Crystal Palace face a Tottenham side determined to end a long winless streak when they meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday. Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi has declared his team have turned a corner and are ready to inflict more misery on Palace's porous defence.
De Zerbi, who took charge in March, pointed to his side's recent defensive improvements as proof of progress. "I think we have suffered enough," the Italian said. "The results of the past are not our responsibility. We are working to change the mentality of our club." Since his arrival, only Arsenal have posted a lower expected goals against figure, and Spurs restricted Chelsea to just seven shots last weekend.
Palace's defensive concerns
That solidity is a stark contrast to Palace's situation. Pierre Sage's team have conceded a league-high 19 goals this season, leaving them 17th in the Premier League with just seven points from eight games. The summer departures of Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix have left a void, with loanee Axel Disasi yet to settle and 18-year-old Honest Ahanor still developing. Chris Richards is now the defensive anchor, and the return of goalkeeper Dean Henderson provides a welcome boost.
Their recent fixtures have been a mixed bag. A 1-0 win at Fulham in the Carabao Cup last week provided relief, but it was preceded by a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle and a 5-0 thrashing at Brighton. The 7-0 loss to Tottenham in the reverse fixture back in September remains a painful memory in the standings.
The 'C' curse and Spurs' momentum
Tottenham's recent revival presents a specific threat. They have won their last two Premier League games against sides starting with 'C', Charlton and Chelsea, and face another in Crystal Palace. Victory would mark their first run of three consecutive league wins in over 20 months, a period that has seen three different managers come and go.
De Zerbi was backed with a £394 million summer spending spree, and new signings like Sandro Tonali are making an impact. The manager also offered a respectful assessment of his opposite number. "I know very well Pierre Sage. He is a very good coach," De Zerbi said. "I watched the game against Fulham, against Besiktas and Newcastle. They are alive."
Palace's task is clear: tighten up at the back and find a way past a Spurs side whose conversion rate has jumped from 2.8% to 14% under De Zerbi. Eddie Nketiah, who scored the winner against Fulham, will be key. The match kicks off at 3pm on Saturday, 31 October.
The report in full is at football.london
