Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace – Preview, Lineups, Where To Watch
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Fixture: Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace
Competition: Premier League
Kick-off: 5th March, 20:00 UK time
Tottenham Hotspur host Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday night, with the Lilywhites desperate for points as they edge closer to the relegation zone, while Oliver Glasner’s side look to bounce back after a run of inconsistent domestic results.
Still without the anticipated new manager bounce since Igor Tudor’s appointment, Spurs are yet to register a victory under him and remain without a Premier League win in 2026.
With the worst form in the league, reeling from four straight losses, this will be Tottenham’s third successive game against a London rival, having fallen short in their first two clashes with Arsenal and Fulham, where they were clearly second best.
Crystal Palace are not entirely safe from relegation despite holding a 10-point cushion over the bottom three and will still need a few more results to secure their Premier League status, targeting N17 as an opportunity, where Tottenham have struggled for much of the season, managing just two home league victories.
Having dropped 19 points from winning positions this season, the second-most in the league, the Eagles come into this clash off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United, where a lead given by Maxence Lacroix was overturned before he was sent off, ruling him out of this fixture in a significant blow to Glasner’s side, with the Frenchman having started 37 matches this campaign.
The FA Cup winners endured a dismal 12-game winless run between December and February and have only recently regained some stability, collecting two victories from their last five matches.
In contrast, the Lilywhites remain mired in their own slump, having not tasted league victory since 28th December, when they last edged past Crystal Palace in a slim 1-0 win, a barren spell that has since left them languishing in 16th place, with Tudor now told to make the Spurs players believe they are better than they are.
It has been a season of contrasts for Crystal Palace and Tottenham, both battling in the bottom half of the league table while simultaneously advancing smoothly in Europe, with each securing a place in the Round of 16 of the Conference League and the Champions League respectively, as the Eagles mark their debut appearance in the knockout stages of a European competition.
Tottenham’s injury list remains extensive, with Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall among those sidelined, yet Tudor has received a timely boost as Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso and Richarlison have all been cleared to start, while a late decision will be made on Djed Spence.
Glasner, meanwhile, continues to contend with absentees of his own, as Cheick Doucoure and Eddie Nketiah remain sidelined, while Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jefferson Lerma could be in line for returns later this month.
Predicted Lineups
Recent Form (league)
Tottenham Hotspur: DLLLL
Crystal Palace: DWLWL
Key Men
Tottenham Hotspur
Richarlison
Tottenham’s top league scorer this season returned from injury last week and made an immediate impact, coming off the bench to score the Lilywhites’ only goal in their 2-1 defeat to Fulham.
With Crystal Palace missing their commanding defender, the ever-reliable Maxence Lacroix, the Brazilian forward’s recent goalscoring form will be vital, providing a timely boost against an Eagles side whose defence has already kept ten clean sheets this season.
Kevin Danso
Much like in the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park in December, Cristian Romero will miss the match against the Eagles due to a four-match suspension.
Danso has been cleared following a toe ligament injury and will be fit to step in for Romero, linking up with Micky Van de Ven, and with a new manager at the helm, the Austrian will be eager to seize the opportunity under Tudor and make an impact.
Crystal Palace
Jorgen Strand Larsen
Since arriving from Wolves and pulling on a Crystal Palace shirt, Strand Larsen has impressed, registering two goals and an assist under Glasner, and he will be eager to extend his scoring run against a Spurs side missing a key defensive figure in Romero.
Spurs are also relying on a goalkeeper in Guglielmo Vicario who has faced heavy scrutiny this season, with one former top-flight star suggesting the absence of an experienced understudy has left him without genuine competition between the sticks.
Dean Henderson
Much like Tottenham, the Eagles are without their defensive linchpin in Lacroix, and Henderson will need to be at his sharpest against Tudor’s men who are desperate for points.
Palace’s resilience has been built on a solid defensive platform and with Spurs having scored 13 of their 38 league goals from set pieces this season, the England international will need to stay alert and assert his presence between the posts to keep the Lilywhite attack at bay.
Match Prediction
It would be bold to predict that Tottenham will claim their first league win of the year on home soil, but with the boost of players like Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso and Richarlison, the Lilywhites look poised to seize the moment.
After two defeats, Tudor has gained a clearer understanding of his squad, and now, in a do-or-die scenario with relegation looming, Spurs may finally have the firepower to claim three points, with Mathys Tel and Richarlison having shown flashes of brilliance against the Cottagers.
Taking into account the Lilywhites’ poor home record and the fact that the Eagles have lost just once in their last nine Premier League London derbies away from home, with that defeat coming against leaders Arsenal in October, the odds are clearly stacked against Spurs.
However, with key injuries to stars like Jean-Philippe Mateta and Maxence Lacroix, it could be the perfect opportunity for the Lilywhites to press their advantage against a struggling Crystal Palace.
Inside Futbol Score Prediction
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Crystal Palace
Where To Watch?
Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace in the Premier League will be live on TNT Sports 1 for a 20:00 kick-off in the UK.
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