Tottenham Hotspur closed out 2025 with a gritty and much-needed 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, bringing some festive cheer to a club that’s endured more than its fair share of turbulence this year. The London derby, played on December 28, was far from a spectacle, but for manager Thomas Frank—whose position had come under intense scrutiny—the three points were a precious gift.
Palace, buoyed by a wildly successful year on and off the pitch, started brightly and looked the sharper side for much of the first half. The Eagles pressed high and carved open several half-chances, with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Will Hughes both going close. Yet, for all their industry and intent, Oliver Glasner’s men lacked that killer edge in front of goal. Tottenham’s defense, marshaled by Kevin Danso and Micky van de Ven, endured some nervy moments but ultimately held firm, helped by timely interventions from Djed Spence.
Early drama unfolded when Richarlison appeared to have put Spurs ahead in the 17th minute, tucking away a cross from Pedro Porro after a slick move. However, VAR intervened, ruling Lucas Bergvall offside in the buildup. "It’s really a shame that Richarlison’s goal was called back for an offside on Bergvall in the buildup, because it was a really nicely worked team goal, something that’s been a rarity for Spurs this season," lamented one observer. The decision stung, but the Brazilian forward kept plugging away.
Palace continued to dominate possession, but their finishing deserted them. The home side registered 13 shots—six more than Spurs—but failed to create a clear-cut chance. Their profligacy would prove costly. Just three minutes before halftime, Tottenham struck. Pedro Porro swung a corner to the far post, Randal Kolo Muani nodded it down, and Richarlison flicked it on. Waiting in the right spot was 19-year-old Archie Gray, who headed home for his first senior goal. The finish made Gray the youngest Englishman to score for Spurs in the Premier League since Dele Alli in January 2016. "So, so pleased for Archie who was a little rough in that opening half, but he was in the right spot to flick Richarlison’s header into the back of the net to put Spurs ahead," a supporter shared.
The goal was a product of Tottenham’s hard work on set pieces, and a testament to Gray’s growing influence in central midfield. The teenager has started seven of Spurs’ last eight games, earning praise for his defensive energy and willingness to drive the team forward. Manager Thomas Frank was quick to highlight his young midfielder’s development: "I think Archie is growing. He showed why he has a very good potential in many ways. I think it’s another fine performance overall today. He was alert. I loved that goal, because he was alert, he was seeing where the ball will land and he was ready on it. He shows a lot of quality, he covers ground so well, he’s excellent in the pressing game, the defensive transition, brilliant at closing down."
Taking a slender lead into the break, Spurs looked to protect their advantage in the second half. The football was hardly free-flowing—Tottenham spent long spells defending deep, with Palace probing for an equalizer. The hosts missed two close-range headers through Maxence Lacroix and Marc Guehi, further underlining their struggles to convert chances. Palace have now lost three consecutive home Premier League games for the first time since late 2023, a run that will surely concern Glasner as the new year approaches.
Spurs’ attacking threat was mostly limited to counter-attacks. Richarlison thought he had doubled the lead after converting a Mohammed Kudus cross, but VAR once again ruled the effort out for offside, making him the first player to have two goals overturned by VAR in the same Premier League game since he did so with Everton in 2021. "Richy is so unlucky, man. Two well-worked team goals converted by him, and called back for offside both times. Both are the right call I guess and Richy just needs to, IDK, not be offside, but it’s millimeters off and called by VAR review… how does this make the game better?" a frustrated fan remarked.
Substitute Wilson Odobert injected some life into the Spurs attack late on, rattling the post with a powerful effort, while Rodrigo Bentancur forced a save from Dean Henderson in stoppage time. Radu Dragusin, making his first appearance since January 2025 after a long injury layoff, came on for the final ten minutes to help shore up the defense.
Despite being second best for much of the contest—Tottenham had 0.00 expected goals from open play in the first half—they showed resilience and discipline to see out the win. The result lifted Spurs to 11th in the Premier League table, just three points behind Sunderland in seventh. It also marked their first league victory since December 6 and provided a much-needed boost for Frank, who has faced mounting pressure amid inconsistent performances and fan frustration.
Frank, reflecting on the match, said: "I think it was an even game. I think if you’re that close three times to scoring a goal, it’s not bad, and then we would have scored four. That’s a way to look at it. I really liked the desire, details, mentality in the team, and the character and resilience of the team is something I spoke about a lot. That is so important that we have that resilience. In a long Premier League season, you need to go to a very difficult away ground here, and fight and show character. Was it a top performance? No. Are there things we can improve? Yes. But to go here, with the season having been a little bit up and down, I think it’s a huge mentality effort from the players. And I think we played extremely disciplined throughout the game."
For Tottenham, the underlying numbers still paint a mixed picture. The team sits 17th in the league’s expected goals table but seventh for actual goals scored, with 26. Their reliance on set pieces—each of the last six Premier League goals conceded by Palace have come from dead-ball situations—remains both a strength and a concern as they look to build more creativity in open play. The January transfer window looms, and reinforcements could be on the agenda if Frank’s side hope to climb further up the table in 2026.
As the final whistle blew at Selhurst Park, the relief was palpable among the Spurs faithful. It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective. The hope now is that this hard-fought win can serve as a springboard for a more consistent—and perhaps more entertaining—run in the new year. Next up: a trip to Brentford on January 1, where Tottenham will look to keep the momentum rolling and finally give their fans something to truly cheer about.
