Tottenham v Crystal Palace preview: De Zerbi’s Spurs chase third straight win against their recent nemesis
Tottenham v Crystal Palace preview: Roberto De Zerbi's side chase a third straight Premier League win, but Palace have won three of the last four meetings.
Tottenham v Crystal Palace kicks off at 17:30 UK on Saturday, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side chasing a third straight Premier League win against a Palace team who have made a habit of spoiling their afternoons.
Main image: DSN graphic.
Spurs went six league games without a win at the start of the season. They have turned a corner since. A 3-1 home win over Coventry finally got them off the mark, and last weekend they won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, only their second Premier League victory at Chelsea’s ground. Mathys Tel scored, and a goalkeeping error did the rest. Chelsea now host Manchester United today, as our Chelsea v Man Utd preview set out.
Even so, De Zerbi’s side are only 14th. Palace sit 17th on seven points, and Pierre Sage is under growing pressure after back-to-back league defeats to Brighton and Newcastle.
Tottenham v Crystal Palace team news
Rodrigo Bentancur serves the final match of his three-game ban after his red card at Old Trafford. Sávio, Mykhailo Mudryk, Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are all out. Our sister site DGBN covered Mudryk’s deadline-day move to Spurs in August.
James Maddison is the big question. He went off early in the second half at Chelsea with a groin problem, and reports differ on whether he can start. Destiny Udogie and Tosin Adarabioyo are pushing to return to the squad.
Palace are without Ismaïla Sarr and Takehiro Tomiyasu until after the international break, while Chadi Riad has a long-term knee injury. There is better news elsewhere. Dean Henderson is back in goal after nine games out and kept a clean sheet in the midweek Carabao Cup win at Fulham. Cheick Doucouré also started that game, his first competitive appearance for the club since January 2025. Jean-Philippe Mateta was rested and should lead the line.
Palace’s recent hold over Spurs
Palace have won three of the last four meetings, including both of their last two trips to north London. They won 3-1 in N17 in March. Conor Gallagher, who spent a season on loan at Selhurst Park, has scored four goals in seven Premier League games against his old club.
| Key numbers | Tottenham | Crystal Palace |
|---|---|---|
| League position | 14th | 17th (7 pts) |
| Last league result | W 2-0 at Chelsea | L 0-2 v Newcastle |
| Suspended | Bentancur | None reported |
| Last meeting | Tottenham 1-3 Crystal Palace | March 2026 |
| Kick-off / referee | 17:30 UK | Michael Oliver |
What’s at stake
A win would give Spurs three league victories in a row for the first time since February 2025. For Sage, a third straight league defeat would only sharpen the questions about his future, with Palace hovering just above the relegation places.
It is a packed Premier League Saturday. Manchester City host Brighton at 15:00 in a game our Man City v Brighton preview covers, and Aston Villa face Fulham at 20:00. Our Aston Villa v Fulham preview has the team news from Villa Park.
