Crystal Palace arrive at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday in desperate form, sitting 17th in the Premier League table with just 7 points from their opening 8 matches. The Eagles have won only 2 of those fixtures while drawing 1 and losing 5, leaving them perilously close to the relegation zone. Their recent struggles have been evident, with back-to-back defeats highlighting defensive fragility and a lack of attacking cohesion that Roberto De Zerbi's side will be eager to exploit.
Palace's last six results paint a concerning picture for the visitors. Most recently, they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle at Selhurst Park on October 25th, followed by a humiliating 5-0 thrashing at Brighton on October 18th. Before that heavy loss, they managed a 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest on October 11th that briefly offered hope. Their earlier fixtures saw a goalless draw at Leeds United on September 20th, a 3-2 home defeat to Ipswich Town on September 12th, and a 3-2 away victory at Fulham on September 5th. The inconsistency has been glaring, with Palace unable to string together consecutive positive results.
Despite their struggles, Palace possess attacking threats that Spurs cannot afford to overlook. Their ability to score away from home—as evidenced by their wins at Fulham and against Nottingham—suggests they can trouble defences on their day. However, the 5-0 capitulation at Brighton exposed serious defensive vulnerabilities that Zerbi will instruct his attacking players to target. With 22 fit players available for selection, including the attacking firepower of Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, and Omar Marmoush, Tottenham should have the quality to break down a Palace side that has conceded freely in recent weeks. The return of Lucas Bergvall from injury also provides Zerbi with additional midfield options as Spurs look to capitalize on their opponents' poor form and climb away from mid-table mediocrity.