Tottenham’s fears of dropping out of the top flight for the first time since 1977 intensified after Crystal Palace produced a stunning first-half comeback in north London. Three goals in just 12 minutes before the break turned the game around, leaving Spurs in serious danger near the bottom of the table.
The hosts initially looked to be in control when Dominic Solanke put them ahead in the 34th minute, finishing from close range after Archie Gray surged down the byline and delivered a precise cut-back. However, the momentum quickly shifted when Micky van de Ven was dismissed four minutes later for bringing down Ismaila Sarr while attempting to deal with a long ball.
From that moment, Palace took command. Sarr calmly converted the resulting penalty in the 40th minute, sending Guglielmo Vicario the wrong way to bring the visitors level. Just before halftime, Jorgen Strand Larsen completed the turnaround by firing a low shot through Vicario’s legs after an excellent pass from Adam Wharton.
Palace added another blow in first-half stoppage time. Once again Wharton unlocked the defence with a precise through ball, allowing Sarr to grab his second of the evening and make it three goals in a devastating spell. The quickfire strikes prompted thousands of Tottenham supporters to leave the stadium at the interval.
Spurs slump continues under Igor Tudor
The defeat extended Tottenham’s miserable run to 11 league matches without victory and left them 16th in the standings, only one point above the relegation zone. They are also still searching for their first league win of 2026, increasing concern about the club’s survival prospects.
Spurs had known the importance of the match after 18th-placed West Ham boosted their own chances with a win over Fulham earlier in the week. Yet it was Palace who began more aggressively, forcing Vicario into an early save when Adam Wharton’s half-volley had to be pushed away after chaos from a long throw by Chris Richards.
Tottenham briefly responded through Mathys Tel, whose attempt after cutting inside was saved by Dean Henderson. Palace even believed they had scored earlier when Sarr’s deflected effort looped over Vicario, but the goal was disallowed after the video assistant referee ruled the forward narrowly offside when receiving a pass from Jaydee Canvot.
The dismissal of Van de Ven proved decisive, leaving Spurs with ten men for more than half the match. It marked the team’s fourth red card of the season and paved the way for Palace’s comeback. Later, tensions appeared within the home side when Pedro Porro argued with interim manager Igor Tudor after being substituted during the second half.
Questions over Tudor as Palace revive
If Igor Tudor was brought in as a short-term solution following the dismissal of Thomas Frank, his early results have only added to Tottenham’s difficulties. The Croatian coach has now lost all three matches since taking charge of the team on an interim basis until the end of the season.
Although the problems began long before his appointment, the current run has intensified doubts over whether he can guide the club away from danger. Tottenham faces the alarming possibility of losing more than £250m if relegation to the Championship becomes a reality.
Even after Solanke’s opening goal, there was little sense of confidence around the stadium that Spurs would secure a vital victory. Instead, the performance reinforced the impression of a side struggling for stability as rivals near the bottom collected important points during the same round of fixtures.
While Tottenham’s campaign continues to unravel, the evening represented a positive moment for Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner. Just weeks after supporters criticised him during a difficult spell that included a nine-game winless league run, his team delivered a performance reminiscent of last season’s FA Cup-winning side.
Palace’s victory lifted them to 13th place and marked their second consecutive league win at Tottenham. With three wins from their past five Premier League matches, the south London club now approach the latter stages of the Conference League with renewed confidence.