Player rankings as Spurs finish four-match winless run

FROM TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM – Tottenham boosted their Europa League hopes with a hard-fought 1-0 win at residence to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Harry Kane scored a report tenth headed objective of the Premier League season at hand Ryan Mason his first win since re-taking interim cost.

After the hosts spent the opening 17 minutes toying with a fluid 3-4-3/4-4-2 system, they rattled the crossbar from a nook when Cristian Romero rose excessive to fulfill Pedro Porro’s supply, denied a gap objective by a matter of inches.

Soon after, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg labored a pleasant give-and-go with Kane, with the Dane marauding into the field however firing excessive and broad.

At the opposite finish, Michael Olise got here in off the suitable with a lucky if improvised contact to skip previous Clement Lenglet, although his sliced strike was held by Fraser Forster.

From one other nook, Porro picked out Romero, and although his header was hardly fearsome, Joel Ward almost skewed his clearance into his personal web.

An excellent lengthy ball from Olise caught Spurs off guard and noticed Joachim Andersen outmuscle Richarlison to create some area for a gap, however he misplaced his composure when closed down by Ben Davies and meekly fired over.

Entering first-half stoppage time, Tottenham took the lead. Kane managed to swivel away from Marc Guehi and select Porro with a terrific looping ball, and the Spaniard returned the favour with a fragile cross onto the top of the his captain, peeling away from Joel Ward and discovering the web.

Kane has now handed Wayne Rooney into second place on the Premier League’s all-time scoring charts.

Palace began the second half with renewed depth – Wilfried Zaha’s floated shot solely narrowly sailed broad, whereas Eberechi Eze dragged a strike of his personal broad after the guests labored some area on the far proper.

Spurs’ first probability of the second half got here when Kane’s limp move ahead was retrieved by an alert Richarlison, slipping Porro in off the suitable flank. Both Richarlison and Son Heung-min had been within the field ready for a cross however he as an alternative selected to shoot along with his weaker left foot, a poor choice which noticed the ball fly properly broad to the annoyance of his teammates.

Porro then determined to go for objective a couple of minutes later from the same angle, along with his shot this time looping off of Tyrick Mitchell’s foot and forcing Sam Johnstone right into a save at his close to put up.

The wing-back once more went shut with a whipped free-kick from the left, which one way or the other averted a bunch of ready heads and our bodies and was solely inches from touchdown within the very nook of the web.

Tottenham ought to have doubled their lead with quarter-hour left to play. An extended ball excessive from Romero was taken in stride sweetly by Son. He managed to spherical Johnstone, however the goalkeeper bought again to his toes shortly to disclaim the South Korean from shut vary.

Palace started to crank the stress up within the closing levels. Olise’s deep free-kick was met by Andersen, who had time to put the ball throughout objective, just for Kane to clear from a number of yards out.

But Tottenham confirmed their psychological toughness to squeeze out the win regardless of the guests’ late stress.

GK: Fraser Forster – 6/10 – Didn’t have an excessive amount of to do.

CB: Emerson Royal – 7/10 – Flitted between centre-back and right-back. Got the higher of his duels with Zaha for essentially the most half although did have to simply accept the odd ankle-breaking.

CB: Cristian Romero – 7/10 – Defended with managed aggression and was a helpful outlet in constructing from the again.

CB: Clement Lenglet – 6/10 – Also helpful in possession although wasn’t as assured out of it.

RM: Pedro Porro – 8/10 – Pushed up excessive no matter Emerson’s positioning. Continually ran at Palace’s backline and his set piece supply was normally beautiful.

CM: Oliver Skipp – 5/10 – Rather sloppy in possession although no less than ran the onerous yards.

CM: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 5/10 – Another week wherein it was redundant to play each Skipp and Hojbjerg.

LM: Ben Davies – 5/10 – Usually wasteful with the ball however an correct move to Kane led to the opening objective.

RF: Richarlison – 5/10 – Often got here in centrally, wanting misplaced within the first half however discovering some rhythm after the break.

LF: Son Heung-min – 6/10 – Worked his socks off making an attempt to make sure Spurs’ assault might stay fluid.

CF: Harry Kane – 9/10 – Dropped deep to convey others into play excellently. Has now scored a Premier League-record 10 headed objectives in a season.

Substitutes

Dejan Kulusevski (79′ for Richarlison) – N/A

Eric Dier (88′ for Lenglet) – N/A

Arnaut Danjuma (89′ for Son) – N/A

Manager

Ryan Mason – 6/10 – Spurs weren’t wonderful in assault however they no less than confirmed nice defensive resilience.

GK: Sam Johnstone – 6/10 – Made a number of first rate saves, notably recovering to disclaim Son an open objective.

RB: Joel Ward – 4/10 – Lost Kane for the opener. Outpaced by Davies. Not an ideal day.

CB: Joachim Andersen – 6/10 – Got his head on every part in each packing containers.

CB: Marc Guehi – 5/10 – Never fairly knew whether or not to stick with Kane when he dropped deep or depart him be, with this indecision in-part contributing to the opener.

LB: Tyrick Mitchell – 5/10 – Had loads on his plate making an attempt to decelerate Porro.

CM: Cheick Doucoure – 5/10 – Dropped in as a 3rd centre-back as Palace tried to match Spurs up.

CM: Ebere Eze – 5/10 – Failed to persistently get on the ball and make issues tick.

CM: Jeffrey Schlupp – 5/10 – Kept it easy in midfield.

RW: Michael Olise – 6/10 – Spurs had been clearly a little bit afraid of Palace’s difficult wingers, with Olise at occasions wanting like a younger cross between Riyad Mahrez and Hakim Ziyech.

CF: Jordan Ayew – 4/10 – Scarcely concerned in any respect. Rattled a little bit by Emerson late on.

LF: Wilfried Zaha – 6/10 – Started brightly however light as the sport went on and when Palace wanted dragging via the afternoon.

Substitutes

Will Hughes (73′ for Schlupp) – 5/10

Odsonne Edouard (84′ for Ayew) – N/A

Manager

Roy Hodgson – 5/10 – Didn’t actually react to something Spurs did.

Player of the match – Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)