Many thanks to Declan Mulcahy for this match report:-

Sunday 28 December 2025, 4:30pm
Premier League
Crystal Palace (0) 0 Tottenham Hotspur (1) 1

Scorer:-
Gray, 42

Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1): Oliver Glasner
1 D Henderson: 8 J Lerma, 5 M Lacroix, 6 M Guehi (c); 17 N Clyne (9 E Nketiah 58), 20 A Wharton, 19 W Hughes, 3 T Mitchell; 55 J Devenny (21 R Esse 85), 10 Y Pino (12 C Uche 77); 14 J-P Mateta

Subs not used: 44 W Benítez, 23 J Canvot, 24 B Sosa, 72 D Benamar, 42 K Rodney, 86 J Drakes-Thomas

Booked: Hughes (45+3 foul on Pedro Porro), Lacroix (46 foul on Spence), Lerma (85 foul on Odobert)

Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1):
1 G Vicario; 23 Pedro Porro, 4 K Danso, 37 M van de Ven (c), 24 D Spence; 30 R Bentancur, A Gray (3 R Dragușin 85); 20 M Kudus (22 B Johnson 85), 15 L Bergvall (6 Joao Palhinha 63), 39 R Kolo Muani (28 W Odobert 63); 9 Richarlison

Subs not used: 31 A Kinsky, 33 B Davies, 25 K Takai, 11 M Tel, 44 D Scarlett

Booked: Danso (5 foul on Devenny), Gray (22 foul on Wharton)

Selhurst Park, Attendance: 25,186

Referee:- Jarred Gillett
Assistants:- Scott Ledger, Mark Scholes
Fourth official:- Darren England
VAR:- James Bell
Assistant VAR:- Marc Perry

Gray sets Spurs on the way to victory

Thanks to Eugene Gasper for the picture

Both sides were missing key players. Palace had more opportunities. Spurs took the lead late in the first half through Archie Gray and showed some tenacity and purpose in gaining a 1-0 win at Selhurst Park today.

Spurs made two enforced changes from the team which lost to Liverpool last weekend. Romero and Simons were both suspended as a result of having received red cards and Danso and Richarlison replaced them. Pape Sarr is at AFCON and Udogie, Kulusevski, Maddison and Solanke remain out injured. Kota Takai was among the substitutes for the first time having recovered from the foot injury which has kept him out since joining the club in close-season.

Crystal Palace have had the busier set of fixtures over the past couple of weeks. Whereas Spurs have played three weekend Premier League games over the past two weeks, Palace have had a midweek game each week drawing at home to KuPS in the Europa Conference League the first week and losing to Arsenal on penalties in the League Cup quarter finals earlier this week. Their squad isn't that large and they are feeling the pressure of two matches each week.

Thanks to Stuart Gibson for the picture

They made two changes from the team which lost to Leeds United last week with Lerma replacing the injured Richards and Devenny coming in for Nketiah. Ismaila Sarr was absent because of his involvement in AFCON and Munoz and Kamada were among a number of injured players.

Initially Devenny made a good run and Danso was forced to bring him down earning a yellow card after 4 mins and 37 seconds. He did well to keep out of trouble for the remainder of the game. It was the earliest booking received by a Spurs player in a London derby in the Premier League since Michael Dawson v Charlton in December 2006 (3 mins and 51 seconds).

Spurs created a nice move after fifteen minutes. A diagonal ball from Porro on the right led to Richarlison putting the ball in the net. However after a VAR review it was disallowed because Bergvall had been offside in the build-up.

Mateta dragged a shot wide. Gray was caught in possession by Wharton and forced to foul him which resulted in his name going in the referee's book.

Palace had a couple of aerial chances but Mateta headed wide and a header from Devenny was saved by Vicario. A misplaced pass from Spence, who was wearing one orange and one yellow boot today, created a chance for Wharton but Vicario came to the rescue.

Porro for Spurs and Hughes for Palace both had efforts off target.

The first corner of the game was awarded with a few minutes remaining in the first half. Porro's corner was directed towards the far post. Kolo Muani headed into the ground before Richarlison headed it on in a crowded box. Archie Gray was well-positioned to score with a header. It was a goal against the run of play.

This was Gray's first senior goal in 112 appearances, 60 of them for Spurs. He is the youngest Englishman to score for Tottenham in the Premier League (19 years and 291 days) since Dele Alli in January 2016 (19 years and 287 days - also against Crystal Palace). His grandfather Frank Gray scored his first goal in his first full appearance for Leeds United again against Crystal Palace on 21 April 1973, fifty-two years ago.

The last six Premier League goals that Palace have conceded have all come from set pieces.

There were seven minutes to time added on before the interval. Spurs looked brighter. Hughes was booked for a cynical challenge on Porro to prevent a counter-attack.

There were no changes at the interval. Lacroix was soon booked for a foul on Spence.

There was an odd incident ten minutes into the second half. After some pressure in the Spurs box the Palace players thought they had won a corner. Mitchell picked up the ball and Palace prepared to take the corner. However referee Gillett correctly deduced that the ball hadn't crossed the end line. He stopped the corner and awarded Spurs a free kick because Mitchell had handled the ball.

Glasner made an attacking change with Nketiah replacing Clyne. The former had an effort blocked by Danso.

Bergvall needed treatment and was replaced Palhinha with Odobert also coming on for Kolo Muani.

Palace were dominating at this point. Nketiah sent in a good cross but there was no one there to meet it. Lacroix's headed effort was wide.

Odobert had an effort from outside the box saved by Henderson.

With fifteen minutes remaining Guehi the Palace captain gave the ball away to Gray. He set up Kudus who made a run down the right and crossed for Richarlison to put the ball in the net. After a VAR review it was disallowed because Richarlison was offside, his second effort of the game to be chalked off.

Spurs showed attacking intent for the remainder of the game. Odobert had a shot which bounced off the inside of the post. Johnson created a nice opportunity but it was just outside Odobert's reach. Henderson saved from Bentancur at the end.

Dragușin came on with five minutes left for his first appearance since January after a lengthy injury. He added some defensive solidity.

Neither team were at their best and it wasn't a classic encounter. Palace had more of the ball but struggled to create good opportunities. Spurs took their opportunity from a set piece. They showed character and resilience at times and Odobert was unlucky with his late effort.

Palace's small squad is coming under pressure from competing in Europe as well. They have now lost three consecutive Premier league games. It last happened in October 2024. For the first time in five years they lost their last Premier League fixture of the year.

Both teams won a major trophy in 2025, Palace the FA Cup for the first time and Spurs the Europa League. Each beat a Manchester team in their respective finals.

The next match on New Year's Day sees Thomas Frank return to his old hunting ground the Gtech Community Stadium to face Brentford. Porro, van de Ven and Richarlison were all a booking away from suspension but came through unscathed today. Romero will also return but could face further censure for failing to leave the pitch in a timely manner last week.

Spurs are now in 11th position the league table. There is a group of teams from Chelsea in 5th position with 29 points to Everton lying 12th separated by four points.

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