Winless runs are part of football, but in Tottenham’s case, their fans firmly believe this is against the run of play in the context of where they should be in the standings ahead of the visit of Crystal Palace. Given that Spurs are one of the high spenders in the Premier League, their current position is unprecedented, with injuries and a terrible dip in form contributing to their downfall.
Interim boss Igor Tudor has had a tough start to life, losing to Arsenal and then Fulham at the weekend. The Croat now prepares to manage a third London Derby in a row, and he will hope to get third time lucky when they host Crystal Palace, who are incidentally the team they last defeated before going on this unprecedented 10-game winless run.
Spurs are the only Premier League team winless in 2026, and should they continue on this run, they will match an unwanted record set back in 1994 of a similar nature. The more pressing concern is their steady slide towards the relegation zone, and they may have been lucky due to the defeats suffered by ‘rivals’ West Ham and Nottingham Forest, but they cannot ride on that every matchday, as results are paramount.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace grabbed the headlines with their game against Manchester United at Old Trafford. After Maxence Lacroix gave the Eagles an early lead, the South London outfit held their own before a controversial decision that saw their goalscorer sent off for what was described as a soft foul on Matheus Cunha, which also led to a penalty to the Red Devils.
Manchester United were able to make use of the momentum from Bruno Fernandes’s equaliser from the spot, and then Benjamin Sesko gave them the lead. The result failed to improve Palace’s position, as Oliver Glasner’s side sit in 14th, some ten points off the relegation zone.
European ambitions are certainly out of the window as things stand, and Glasner will certainly prioritise their Conference League campaign, as well as staying as far away from the relegation zone as possible. Ahead of this pivotal clash with Tottenham, who are two places below the Eagles, Glasner will want a statement performance, but he must do it without his key defender, Lacroix.
Igor Tudor must once again select a lineup from the players available at his disposal, as the Croatian tactician continues to deal with a rather long injury list. Ahead of the game, Spurs’ interim boss confirmed that full-back Djed Spence is out of contention, while Dejan Kulusevski and Destiny Udogie are also nowhere close to returning.
Those three are part of a crowded treatment room, as a host of first-team players are missing from action. Following consecutive defeats, there is a chance that Tudor might consider a few tweaks to his lineup and tactics.
He could potentially switch to a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Pape Matar Sarr and Joao Palhinha likely to sit in that midfield. There was some respite following the returns of Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso to the squad, with the former expected to start again at right-back.
It could also be the chance for Souza to shine at left-back in place of the overused Archie Gray, while Mathys Tel could start this one on the right-hand side of the attack. Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani will complete the attacking setup, with Tudor likely to choose Richarlison as his starting striker ahead of Dominic Solanke.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Souza; Sarr, Palhinha; Tel, Simons, Kolo Muani; Richarlison
Oliver Glasner will be without key defender Maxence Lacroix owing to his sending off against Manchester United, and the Austrian manager stares at a much-changed back three. Chadi Riad could be the chosen one to replace the suspended Frenchman, while Jaydee Canvot should also play there alongside regular starter Chris Richards.
There were concerns with Jorgen Strand Larsen, who was taken off in the 58th minute, but the Norwegian attacker is reportedly in line to start against Tottenham. Should that happen, it will be a boost for Crystal Palace, considering they are still missing key frontmen Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eddie Nketiah.
Adam Wharton could once again start alongside Daichi Kamada in central midfield, with Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell reprising the wing-back roles. Ismaila Sarr, Brennan Johnson and Strand Larsen will continue in the new-look front three for Crystal Palace against Tottenham, with Yeremy Pino set to take his place on the bench once again.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Riad, Canvot; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Johnson; Larsen
Irrespective of whether some of the Tottenham fans like him as their leading attacker or not, Richarlison is probably the only top-level star in the team who knows how to fight relegation. His experience of helping Everton evade relegation before his switch to North London will prove valuable, and the Brazilian will be key to his team’s chances of staying alive in the top flight.
In another season dominated by injuries and form issues, Richarlison has the perfect segue to make himself a hero at Spurs, much like he was at Everton. A good performance and a build-up towards the next game will be crucial for the Brazilian, and his manager should trust him to lead the line for Tottenham against Crystal Palace.
Tottenham have gone ten games without a Premier League win, with the most recent victory coming against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park at the end of December. However, they are under tremendous pressure to deliver a big win, as only three points will calm the nerves around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However, while Crystal Palace are on an inconsistent run of form, they are always a threat to any team in the division. Spurs will be wary of that, which could lead to some caution being applied by both sides. This game has the hallmarks of an entertaining draw.
