Key EventsMatch ReportHere’s Ed Aarons’ verdict from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.ShareThe latest Premier League Golden Boot standings are here; Van Hecke’s second goal of the season means he is now Tottenham’s top scorer this season. Share Some thoughts from Jan Paul van Hecke after the match: “We created a lot of chances, the red card helped us… we had to be patient because we know they play with a low block. It took us a while to score the second, we could have scored more, but we are happy.” Pardew. The ghosts of Palace’s past! Share Updated at 19:30 GMT “I think it was José Mourinho who made fun of the old saying about not looking at the table until 10 games have passed – after all, points are points,” writes Gary Naylor. “Many clubs seem to be inconsistent or actually imploding before our very eyes. All that coaching turnover can’t help – coaches need stability to build confidence.”ShareHere’s the Premier League table:ShareFull time! Tottenham 2-0 Crystal Palace Except for a nervous moment when Dwight McNeil found the net, this was very comfortable for Spurs, who took firm control of the game after Mateta’s red card. There will be tougher tests ahead, but Tottenham once again look like a cohesive team. Palace, on the other hand, appear to be in trouble. Share 92 minutes: Kulusevski rockets into the top corner, but Henderson is equal again. He has been Palace’s best player. Share Updated at 19.21 GMT 90 minutes: A lovely little cameo from Williams-Barnett, dodging Palace defenders like a spring lamb and taking on Kudus, who is racing away from an open goal Sunday League style. Share Updated at 19:37 GMT 88 minutes: Sage hooks Wharton and Kamada, launching Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma. “It was a Van Hecke game for the Spurs!” honk Peter Oh. Share 87 minutes: Tel bows out after a very impressive display and is replaced by local hopeful Luca Williams-Barnett. Big applause all around. Spurs’ Mathys Tel beats Crystal Palace’s Oscar Mingueza and Yeremi Pino. Photograph: Jed Leicester/Tottenham Hotspur FC/ShutterstockShareUpdated 19.31 GMT 85 minutes: Kudus gets behind the back four and flicks the ball past Henderson, but it looks offside from a mile away and the flag is duly raised. Share 83 minutes: Not much is happening now, as Palace fans contemplate that long journey through the capital home. On that topic, here’s Julian Borrill: “Just looking at London, the longest journey seems to be from Bromley to Wealdstone in 1 hour 54 minutes. But a shout out to Brentford-Hornchurch in 1 hour 24 minutes, all on the District line.” It looks like Palace are going to need him if they want to stay out of trouble. A strong handball from Dean Henderson denies Tottenham another goal. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PAShare Updated at 19:32 GMT 79 minutes: If they maintain this lead, Tottenham will move up to eighth place. Their next four games are Leeds (A), Ipswich (H), Sunderland (A) and Fulham (H), and then comes the North London Derby. Share 76 minutes: Kulusevski and Udogie enter, replacing Marmoush and Robertson. Now that their injury problems are easing, the Spurs bench is starting to look pretty full. The centre-back has been playing almost as an auxiliary striker in the second half, and here he does a good Harry Kane impression, stretching to beat two Palace defenders with a header. Henderson saves, hits the bottom of the bar and then bounces off Van Hecke as he falls to the floor. Share GOAL! Tottenham 2-0 Crystal Palace (Van Hecke 73′) Spurs finally get their second goal, thanks to Jan Paul van Hecke, who finishes a magnificent cross from Fernandes to the far post. Surely the game is over. Dean Henderson pushes Jan Paul van Hecke’s header onto the crossbar… Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters Van Hecke (centre) reacts quickest to head the ball over the line. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PAY then celebrates his goal. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/ReutersShareUpdated at 19:34 GMT 71 minutes: Phew! Robertson plays an instinctive one-two with Marmoush, but his touch then lets him down and he is forced to try and evade Henderson from an impossible angle, sending the ball back. Andy Robertson gets his shot past Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, but it is too tight an angle to find the net. Photograph: Carlos Jasso/AFP/Getty ImagesShareUpdated at 19:05 GMT69 minutes: A possible Palace escape is stopped by a handball decision. Still, with 20 minutes remaining, the visitors have a route to a result, which looked unlikely at half-time. Share67 minutes: Tel tries to recreate his clinical shot at Stamford Bridge, but his shot crashes into the boards to the left of the goal. Share65 minutes: Pedro Porro is the last Spurs player to shoot high and wide. A second change from De Zerbi: Conor Gallagher comes on, replacing Solanke and allowing Marmoush to advance further. Share 63 mins: Marmoush has options on his right, but his pass is poor and Mitchell cuts it in, only for it to bounce back to Henderson who has to stop it! Proper pinball stuff on both ends. Share 62 mins: Maybe now, as Kamada’s cross floats across the Spurs box and finds McNeil’s boot, but Solanke blocks his well-struck shot. That gives Tottenham the chance to break… Share Updated at 18:53 GMT 61 minutes: Van Hecke has a shot from 30 yards that isn’t particularly close. At what point do Spurs fans start to worry about this slim lead? Share 59 minutes: Two changes for Palace, with Anan Khalaili and midweek goalscorer Eddie Nketiah replacing Pino and Mingueza. Spurs fans give former Gunner Nketiah a cold reception. Share 58 mins: Pino is robbed in midfield and Spurs use a bit of extra space, Tel finds Solanke whose shot deflects back. Tenth corner for the locals, but it comes to nothing. Dean Henderson (center), undisputed, collects the ball in the air. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PAShare Updated at 18:52 GMT 56 minutes: Jan-Paul van Hecke is in the area and shoots from close range. Pierre Sage, who sounds like a French philosopher to me, chews on his pipe and reflects on some changes. Share 54 minutes: In the first 10 minutes of the second half, the ball spent about 20 seconds in the Spurs’ final third. There is a shout for a penalty when Fernandes’ shot hits Disasi on the shoulder, but not low enough to interest VAR. Share 53 minutes: Mingueza enters the book after catching Tel with a flailing arm. From the free kick, the Spurs retain the ball and maintain the pressure. Share 52 minutes: Possession is close to 80-20 in favor of Tottenham, and the territorial battle should be even more one-sided. The hosts’ last attack ends when Solanke is penalized for a foul. Share 50 minutes: Solanke is the next to try, knocking down a Perro cross, turning and firing a shot at goal. It’s central, but Henderson still has to raise a strong arm to prevent the power from just hitting him. Share49 mins: Robertson and Tel are working well together on the left, and the full-back curves in a cross that Marmoush can only direct towards Henderson. Share46 mins: Tel’s shot deflects off Richards’ shins for a corner, heading into the path of Fernandes. He takes a shot that is deflected wide by a Palace boot. I think it was headshot. Share Second half A change at half-time for Spurs, with Pedro Porro replacing goalscorer Archie Gray. Not sure if that’s injury related – Gray was excellent in the first half. Share “Re: Mateta. If a player decides to slide in, without control from behind, with his cleats up… come on, we all have work in the morning,” writes David Penney. Share Half-time: Tottenham 1-0 Crystal Palace Spurs end the first half with a goal and a man up thanks to Archie Gray’s header, after Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off following a VAR review. The hosts have dominated, but need one or two more goals to avoid nerves in the second half. Share46 min: Unfortunately, a Dwight McNeil pass lands harmlessly in the giant Jean-Philippe Mateta-shaped hole in the Tottenham half. Share45 min: Two extra minutes and another free kick from Spurs to fend off Palace. Fernandes’ cross is cleared at the far post and Palace try to break…Share
