Anon: I'm pretty happy. Son has stepped up to the captaincy. Maddison is thriving. Good recruitment this year. The manager has brought in a style befitting our attacking DNA. I'm not getting carried away, with a young squad but we are building something exciting. A couple of transfer windows and we could be a contender.

Anon: Absolutely buzzing about Angeball. Nobody, really, is expecting to win the league. A return to Europe, in the Champions League is the goal. Having our Spurs back and playing the way we want to is the real winner.

Asante: Spurs don't have title ambitions. Yes injuries will affect us but we aren't looking at the title. That's for the media and other fans who said we'd get relegated but are now searching our end of season games as they are worried.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Steven Caulker speaking about Cristian Romero on their club website: "I think his ability to play with the ball [stands out]. "Yes he has got the aggression.

"Yeah he can tackle but what I love is his composure. He has the ability to step up with the ball, to make passes, to break lines. He is a top, top player."

Crystal Palace

Image source, Getty Images

More from Crystal Palace defender Nathaniel Clyne, speaking to club media ahead of the match against Tottenham Hotspur: "The Palace fans have always been good to me. Obviously they recognise that I'm someone who came through their Academy, so they’ve always treated me well and supported me.

"They've always been really good and very supportive. Their support on matchdays is what helps us to play better – and it's always like our 12th man, home and away.

"I'm happy to have played so many games for Crystal Palace and hopefully I’ll have many more to come. It [nearing 200 games] is something I’ll look back on later on – I’m just hungry for even more."

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish speaking on Sky Sports about the direction of Crystal Palace Football Club: "I think that we have got to increase our revenue. The money you put on the pitch has a massive impact. The increased injury time. We are paying catch-up. That has been the story of the club and then hopefully we can get into the next echelon."

On changes coming into football: "UEFA are going to have salary caps, effectively, so I think we are going to have to have something like that.

"I think everything is being looked at. It's a balance between sustainability and competitive balance. Doing the right thing. I imagine the changes we make won't be static. The aim is to keep the competitive balance in the league and make sure all clubs are sustainable. But they are quite difficult things to balance."

On the late Bill Kenwright: "Firstly, I just want to mention Bill. I was very close to him and what a great job he did with Everton. On one hand it's sad to see the money they've spent but at the same time it's an exciting club. They will always have that stadium and be a big club."

On Everton's financial allegations: "I can't comment on whether Everton have or haven't broken the rules. We don't have that insight. I hope they get to the right answer and it's fair and deal with properly."

On the landscape of football going forward: "I felt that UEFA should regulate the game and not organise competition. We have an enormous amount of scrutiny. I think UEFA and organising tournaments is a big problem. I don't think there is the same level of scrutiny we have here is on European football.

"When we talk about more solidarity it is not all about the Premier League. It's a very different landscape. I think UEFA can properly regulate the game but I don't think they can organise competitions that clash with our domestic calendar."

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone talks to Football Focus reporter Alex Howell about England call-ups, playing for Roy Hodgson and competing with his 'mate' Dean Henderson.

Watch Football Focus at 12:00 BST on Saturday, 28 October on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website & app.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Steven Caulker speaking about Micky van de Ven on their club website: "I love his aggression in his tackles. [He is] straight in, gets the ball and is able to play. He is really quick and he shows that time and time again.

"And it is not just about the tackles. For me, it is also about his positioning.

"It gives you confidence to move the ball forward because you know your centre-halves are behind you are backing you up. If Maddison is going to press, he knows he has Hojbjerg behind him, he has Romero and he has Micky van de Ven.

"Watching them as a unit is fantastic to see."

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the match against Crystal Palace: ""The Premier League is the highest level. It is difficult to say, when you think of the beginning [of your career that you'd be here]. It is really strange that I play in the Premier League every week and the team is perfect and hopefully we can keep pushing."

On Christian Romero: "He is an amazing player. You can see that on the pitch. We feel each other on and off the pitch and it shows."

On his own traits: "I think my pace s really important. I think it helps us with pressing higher."

On the test of playing at Selhurst Park: "I think it going to be a really difficult game. An away game is always difficult. I think they are trying to prove everyone wrong and we need to be at our best."

Ian: A title challenge for Spurs comes down to two things, keeping our first 11 fit for as long as possible and clever recruitment in January. If we can do those two things and maintain performances until January, maybe..

But I'd take Europe and progression this season after the last few years, that may have been 3 things....

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace defender Nathaniel Clyne, speaking to club media ahead of the match against Tottenham Hotspur: "It’s Friday night football, under the Selhurst lights in a London derby – and we're looking forward to it. Hopefully it'll be a good game.

"I watch a lot of football and I've seen Tottenham a lot this season. They're playing really well under the new manager [Ange Postecoglou]. They’re top of the league.

"It's going to be a difficult game and a tough challenge for us, we know that, but we'll be up for it. Hopefully we can come out of the game with three points."

Image source, Getty Images

Graham: No Kane. Top of the league and playing our football. Win the league or not. I'll take that right now.

Anon: Of course we won’t win the league, but right now it’s not about that. It’s about getting excited that finally after several seasons of mediocrity and defensive football with a leaky defence has been turned on it’s head. The personnel has changed slightly on the field, but the intensity and playing style has flipped 180. I am loving this brand of football, and I can’t speak for all Spurs fans but would take top 4 now.. thanks Ange.

Nigel Reo-Coker
Former West Ham midfielder on the Football Daily podcast

There is a real cohesion between the players. They are playing with real belief and freedom that they can do anything. When you talk about past managers like Mourinho and Conte, you can see there were only two or three players that could do what they want.

Mark Ogden
Senior writer for ESPN on the Football Daily podcast

He has come in there and he has put out a lot of fires on and off the pitch. He dealt with the Harry Kane situation and look what he's done. He has just been a manager that feels he is a right fit for the club. It is a happy club and that hasn't always been the case at Tottenham in recent times Spurs.

Nick: Spurs can’t maintain this run for long. In true Spursy fashion they will lose when everyone is expecting them to win.

Assante: Just looking at Spurs bench - it will take a miracle for them to sustain this title charge. An injury will hit their ambitions hard.

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace midfielder Will Hughes speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the match against Tottenham Hotspur: "We can accept losing games but the manner we lost last week was unacceptable. It is a cliche but we need a reaction tonight.

"It's fine margins in football. Every team you come up against is going to be brilliant. But it is fine margins.

"We are under no illusions how tough it is going to be. It is not by luck that they are at the top of the league."

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou says he is not speaking about title aspirations to his players and that his main challenge is to make sure their brilliant start to the season is sustainable.

Spurs have the chance to go five points clear at the top of the Premier League before their rivals play again when they travel to Crystal Palace on Friday, but the Australian is more concerned by continuing to make "real changes" at the club.

"We are in a good space but we have got plenty of work to do to make sure what we do now is sustainable," he said. "This is not about making a short-term impact but something that brings sustained opportunities for success for the club.

"There is a good reason that no manager talks about winning the title in October and November - because there is a long way to go.

"I don't talk in those terms to the players. My main information flow is how to keep our focus, which is important in tackling the challenge of being in the most competitive league in the world and will determine how we compete on a weekly basis.

"The reference point for me is where I want the team to be, irrespective of where the team has been in recent times. When they brought me into the club [the owners] were aware that there was going to be change.

"We had to make some real changes. In that context there are some pillars of real basic fundamentals that need to be there. There are a few ways to emphasise that - through training and in games. If I see something that is not part of what I want us to be as a team then that is my opportunity to reinforce that to the players."

A bit of breaking news for you...

Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has had his 10-month ban for breaching betting rules, which was initially imposed by the Italian Football Federation, applied to worldwide football by Fifa as of today.

Image source, Getty Images

Friday will be only the second meeting between Roy Hodgson and Ange Postecoglou, with the other in 2016 when they were in charge of Australia and England.

Hodgson, however, is not surprised by the Australian's recent success at Spurs, having seen his work while an advisor to Melbourne City during Postecoglou's spell as Socceroos manager.

"He might have been a bit of an unknown or a surprise to a lot of people in the country, but he certainly was no surprise to me," Hodgson said.

Hodgson's managerial career has spanned more than 45 years and includes stints at Inter Milan, Blackburn, Fulham, Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion and Palace, while he has also led the national sides of England, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and Finland.

He has managed six clubs in the Premier League, holding the record for the competition's oldest manager, and in May 2022 was honoured with a CBE for his services to football.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou says he has "so much admiration" for Roy Hodgson, before Friday's Premier League game at Crystal Palace.

Hodgson, 76, came out of retirement in March to return to Selhurst Park and replace Patrick Vieira.

"He's an outstanding manager and gentleman," said Postecoglou.

"He has had the richest of careers here, abroad, with big clubs, smaller clubs, with honours and fought against relegation."

Postecoglou added: "For someone like me who has had a different journey, I look at someone like Roy and I have so much admiration for the career he has had.

"When he does decide to quit, which won't be for a while with the way he is going, he can look back at such a rich career. I think it means more than having success, earning a lot of money or fame. He can go to multiple clubs and countries and be welcomed with open arms."

Alex Pewter, FYP podcast, external

At the quarter-mark stage of the season, Crystal Palace encapsulate the "mid-table team" moniker - with three wins, draws, and losses apiece while sitting an equal points difference from both the Champions League places and the relegation zone.

If only Newcastle hadn't dented the team's goal difference quite so heavily, there would be a lovely symmetry throughout.

Unfortunately, there was always a looming sense that the Newcastle and upcoming Tottenham fixtures were games to be endured rather than enjoyed – with more favourable matches to follow thereafter.

The pragmatic, or arguably apathetic, wing of the fanbase can choose to let these non-contests go, and the occasional convincing loss to a superior team is part and parcel of a middling league campaign. Still, it's easy to understand why others still vent their frustration in the aftermath.

Introducing three young players in the second half offered a glimmer of positivity for those disappointed in the overall result.

Matheus Franca's introduction carried the greatest intrigue, even if it's too early to analyse a single substitute appearance. Franca and his other young pretenders offer a potential future, even if it's not guaranteed.

Palace's squad is built on a core of senior but very well-known quantities. The team may just desire safety but can still afford to roll the dice.

If the injury-enforced debuts of Tyrick Mitchell and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have proved anything, sometimes it's better to see if players can sink or swim than leave them on the sidelines.

Image source, BBC Sport

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

His opponents for this weekend's fixtures are the stars of two CBBC shows - Tash, who features in The Football Academy, and Gabe from Jamie Johnson FC.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

After a slow start, I'd like to point out how good my predictions have turned out this season.

I thought I should get two points for beating both my guests last week but even just getting one point [editor's note: as per the actual rules] means I am quite far ahead now in the table, and I haven't been beaten since week four.

That probably just means I am going to lose soon, though, which is kind of the way I am thinking about Tottenham too, and their fantastic unbeaten start under Ange Postecoglou - when will it end?

Spurs' win over Fulham on Monday means 'Big Ange' has taken 23 points from his first nine games, which is the best start to any Premier League managerial career after that number of matches.

I actually figure in that statistic, as it happens - along with Guus Hiddink at Chelsea in 2008-09, my old Norwich boss Mike Walker is joint-second with 22 points from nine matches in 1992-93. I played in five of those games, in case you were wondering.

I am obviously a big fan of Postecoglou and am delighted to see him doing so well, but this is not going to last forever, and I still think Spurs will hit a bump in the road sometime soon.

Will it be at Selhurst Park? I am not sure. This is not an easy game, and I definitely think we will see a reaction from Crystal Palace after they were smashed 4-0 by Newcastle last week.

But what is really impressive about Spurs is the number of clean sheets they have kept - four, the joint most with Arsenal, Palace and Newcastle. Their overall defensive record is excellent too, with only eight goals conceded so far, and only Manchester City have a better record at the back this season.

I wasn't expecting to see that kind of resilience from a Postecoglou team because he puts the emphasis on attack, but it has been a big part of their success so far.

We won't see a big scoreline here because Palace will look to frustrate Tottenham and keep things tight, but I am going for another Spurs shut-out and three more points for Ange.

Tash's prediction: Palace aren't in the best form but Spurs have definitely improved under their new manager. It's hard to say it as a Chelsea fan, but they are on their way up - unfortunately. 0-3

Gabe's prediction: I reckon Palace will get a goal but Spurs are doing so well at the moment. James Maddison has been brilliant and Son Heung-min is scoring a lot of goals. 1-3