Tottenham Hotspur look to reverse their fortunes in the upcoming Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on October 31. The Lilywhites have been facing a serious crisis. They haven’t finished in the top 10 of the Premier League since 2024. Even though they’re in a marginally better position than the previous season, team coach Roberto De Zerbi knows that is not enough. The Spurs need a win at any cost.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace is in a worse position than the Lilywhites. The Eagles won their EFL Cup match against Fulham to make it to the quarterfinals. However, they haven’t won a major game in the league since their victory against Nottingham Forest on October 11. Although the stakes are high against Spurs, the Eagles will be aiming for a comprehensive victory when the two sides meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Last 5 Games
The Lilywhites have had a mixed record in the last few games. They lost a close-fought game against Aston Villa, and the matches against Manchester United and Everton ended in a draw. However, the last two games were like a breath of fresh air for Roberto De Zerbi’s boys. The Lilywhites stunned Chelsea by 2-0 in their last game held on October 24 at Stamford Bridge. Could Tottenham make it three in a row against Crystal Palace tomorrow?
Things aren’t looking that great for Crystal Palace, though. They have lost two games in a row against Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion. Their only victory came against Nottingham Forest on October 11. If they don’t win the upcoming game against Spurs tomorrow, it will be a tough road forward for Crystal Palace.
Tottenham Hotspur: 14th
Win: 2-0 vs Chelsea
Win: 3-1 vs Coventry
Draw: 1-1 vs Manchester United
Loss: 3-2 vs Aston Villa
Draw: 0-0 vs Everton
Crystal Palace: 17th
Loss: 2-0 vs Newcastle United
Loss: 5-0 vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Win: 3-1 vs Nottingham Forest
Draw: 0-0 vs Leeds
Loss: 3-2 vs Ipswich Town
Team News
Both sides will be playing with a depleted squad tomorrow. For the Lilywhites, Rodrigo Bentancur will be serving his third game of suspension. Apart from him, players like Xavi Simons, Savio, Destiny Udogie, Wilson Odobert and Mykhailo Mudryk will remain out of action due to long-term injuries. There is concern about James Maddison’s fitness, since he suffered groin discomfort in the previous match against Chelsea. The same is the case for Tosin Adarabioyo and Lucas Bergvall, whose fitness will be monitored before the kickoff.
Meanwhile, the Eagles will be playing without Ismaila Sarr [who is still recovering from a groin injury], Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Chadi Riad. However, the good news for them is the probable return of Quinten Timber, who missed out on the previous three games due to a hamstring issue.
Possible Lineups
Tottenham Hotspur:
Antonin Kinsky, Pedro Porro, Jan Paul Van Hecke, Micky Van de Ven, Andrew Robertson, Conor Gallagher, Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, Mohammed Kudus, Omar Marmoush & Mathys Tel
Crystal Palace:
Dean Henderson, Jaydee Canvot, Axel Disasi, Chris Richards, Anan Khalaili, Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Tyrick Mitchell, Yeremy Pino, Eddie Nketiah & Jean-Phillippe Mateta
Head-to-Head
Tottenham have a clear edge over Crystal Palace in terms of head-to-head clashes. The Lilywhites and the Eagles have faced each other on 69 occasions. Out of them, Tottenham have won 38, while Crystal Palace have won 16. The remaining 15 games ended in a draw.
In the Premier League, the Lilywhites have won three of their last five games against the Eagles. However, the Eagles are catching up with them. They last competed against each other on March 5, when Crystal Palace defeated Tottenham in their own backyard 3-1.
Where the Game will be Decided?
If Tottenham wish to win the game against Crystal Palace, they just need to maintain their attacking momentum. Apart from that, Roberto De Zerbi needs to ensure that his boys exploit the defensive gaps that have troubled the Eagles again and again.
Although chances are rare, Crystal Palace can still produce an upset if they wish to do so. For that, they need to simply mount their counter-attack against the Spurs. Apart from that, head coach Pierre Sage needs to ensure that the Eagles replicate their defensive focus and not make room for unexpected errors that have cost them heavily against Newcastle United in the last match.
Prediction
Tottenham Hotspur are expected to win the match against Crystal Palace hands down. They have won two games in a row and would like nothing better to maintain the winning momentum in the upcoming match against the Eagles.
Very few pollsters think that the Eagles are capable of producing an upset, despite their victory in the previous match against the Spurs held on March 5. However, the Eagles can still spring a surprise if they exploit the tactical transitions from the opposing side. Apart from that, they need to build up a solid defense line against the Spurs.
Our Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Crystal Palace
Odds
Tottenham win: 4/7(1.67)
Draw: 7/2 (4.45)
Crystal win: 5/1(4.67)
The odds are heavily in favor of Tottenham. As per Oddschecker, there is a 59 percent probability of Tottenham winning the home game. There is a 22 percent probability of a draw, while the chances of Crystal Palace winning the game are less than 20 percent for now.
Kickoff Time
The game kicks off at 17:30 GMT [23:00 IST] at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Michael Oliver will be the main official for the match, assisted by Stuart Burt and James Mainwaring. Matt Corlett will be the fourth official for the match, while Jarred Gillett will be handling the VAR alongside assistant referee Richard West.
