Crystal Palace

Alex Pewter
Fan writer

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The clocks on Sunday may have only turned back an hour but Crystal Palace's performance rolled back five months, as they finally broke their winless run of Premier League games.

With that victory came a display of aggressive pressing, intensity and a spark absent from other fixtures, which belied the suspected unrest on the training ground.

While picking out a lone contributor amongst a complete defensive performance is unfair, the man at the heart of the backline drew plenty of the plaudits - Maxence Lacroix.

Fans had long assumed Lacroix would occupy the central role in a back three, allowing Marc Guehi to return to his more accustomed place on the left side of a centre-back pairing or trio. Yet, it took until the Nottingham Forest match for that to be deployed.

The defeat entirely overshadowed the balance that subtle defensive change made, so it took a one-on-one performance against Dominic Solanke for Lacroix to display his vaunted athleticism.

It was clear that Tottenham played straight into Oliver Glasner's game plan despite the number of players they tend to send forward. The success ultimately hinged on the ex-Wolfsburg defender's ability to mop up anything that got through.

Each of his three crunching tackles drew a rapturous response from the crowd, but each of the centre-backs navigated pressure that often does not show up in the end-of-game statistics.

Comparisons to the departed Joachim Andersen were inevitable; even if he was never billed as the direct replacement, there was a notable leadership void to fill.

Palace has often relied on leaders to carry the club through down periods. As the Frenchman celebrated in front of the Holmesdale at full-time, you could sense their new defender had already swayed the crowd with one critical performance.

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There was late drama...

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And late drama...

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And late drama...

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Sometimes you just can't escape it.

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There were returns to goalscoring ways...

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And goalscoring partnerships...

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While sometimes the spoils just have to be shared...

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And after a busy day at work, sometimes you just need a lie down.

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Chris Wise
Final Score reporter at Selhurst Park

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Crystal Palace's performance against Tottenham was far more 'Glasner 2023-24' than 'Glasner 2024-25', which is both encouraging and long overdue for the Eagles.

They set the tempo from the very start at Selhurst Park and, even when the legs finally began to run short of energy, the electric atmosphere from the crowd got them over the line for that first Premier League win of the season.

I'm interested to see how Oliver Glasner now approaches the situation with Jean-Philippe Mateta. He put him back into his starting line-up against Tottenham - and he was rewarded.

I think Mateta has to be the player that spearheads Palace's forward line going forward. Nobody else in the squad can perform that role as well as him, let alone match him for goals return.

It is just a case of where that leaves Eddie Nketiah?

Oliver Glasner might be able to accommodate both but, right now, I'm not sure he can afford to leave Mateta out again.

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Crystal Palace and Tottenham.

Here are some of your comments:

Palace fans

Christopher: What a difference from previous games! Honestly, where did that performance come from?! If we played like that in this game, surely we can play like that more consistently. We were fast with and without the ball, tracking players, closing down and we never let Spurs breathe for a second. The only downside was that we should have scored three goals or more. Well done Palace!

Al: A gritty, determined and organised performance. Wharton had a blinder. Mateta feeds off Eze. A clean sheet too, which will give Henderson a real pick-me-up. This result was much needed and hopefully now the momentum grows.

Moggy: Such a relief, but I really enjoyed the match and we were the better team. The players all lifted their game and their passing was great. I'm so happy for Glasner and Mateta. Henderson still needs to work on his distribution but I appreciate he kept a clean sheet.

Kathryn: Fantastic mood at Selhurst today. The players and the supporters gave everything and we got the result we deserved. The players fought for every ball and never gave up, and the supporters sang from beginning to end. It was great to hear "Oliver's army" sung with gusto. Hopefully everything will settle down again now.

Tottenham fans

Stav: Yet another "Spursy" performance. We are so inconsistent. Ange looked, quite rightly, in my opinion, very angry in his post-match interview. These so-called "professional" and extremely well paid footballers lack the motivation, the drive and the desire to play out of their skins for their club, fans, manager and pay packet.

Lawrence: This was another weak and feeble performance against a side we should be beating easily. There is something fundamentally wrong at Spurs, particularly if the manager cannot get a side of so-called "quality players" producing consistent (good) results!

Tristen: Gutless and spineless - it is a Spurs thing, no matter who seems to be in charge. Maybe this club is just rotten from the top down. Maybe they are all just too pampered, from the unreal training ground to the fantastic stadium. These prima donnas need to be brought back down to Earth with a thud - cold showers and no coach home.

Steve: Hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League look like a pipe dream just now. Spurs mostly played like a bunch of individuals that don't know each other very well. It is so disappointing but we fans are, sadly, well used to that.

Former Premier League defender Stephen Warnock spoke to BBC Match of the Day about Crystal Palace's performance against Tottenham on Sunday:

"It was a huge win and a huge difference in performance from the Nottingham Forest match. Against Nottingham Forest, it was 10 men behind the ball with no intent to press. Today was a complete difference.

"It was all about triggers [in the press]. They pressed high up the pitch and once they won the ball back they were looking to look forward at every opportunity.

"Whenever Tottenham looked to go forward, Crystal Palace pressed again. [Daniel] Munoz and [Ismaila] Sarr [on the right hand side] were excellent at putting that pressure on. What a performance from Oliver Glasner's team.

"This isn't the first time that Glasner has been in this situation. In the 2021-22 season at Eintracht Frankfurt, they hadn't won in their first eight games. They then beat Bayern Muninch in the biggest game of the season and went on to win the Europa League."

Watch the full analysis of the match here

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Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport journalist

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After scoring 11 goals in 27 league games last season, Eberechi Eze was tipped to be one of the star performers in the Premier League this time around.

In fact, Palace chairman Steve Parish said he was "astounded" at the lack of interest in Eze during the summer transfer window.

Since scoring a stunning goal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to earn Palace a point, Eze has benefited from rather quiet while his side have remained in the bottom three.

However, there was a shift in performance from Eze and Palace at Selhurst Park and Tottenham could not live with either.

Eze was not the match winner but his beautiful flick to Jean-Philippe Mateta enabled the Frenchman to secure their first three points of the season.

With Eddie Nketiah dropped to the bench, Eze was much more influential in the game and found himself linking up with Mateta on numerous occasions.

The England international also thought he deserved a penalty after a jinking run through the Spurs defence resulted in him being pulled down in the box, but the referee waved away the appeals.

Eze will be hoping to follow up this impressive performance when Palace head to Molineux to take on Wolves on Saturday.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day about the win: "Congratulations to the players for how they played today, with passion and courage. They showed it on the pitch against a good Tottenham team.

"We tried to be active at the end and there were some moments, but Tottenham are a great team. The players took it as a chance and every single phase of their play we played great and moved the ball. A very good performance today.

"I mentioned before the game that if we were convinced changing the formation was the solution, then we would do it immediately. Tottenham tried everything late on. The players did amazing and that is why we won this game."

On Eberechi Eze: "I think we have seen the 'old' Eze all season. He has been a bit unlucky. He scored a great goal but was offside.

"I think it is a penalty but I didn't see it on TV. If he has a free shot then he shoots, so I don't know why he would lie down on the grass. We know he is technically unbelievable."

On whether this result eases the pressure: "It helps all of us if we play in that way. We are a very good team and it is very difficult to beat us. Getting this response in this game helps us.

"We have to show it again in three days against Aston Villa. This is the benchmark. You can score and concede, this is football."

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Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day about the Eagles' first league win of the season: "On effort, resilience and team spirit - everything was there today.

"I'm really grateful today. I wouldn't say it was all about today, but there has been work behind the scenes and the supporters have been behind us.

"Credit to the manager and staff. The message this week was to not sink when things get difficult.

"It is important to be brave against a good Spurs team."

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Crystal Palace's Jean-Phillipe Mateta struck the winner in this match with his 17th Premier League goal of 2024. Only Erling Haaland (24) and Cole Palmer (21) have netted more goals this calendar year.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

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What did you make of Tottenham’s display?, external

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Four matches make up Sunday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Chelsea v Newcastle - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Crystal Palace v Tottenham - listen on the BBC Sport website

• West Ham v Man Utd - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Arsenal v Liverpool - 16:30 - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-offs 14:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction on our live page here

Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week nine he takes on rapper Nemzzz, who supports Manchester United.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Crystal Palace are desperate to get their first league win of the season, but any sort of positive result would do after losing their past three games.

I was at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday with BBC Radio 5 Live for Arsenal versus Shaktar Donetsk in the Champions League, and Roy Hodgson was there as a Uefa technical observer. Is his next step a return to the Palace hotseat?

I am saying that tongue in cheek because there is no way they will bring him back - or that he would go back - but Eagles manager Oliver Glasner is already under pressure and the heat will really be on if they lose this game.

I am backing Tottenham, although I am a bit concerned about the fitness of Son Heung-min, who is back from injury but was rested for their Europa League game with AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.

Tiredness could affect other players. Spurs play high-pressing and high-energy football and I wonder what playing twice a week will do to them.

Also, the way Tottenham play might suit Palace more, because Eberechi Eze will have a lot more space than he had in their defeat against Nottingham Forest on Monday.

So Palace should pose more of a threat, but Spurs blew West Ham away and, while this will be a lot closer, I still expect them to win.

Nemzzz's prediction: 0-1

Palace are really missing Michael Olise, so I am backing Spurs.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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As a player, it is tough when you have not won in weeks and you know that everyone you are playing fancies their chances against you.

Teams will take it to you because they want to make you feel uncomfortable and, historically, teams near the bottom of a league do not have good away records, so that can then create anxiety for home fixtures because there is more pressure on them.

It does not matter how that first win comes but it is so important. But then immediately you will be looking at the fixtures and thinking when will the second come?

Everyone is objectively aware of how good the top four teams are, but some other teams are tough too. Those mid-table teams are often more robust.

Realistically, to survive you need between eight and 11 wins a season, but if you do not believe you can achieve that then that is another issue.

Players need to be able to handle any scenario you are given in the Premier League, but unfortunately for a lot of these teams near the bottom, they are so new to it so they can't lean on previous experiences. Lessons need to be learned quickly and then applied so that results start picking up.

But fans also need to look at performances as well as results.

Supporters might be looking at other managers as an option, but the grass isn't always greener - and then what if it makes no difference?

It is OK having positive performances but not getting anything out of the game - because at least you know you are along the right rack. It is when the performances aren't good that you can start to be concerned.

But having said that, no team should be in real panic mode right now.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town, Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers all remain winless after eight Premier League games - so how can they kickstart their season?

Former Leeds, Everton and Leicester striker Jermaine Beckford tells The Football News Show that back-to-basics, low-risk football is their best bet.

Watch The Football News Show on iPlayer

Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Tottenham (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• The squad remains the same as it was for last weekend against Nottingham Forest with no new injury concerns but no players returning from injury.

• Cheick Doucoure completed "one training session" with the first team this week but his return from injury will "still take time".

• On whether the club has decided if Adam Wharton needs to undergo surgery for his injury: "We are discussing. When we make the final decision, we will inform everyone. At the moment, he will be with us for at least the next three games and then we will see what happens."

• There was a "big disappointment" after losing at the City Ground, but Glasner's aim for this week has been "getting heads and chins up". He added: "We have had good training sessions. The mood has got better and better, but we are all humans so it takes time to deal with disappointment."

• On whether he feels under pressure at the moment, as his team continues their search for a first league win of the season: "We are always under pressure, especially if we don't get the results we want. That is normal in football, so this is something we have to deal with. When you sign a contract as a manager, you know there will be times when this is the case."

• He believes Daichi Kamada has already "adapted" to the Premier League: "I saw a good game from him at Nottingham, but maybe he wasn't quite lucky. I know him well - he puts himself under pressure because he wants to score goals. He is working very hard for the team, so I think he has adapted - yes."

• He expects an "intense" game against Tottenham: "Intensity, runs, pace, high quality... I've just heard that maybe Son [Heung-min] won't be available, but they have a great midfield and a lot of pace in defence. It will all be about intensity - the team sprinting most, making runs in behind and giving pressure off the ball."

• Even though Spurs will make it a "challenging" game, Glasner is confident Palace will get "chances and opportunities" and they will need to be "efficient" in order to score from them.

Full commentary of Crystal Palace v Tottenham from 14:00 BST on Sunday on the BBC Sport website

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the latest football news here

Former England manager Gareth Southgate and ex-Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter are among the candidates to replace Oliver Glasner, if Crystal Palace's form does not improve under the Austrian. (Teamtalk), external

Liverpool are set to step up their interest in Eagles defender Marc Guehi, amid uncertainty surrounding the future of Virgil van Dijk. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news and gossip? Read Friday's full column

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We asked for your views on one thing nobody is talking about at Crystal Palace.

Here are some of your comments:

Aaron: Some of the fans are far too negative. In such a difficult situation both the players and the manager need all of the fans’ support. Both Glasner and the majority of the players have proven themselves at the end of last year. The fans need to get behind their team and take just as much responsibility as the players and manager.

Adam: Eze is not delivering. He needs more direction. He beats two players and loses the ball to the third. His passing is poor. He has great potential but needs to be given a different role in the team. More of a playmaker. Beat two and then make the great pass… also picking up the clearance when he can come alive and show his flair.

Derek: One thing good or bad is Palace's lack of ambition over the years. They had a chance to change that, by keeping the same team they had at the end of last year. But they let Olise go and it’s been all downhill since. The talk of replacing Glasner has made things worse. After over 50 years a Palace fan, I confess I’ve just about given up.

Chris: That Chalobah has been really poor since coming in. At fault for the goal against Liverpool and a dreadful header in the lead up to Forest’s winner. If we are to go to a back four he should be the one to make way.

Cypruseagle: I cannot understand why Glasner has changed the system. We finished the season with an intense high press and we were winning the ball back in their final third and crossing the ball in quickly for Mateta. This season there is no press until they get in our half. It looks as if he's lost the dressing room. Huge concern.

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Of all the teams at the bottom of the Premier League table, Crystal Palace are probably the one who will have had the highest expectations for this season.

But Palace lost significant players over the summer and we are seeing the impact of that now.

Towards the back end of last season they were performing at their peak, but we are now at the other end of that.

Expectation is only there from fans this season because they were playing their best football in years just a few months ago.

Palace know that, realistically, they should have won a game by now with the players and manager they have, but unfortunately for them they are struggling.

When the performances start drifting that is then the cause for concern. But they are capable of winning games - it is a just lot harder when you are not on a good run.

Losing affects your confidence, so they will be feeling that individually and collectively.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

Crystal Palace fans - your side's winless start to the Premier League season has been one of the main topics of discussion in the opening two months of the campaign.

We've heard lots of chatter about sales, recruitment and being toothless in front of goal - but you know your club the best.

So tell us, what is the one thing nobody is talking about - good or bad?

Have your say here, external