In a tightly contested London derby at Selhurst Park on December 28, 2025, Tottenham Hotspur edged out Crystal Palace 1–0, delivering a disciplined away performance that moved them into the top half conversation and to within a point of the hosts in the Premier League table. Jarred Gillett officiated a game defined by Palace’s territorial control but Tottenham’s efficiency, with Archie Gray scoring the decisive first-half goal to earn Spurs a valuable result on the road.
First Half Analysis
Tottenham started assertively in a 4-2-3-1, pressing early and attempting to disrupt Palace’s build-up. That intensity showed almost immediately as Kevin Danso was booked in the 5th minute for a bad foul. Palace, operating in a 3-4-2-1, gradually settled and began to push higher, but their final action lacked precision and they would finish the match with only two shots on target.
Spurs thought they had taken the lead in the first half when Richarlison found the net, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside. Tottenham maintained their threat on set plays, and their persistence was rewarded in the 42nd minute: from a corner, Richarlison’s touch in the six-yard area set up Archie Gray, who nodded in from point-blank range. Gray had already been cautioned earlier in the half, but he produced the key moment that sent Spurs into the break 1–0 up despite having just 38.1% possession.
Second Half Narrative
After halftime, Crystal Palace increased the tempo and committed more numbers forward, looking to translate their possession into clearer chances. Oliver Glasner made changes as the half developed, including a switch that brought Eddie Nketiah on as Palace chased an equaliser, and later further attacking adjustments as time ran down. Tottenham, however, stayed compact, defended their box with discipline, and continued to look for moments from direct attacks and dead-ball situations.
The match also featured more VAR drama. Richarlison again had the ball in the net later on, but VAR ruled it out for offside, reinforcing how narrow the margins were on the day. Palace kept pushing—finishing with 15 shot attempts—yet their best openings failed to produce the final touch, while Spurs protected the lead through a combination of physical defending and game management, including late substitutions to see out the closing minutes.
Statistical Deep Dive
The numbers underline the contrast in styles and outcomes. Palace dominated possession (61.9% to 38.1%) and attempted nearly twice as many shots (15 to 8), but Tottenham were sharper in the moments that mattered, recording four shots on target to Palace’s two. Corners also reflected Palace’s pressure (3–2), yet it was Tottenham’s set-piece execution that ultimately decided the contest.
In distribution, Palace completed 431 passes compared to Tottenham’s 236, illustrating sustained control of the ball without the cutting edge required to overturn the deficit. xG models vary by provider, but one widely cited summary had Palace ahead on chance quality (about 1.32 xG to 0.85), which aligns with the overall pattern: Palace created more, Spurs converted the decisive moment.
Goalkeeping also mattered. Guglielmo Vicario made two saves to preserve Tottenham’s clean sheet, while Dean Henderson faced four shots on target and recorded three saves, the difference being Gray’s close-range header.
Individual Performances
Archie Gray was Tottenham’s match-winner, adding a crucial goal to an industrious midfield display. Richarlison was influential too—providing the decisive assist from a set piece and twice seeing goals chalked off by VAR. At the back, Spurs leaned on the physical presence of Danso and the recovery pace of Micky van de Ven as Palace pushed late.
For Palace, the performance had control and effort but lacked the finishing touch. They moved the ball well and generated sustained pressure, yet too many promising phases ended without a genuine test for Vicario, a theme reflected in the low number of shots on target.
Match Significance & Conclusion
The win lifted Tottenham to 11th on 25 points, just one point behind Crystal Palace in 9th (26 points), and eased pressure after a difficult stretch away from home. For Palace, it extended a winless run and reinforced the need to turn dominance into goals. With the season entering the new year, Spurs will view this as a platform for a more consistent run, while Palace must find sharper finishing if they want their possession-heavy approach to translate into results.
