Our live stream ahead of Sundays Premier League match, Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur is now up and running, kicking off at 14.15 GMT
You can keep an eye on the commentary as it happens below, but first, we take a preview into the fixture, lineups, predictions and much more…
Spurs enter todays match in first place, level on points with reigning champions Liverpool and two in front of Chelsea.
Spurs kept their momentum going with a 2-0 win over Royal Antwerp in the Europa League on Thursday, picking up the win needed to finish above their opponents at the top of their group.
Last week’s 2-0 win over Arsenal extended their run to 10 games unbeaten in the top flight.
Palace head into Sunday’s match at Selhurst Park on the back of a morale-boosting 5-1 win over West Bromwich Albion last time out, a win that moved them up to 11th place.
The Eagles were given a helping hand by Matheus Pereira’s sending-off in last week’s big win over West Brom, as that victory followed defeats to Burnley and Newcastle United.
Palace and Spurs last met in July, battling out a 1-1 stalemate at Selhurst Park…
PRESS CONFERENCE:
Roy Hodgson
Team News
“Luckily we’ve got basically everyone fit. Tyrick Mitchell went home today with a slight cold, but everyone else other than long term injuries is fit, the squad is looking strong at the moment.”
Benteke
“He’s been good. His training performances have always been professional, even when things haven’t been going quite as well as they are at present. We hope now that he’s going to build on it.”
What are Spurs capable of?
“It might be a slightly tighter league this year than last, I don’t think anyone’s going to run away with it.
The teams around Liverpool are getting stronger and giving them more competition. I think Tottenham will be in and around it throughout the season.
On Sunday they’re going to see coming to Selhurst Park as another chance to cement themselves at the top of the table.”
Why has Mourinho slotted in so well?
“There’s no real mystery around that. They’ve got good players and a good manager. It’s good people at club and management level and good players working together.”
Facing Son and Kane
“There’s no point in building people up before the game. We can’t persuade our players it will be easy to play against Son and Kane. They’re constantly on the lookout for opportunities to score goals.”
“It’s a team effort, to encourage and believe that we can limit the chances they get, but it’s going to be very difficult to limit them, and often one or two chances is enough for them to score goals.”
Kane winning fouls, dropping deeper – all relevant to your gameplan?
“We’ve studied very carefully the games they’ve been playing. Harry doesn’t just stay as an out and out forward, he drops back and brings centre-backs out of position and making goals as well as scoring.”
“He’s doing the ideal job for his manager and his team. We can’t allow them the space, time and opportunities they want to get.”
Can you tell us your starting XI?
“No. The players don’t know it yet. I never announce the team to the press before I’ve spoken to the players.”
Change to Palace in terms of personnel over the next six or 12 months?
“I’m not desperate for that. I’ve been working with many of them for a long time, and I appreciate what they can do.”
“Of course our squad is a big one and a lot of players in the same position where only one or two can play, that doesn’t exactly make it easy for them or myself.”
“But the bottom line is, players who have contracts running out will have decisions to make, and the club will as well.”
“I certainly am not looking to lose people.”
“There’s a lot of games coming up for a team like us. That will open up opportunities for players to get a look in.”
Extra bounce from Benteke?
“Yeah, he’s been good. Tempted to say every comment about him shouldn’t be prefaced about the fact that he went a while without scoring.”
“What he’s doing now has brought him back into the team and gave him the chance against West Brom.”
“He’s a quality striker with a lot of strings to his bow, and he showed that.”
Eze taking heat off Zaha?
“The stat about us without Zaha is a bit of a half-truth because we’ve played well in some of those games and lost. But Eze is showing us at the moment that we’ve made the right decision.”
“Being an offensive player and making a cutting pass will definitely help Wilf, as will Benteke and Schlupp.”
Relish this game?
“Wouldn’t it be nice if I could relax against a team likely to beat us? But no, I will be as nervous and anxious about getting a result as I was against West Brom.”
“West Brom wasn’t easy, even against 10 men. Let’s prepare for Tottenham, work hard. I’d be as disappointed losing against Spurs as against anybody else.”
Spurs contenders?
“At the moment. Just as a number of other teams. I realise what he’s saying about being a small horse, if I was in his position I’d be waiting to see about Liverpool and Man City games.”
“There’s lots of teams sticking their nose in at the moment, and I can understand why managers are keen to avoid saying “it’s our year”.
“Of course they’ve got a chance, and I’m sure they’ll do their best to do it.”
Fans back – chat on the training ground?
“There may have been. I haven’t mentioned it, not sure I will. But we’re all excited about it, very happy. Anxious that we won’t get placed in another tier.”
“Having worked so hard to get fans back, we want them to be back for some time.”
Jose Mourinho
FORM:
Crystal Palace Premier League form: WLWLLW
Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form: WWWWDW
Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions): WWDDWW
LINEUPS:
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Guaita; Clyne, Kouyate, Cahill, Van Aanholt; Schlupp, Milivojevic, McArthur, Eze; Zaha, Benteke
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon; Sissoko, Hojbjerg Bergwijn, Ndombele, Son; Kane
THATSAGOAL TIP:
Under 2.5 Goals – Evens with FanTeam.
Should Crystal Palace execute their likely gameplan, they will restrict Spurs to few chances. Tottenham have scored well this season but it isn’t through expansive attacking football. These two sides both prefer to sit deep and hit teams on the counter but the onus is likely to be on Tottenham to push for a breakthrough.
When asked to break sides down, Spurs can struggle (see West Brom, Burnley, Newcastle for recent examples) and this should keep the scoreline sensible.
Time to take a look at our Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur live match stream as it happens…
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