Crystal Palace finally have a Premier League victory to shout about in the 2024-25 season, as Oliver Glasner's men deservedly beat a toothless Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at Selhurst Park in Sunday's London derby.
Winless in their first eight games of the top-flight campaign, the Eagles unexpectedly ran their visitors ragged and prevailed thanks to a first-half Jean-Philippe Mateta strike, and it could have been more for the hosts had it not been for some Guglielmo Vicario heroics.
The pre-match discussion was centred around one name - Mikey Moore making his first Premier League start - but the excitement in the build-up quickly dissipated once the action got underway.
Neither Spurs nor Palace got into full flow in the earliest moments, not helped by several players going down with knocks, but the Eagles arguably shaded the first 30 minutes and got their reward not long after.
Restored to the first XI after a brief stint on the bench, Mateta lashed home the opener after Ange Postecoglou's men were caught cold trying to pass their way out of defence, and an increase in intensity from the visitors did not lead to an equaliser before the break.
Spurs' five minutes of pressure before the break did not translate into a much-improved display in the second period either, and Postecoglou's meek men were arguably fortunate to still only be one goal down as the game entered its final quarter.
It took a brilliant full-length save from Vicario to prevent Adam Wharton making it two in the dying embers, but Palace were full value for their long-awaited three points as a familiar sense of doom and gloom engulfed the visiting faithful.
Spurs should not have been nursing a hangover from their Europa League exploits - Postecoglou reverted to his strongest XI at Selhurst Park - but this is another lukewarm display that leaves more questions than answers for the Australian.
As Palace clamber out of the relegation zone and into 17th place in the Premier League table, Tottenham lie in an unremarkable eighth place with 13 points on the board, four adrift of the Champions League spots.
CRYSTAL PALACE VS. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR HIGHLIGHTS
Jean-Philippe Mateta goal vs. Tottenham (31st min, Palace 1-0 Tottenham)
© Imago
After half an hour of truly forgettable action, Glasner's men strike first, and the hosting manager's decision to make a bold change up front pays off!
Mateta - recalled to the first XI over Eddie Nketiah for Sunday's derby - ruthlessly finishes low into the net after an absolutely outrageous flicked assist from Eberechi Eze.
That all came from Spurs making a meal out of playing out from the back; Micky van de Ven was robbed by Daniel Munoz, whose cross into the box was helped on by Eze to the unmarked Mateta.
MAN OF THE MATCH - EBERECHI EZE
© Imago
The pessimists may say that Eze did not mean his exquisite flick for Mateta's goal, the player himself will no doubt affirm that it was intentional - if the latter is true, it is one of the best assists of the Premier League season so far.
The 26-year-old continued to drive the hosts forward in the second half, firing four shots and completing three successful dribbles, but a mention must also go to Vicario; Spurs could have lost by two or three were it not for their number one.
CRYSTAL PALACE VS. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR MATCH STATS
Possession: Crystal Palace 34%-66% Tottenham Hotspur
Shots: Crystal Palace 14-11 Tottenham Hotspur
Shots on target: Crystal Palace 8-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Corners: Crystal Palace 8-8 Tottenham Hotspur
Fouls: Crystal Palace 16-12 Tottenham Hotspur
BEST STATS
17 - Mikey Moore (17 years, 77 days) is the youngest player to start a Premier League match for Tottenham Hotspur since Stephen Carr against Ipswich Town in September 1993 (17 years, 28 days). Future. pic.twitter.com/QdOfoGj7mk
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 27, 2024
WHAT NEXT?
Arguably the biggest test English football can throw at you awaits Tottenham on Wednesday night, as the Lilywhites continue their EFL Cup campaign at home to Manchester City in the last 16, the same evening that Palace travel to Aston Villa.
In terms of Premier League action, Spurs coincidentally host Unai Emery's side next Sunday afternoon, while the Eagles are away to Wolverhampton Wanderers in Saturday's 5.30pm kickoff, seeking back-to-back wins in the top flight.
Ben Knapton
