Notebook – Spurs v Crystal Palace

This season’s traditional Boxing Day fixture sees us face a London derby as Crystal Palace make the trip north across the capital on Sunday (3pm kick-off).

Here in the Notebook, take a look at all of the key points of note ahead of the game…

1 - Our last meeting

Our most recent encounter with Crystal Palace could be seen as somewhat of a turning point for us this season. Having held a 100 per cent record going into our 11 September clash with the Eagles, following 1-0 wins in each of our first three Premier League games, that perfect run was brought to an abrupt end at Selhurst Park with the hosts claiming a 3-0 win. That loss began a run of five defeats in our next seven league games before Nuno Espirito Santo was replaced as Head Coach by Antonio Conte in early November.

2 - The end of a remarkable run

That September defeat against Crystal Palace didn’t just bring an end to our perfect start to the 2021/22 Premier League season, but also a quite incredible run against the Eagles over the last seven years. Prior to that 3-0 reverse at Selhurst Park, we had not lost a single league game against the south London side since a 2-1 defeat in January, 2015, winning 10 of our 12 meetings in that time (D2) while conceding just four goals.

Despite that run ending, our home record against the Eagles remains nigh on perfect having not lost a league game against them on our own turf for over 24 years. Not since November, 1997, have we lost a home Premier League game to Palace – a Neil Shipperley strike giving the visitors their last league victory in N17 (1-0). That is our only home defeat to them in the competition to date with us winning seven of our nine such games since – including each of our last six on the spin (D2) – while the visitors have registered just two goals.

3 - Antonio unbeaten

There is much hope that our unbeaten run can be extended on Sunday with us going into the game undefeated in the Premier League under Antonio Conte. Since the Italian was appointed as our Head Coach on 2 November, he has overseen five games in the competition and we are yet to suffer defeat, winning three and drawing the other two. The latest of those outings was last Sunday’s thrilling 2-2 draw with Liverpool, a statement result which ended a run of seven consecutive defeats against the Reds.

Only two managers in our Premier League history have been unbeaten after their first six Spurs games – Jacques Santini in 2004 (six games – W2 D4) and Tim Sherwood in 2013/14 (six games – W5 D1). And, despite Crystal Palace having edged our last meeting, they have never beaten us in consecutive league games in the history of this fixture.

4 - Boxing Day record

We are currently on the longest unbeaten run on Boxing Day in England with it now almost 18 years since we last lost a fixture on that day. In that time, we have played 14 matches on 26 December, winning 11 and drawing the other three. We last suffered defeat on the day after Christmas in 2003 as we fell 2-0 to Portsmouth at Fratton Park. At home though, we have never lost on Boxing Day in the Premier League, with our last such defeat coming in 1991 – the final season before the Premier League’s formation – with Nottingham Forest running out 2-1 winners.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace have won just one of their last six Boxing Day games, defeating West Ham 2-1 in 2019 (D3 L2). In their top-flight history, Palace have won just one of their seven away games on 26 December (D3 L3) and that run includes a 2-0 defeat at White Hart Lane in 1969.

5 - The Eagles’ London run

Crystal Palace have been in fine form in London derbies as of late. In their last four such games, the Eagles have remained unbeaten (W1 D3) and have scored seven goals in that time, more than in their previous 10 London derbies combined. They haven’t enjoyed a longer unbeaten run in capital clashes since 1990, as they went seven games without defeat between April and November. We, meanwhile, have lost five of our last six such games, winning the other.

6 - Kane’s Boxing Day run

Only one player in Premier League history has scored more goals on Boxing Day than Harry Kane. So far in his career, Harry has found the back of the net eight times on 26 December with only Robbie Fowler having scored more (nine).

Those eight goals for our number 10 have come in just five Boxing Day appearances, with the forward registering in each of them, including our last such game – a 2-1 win over Brighton in December, 2019. That run of eight goals in five games sees Harry lead the way for the best Boxing Day goals-per-minute ratio in the competition’s history with one every 54 minutes (minimum four games). And you wouldn’t bet against him increasing that against Palace on Sunday – a side he has been involved in 12 goals against in our last 15 Premier League encounters (seven scored, five assisted).

7 - Vieira’s perfect record on Boxing Day

Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira holds the record for the best win rate as a player on Boxing Day in Premier League history. Having played eight times on 26 December, the former midfielder won on all of his outings. This Sunday, however, will be his first game on Boxing Day as a manager.

8 - Conte and Vieira reunion

While this will be Antonio’s first meeting with Patrick Vieira as a manager, the pair did face off against each other once during their illustrious playing careers. Sharing 25 major honours between them, the duo’s one and only meeting on the pitch came as both players skippered their respective sides – Antonio for Juventus and Vieira for Arsenal – in a Champions League second group stage game in March, 2002. Juve edged the clash in Turin, winning 1-0 via a Marcelo Zalayeta header.

9 - Conte versus Palace

It’s honours even between Antonio and Crystal Palace heading the Boxing Day clash. Having met four times previously, all coming in the Premier League during the Italian’s spell at Chelsea, our Head Coach has won twice, but also lost twice. Tasting victory in his first encounter with the Eagles back in December, 2016 (1-0), Antonio then lost back-to-back games against Palace in 2017 (both 2-1) before winning by the same scoreline in his most recent meeting in March, 2018.

10 - Sonny’s Palace strikes

Heung-Min Son has a sterling record against Crystal Palace at home. In five home Premier League games against Palace, Sonny has as many goals, including a strike against them at each of our three home league venues – White Hart Lane, Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. And, while he was unable to register against the Eagles in our 2020/21 league meetings, he still managed to provide an assist in each of those games.