Report & Highlights: Palace equal record PL points tally with historic win at Spurs

Summary

• Two changes for Palace in North London, with Lerma and Hughes returning.

• 4: Half chances for both sides early on.

• 8: Palace score through Ismaïla Sarr, but it’s disallowed for offside in the build-up.

• 12: Lacroix does brilliantly to deny Kulusevski.

• 15: Muñoz sees a volley parried away by Kinsky.

• 25: Mateta is denied from close range by Kinsky.

• 28: Palace break and Muñoz’s attempt cannons off the crossbar.

• 32: Lerma, Sarr and Richards all see efforts denied.

• 34: Davies denies Mateta inside the box.

• 42: Eze’s effort from 25-yards is deflected just wide.

• 43: Lacroix heads in off Guehi, but it’s disallowed for handball.

• 45 - GOAL: EZE PUTS PALACE AHEAD ON THE STROKE OF HALF-TIME.

• HT: Spurs 0-1 Palace

• 48 - GOAL: EZE DOUBLES THE LEAD RIGHT AFTER THE BREAK.

• 50: Mateta’s attempt for a third is denied.

• 55: Odobert’s header at the far-post is wide.

• 66: Chilwell picks out Sarr, but he heads over.

• 71: Lacroix makes an incredible recovery challenge to stop Son.

• 79: Nketiah heads just wide.

• 88: Guéhi does well to deny Son late on.

• FT: Spurs 0-2 Palace

Just six days on from the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace headed north of the river to take on London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in their penultimate away game of the campaign.

Palace were unbeaten in four games coming into this clash, securing a place in the FA Cup Final along the way, while Spurs had secured a place in the Europa League final in midweek with a victory in Norway against Bodø/Glimt.

Oliver Glasner made two changes to his side which drew with Forest, with Jefferson Lerma and Will Hughes returning to the middle of the park in place of Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada.

The hosts meanwhile made a whopping eight changes to the side which won on the continent: with only Pedro Porro, Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski retaining their places in the starting XI.

With the sun shining and the Palace away end in full voice, Hughes got the game underway. There was some defending to do early on, with Spurs winning a corner, though nothing came of that and a further attempt from Mathys Tel moments later.

Quickly down the other end, inside the opening three minutes, Palace almost forced an own goal with Daniel Muñoz putting a dangerous ball across the box, forcing Spurs defenders to scramble back to work it back to Antonin Kinsky.

Muñoz was causing a lot of problems for the Spurs defence, even setting up Ismaïla Sarr for what looked like the opening goal eight minutes in. A sweeping move saw it worked out to Muñoz and he played an inch-perfect ball in for Sarr to fire home, though it was ruled out for the narrowest of offsides against Jean-Philippe Mateta in the build-up.

The end-to-end action continued as Spurs were on the attack after winning the ball back in the middle of the park. Maxence Lacroix did exceptionally well, along with Hughes, to block makeshift striker Kulusevski’s effort inside the box.

Once again, following a Spurs attack, Palace were down the other end and creating chances of their own. Played through on the left-hand side, Tyrick Mitchell whipped a first-time ball into the box which was met by Muñoz on the volley. Though it was on his weaker left foot, his attempt forced Kinsky into an unconvincing save - nearly parrying it out into the path of Sarr.

The high tempo start gave way to something of a lull halfway through the first-half, with Spurs losing Kulusevski to injury and Tel also going down in the centre circle. Palace still looked more likely to open the scoring, though this time Mateta was denied from close range following a corner.

Multiple attempts in the space of a few minutes followed, with Mũnoz seeing an effort cannon up and out off the crossbar after an incisive breakaway, Lerma denied from close range and Chris Richards’ far-post header being palmed away by Kinsky right at the last.

It was very much all Palace as the half went on. Ebere Eze saw a long range curling effort from 25-yards out deflect off Danso and just wide of the post, while another goal was ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee - Lacroix guided a header goalbound, however it struck captain Marc Guéhi’s hand just before it crossed the line.

On the stroke of half-time, the South Londoners had the ball in the back of the net - and this time it counted. Muñoz once again had acres of space down the right to attack, breaking free of Djed Spence and playing a perfect ball into the path of Ebere Eze to sweep home.

That goal saw Palace deservedly go into the break with the advantage, and within three minutes of the restart Eze was wheeling away in celebration once again. Sarr’s initial effort on goal after his surging run was blocked, but he had time to pick out Eze unmarked inside the box and the No. 10 made no mistake to get his second of the game.

Spurs, blown away by the two goals either side of half-time, were looking to find a way back into the game and nearly managed to halve the deficit. Porro played an excellent ball into the far post which was met by Wilson Odobert, but the Frenchman’s header did not trouble Dean Henderson in the Palace goal.

Second-half substitute Ben Chilwell blasted a ball back across the box in search of anyone in red and blue, just past the hour-mark, and found Sarr. The Senegalese forward’s header was instinctive, but just over the bar.

Returning captain Son Heung-Min was in with a chance of pulling one back for Spurs with just over 20 minutes remaining, however Lacroix’s lung-busting recovery run and challenge denied the South Korean.

Substitutes almost combined for a third, when Kamada found Eddie Nketiah with a delightful ball into the six-yard box, but the No. 9’s header was just wide of the mark.

Palace were in relative control, enjoying more of the possession and continuing to stifle Spurs. A ball was worked through towards Son once again, but this time the Spurs skipper was denied by Palace’s skipper Guéhi.

A late chance in stoppage time for Nketiah was saved by Kinsky, while a Spurs corner from Tel was easily dealt with by the Palace defence. Three minutes of time added on came and went and the celebrations consumed the players on the pitch and the fans in the away end.

Victory over Spurs means that Palace equal their best-ever Premier League points tally of 49, previously achieved last season and in 1992/93. Attention now turns to the FA Cup Final on Saturday, 17th May, with the Eagles looking to make history with a win over Manchester City.

Spurs: Kinsky (GK), Davies, Danso, Spence, Porro (Son, 58), Gray, Bentancur (Bissouma, HT), P. Sarr, Tel, Kulusevski (Morre, 19), Odobert.

Subs not used: Vicario (GK), Richarlison, Romero, Solanke, Johnson, van de Ven.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi, Muñoz, Lerma (Kamada, 60), Hughes (Devenny, 86), Mitchell (Chilwell, 60), Eze, I. Sarr (Esse, 78), Mateta (Nketiah, 60).

Subs not used: Turner (GK), Clyne, Kporha, França.

AS IT HAPPENED