Selhurst Park Showdown: Tottenham's Relegation Battle Intensifies Against Distracted Palace
Spurs face must-win clash as Eagles return from Florence celebrations with Conference League semi-final spot secured
نظرة سريعة
- Tottenham Hotspur travel to Selhurst Park for a crucial Premier League encounter with Crystal Palace, with Spurs' relegation fears intensifying after a late Brighton equaliser and wins for Leeds and Nottingham Forest.
- West Ham's superior form and game in hand leave Tottenham in grave danger with just four matches remaining.
- Palace, meanwhile, have nothing to play for domestically after reaching the Conference League semi-finals and celebrated by painting Florence red and blue following their aggregate victory over Fiorentina.
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What was a bad weekend for Tottenham Hotspur could get a whole lot worse at Selhurst Park. Spurs could and probably should have beaten Brighton to leapfrog West Ham in the relegation but a late, late equaliser for the south-coast side – compounded by wins for Leeds and Nottingham Forest – have left Tottenham staring down the barrel with just four games to go.
West Ham – with a game in hand – will stay 17th with a victory this evening but would put themselves four points clear of Spurs in 18th, an important margin given the east Londoners' inferior goal difference. The Hammers are on something of a tear recently, revitalised under Nuno Espírito Santo, and since 17 January have the fifth best points tally in the Premier League. That they are still in the mire shows how far they had previously fallen.
Nuno deserved a lot of credit, and new signings have made a huge impact. Taty Castellanos and Pablo have given West Ham a focal point up top, while Axel Disasi and Konstantinos Mavropanos have formed an excellent partnership at the back – so much so that the Greek is even now being linked with a move to Borussia Dortmund, quite the transformation.
A trip to Palace is not normally easy, but this is a good time to face the Eagles, who (marooned in mid-table) have nothing to play for in the Premier League and are focused on Europe after reaching the Conference League semi-finals on Thursday. And following that aggregate victory at Fiorentina, Oliver Glasner allowed his players to celebrate by painting Florence red and blue.
Spurs fans look away now: a crunch European tie, added travel and a potential hangover on Friday was not the ideal way to prepare for tonight's game. Selhurst Park under the lights is (nearly) always a cracker. Good luck to both teams. Kick-off: 8pm BST.
