponents one-v-one, the Ivory Coast international has scored some very important goals for his side over the years, especially his well-taken double in the 2013 Championship play-off semi-finals. Last season, he scored 10 and assisted 10 in the top flight for the first time while, in Monday night's 2-0 defeat to Wolves, he made his 200th appearance in the division for Palace.
New faces
In January, Palace brought in Everton striker Cenk Tosun on a loan deal until the end of the season. However, in March, he suffered an ACL injury and was forced to return to Merseyside for treatment. He scored once in five appearances for Palace.
Last five meetings
14 September, 2019 – Spurs 4-0 Crystal Palace – Premier League
3 April, 2019 – Spurs 2-0 Crystal Palace – Premier League
27 January, 2019 – Crystal Palace 2-0 Spurs – FA Cup
10 November, 2018 – Crystal Palace 0-1 Spurs – Premier League
25 February, 2018 – Crystal Palace 0-1 Spurs – Premier League
Last time we met
The numbers game
4 – Out of his five visits to Selhurst Park in the league, Jose Mourinho has picked up maximum points on four occasions. In 12 games against Palace as a manager, Jose has nine wins to his name.
4 – This will be just the fourth meeting between Jose Mourinho and Roy Hodgson as managers. Jose is unbeaten in their previous three encounters (two wins, one draw).
19 – During his 44 years as a manager, Roy Hodgson has faced no club more than he has Spurs (19 times). He has tasted victory on just two occasions, losing 12.
14 – There has been at least one clean sheet kept in 14 out of the last 16 meetings between the sides (11 for Spurs, four for Palace), while there has been at least one kept in each of the last nine consecutive encounters – a run stretching back to February, 2016.
9 – Hugo Lloris has kept nine clean sheets against Crystal Palace in just 11 Premier League appearances against the Eagles. He has not conceded a single goal in his last 510 minutes of football against the south London outfit.
5 – Heung-Min Son has five goals in his eight Premier League appearances against Crystal Palace – including three in his last two games. He has also been involved in six goals in his last seven appearances this season.
Played for both
An icon of the beautiful game as we crossed over into the new millennium, Edgar Davids was a footballer who could do it all. Primarily a defensive midfielder, Edgar was a fierce competitor in the centre of the park and not afraid to get stuck in when needed; he was strong in a challenge and harried opponents incessantly - traits that earned him the nickname ‘The Pitbull’ from Louis van Gaal, his manager at his first club, Ajax. Yet, the Dutchman was just as impressive with the ball at his feet. Graceful, composed and skilful, he could deceive any opponent before bursting past them at speed. They were talents which saw him go on to win some of the biggest prizes on the continent during his career, including all three European crowns with Ajax.
Spells at both AC Milan and Internazionale, as well as Juventus and Barcelona, followed for the Netherlands international before he arrived in north London in 2005. He spent just a season-and-a-half with us, but he quickly became a fans’ favourite in his time at the Lane. He later returned to Ajax before having a brief stint at Palace in 2010. He subsequently played for and managed Barnet.
Quick quiz on Palace
- Which of the following players was not on target when we defeated Palace 4-0 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in September?
- Heung-Min Son
- Erik Lamela
- Serge Aurier
- In which year did Palace last score a Premier League goal against us?
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- Which of the following legendary Spurs strikers played his last game for the Club against Crystal Palace?
- Jimmy Greaves
- Martin Chivers
- Jurgen Klinsmann
- Which of the following Steves did not score his first Spurs goal against Crystal Palace?
- Steve Archibald
- Steve Sedgley
- Steve Perryman
- Seven former Spurs players have gone on to manage Crystal Palace – who was the most recent to do so?
- Peter Taylor
- Alan Pardew
- Edgar Davids
Find the answers at the bottom of the page!
Pictures from the past
Match data
Venue – Selhurst Park.
Opposition colours – Red and blue shirts, blue shorts, blue and red socks.
Referee – Andre Marriner.
Weather – Cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms, 22 degrees.
Quiz answers: 1 – Serge Aurier; 2 – 2016; 3 – Jimmy Greaves; 4 – Steve Sedgley; 5 – Alan Pardew.
