Spurs secure third straight Premier League win after Mateta's early red card
Tottenham beat Crystal Palace convincingly to record a third successive Premier League victory, aided by Jean-Philippe Mateta's 13th-minute dismissal.
Tottenham Hotspur won three Premier League matches in a row for the first time in almost 21 months after defeating Crystal Palace on Saturday, a result that lifted the club into the top half of the table. The match turned early when Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off after 13 minutes for a lunge at Micky van de Ven, leaving the visitors to play most of the game with ten men.
Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke scored as Spurs built on their first league win of the season at home to Coventry City and an away victory at Chelsea — only their second league triumph at Stamford Bridge in 36 years. Head coach Roberto de Zerbi told BBC Sport's Match of the Day that he was pleased with his side's focus and reaction when they lost the ball, though he said they need to be more ruthless in the final third.
The three-win run equals Tottenham's total from their previous 26 league games, a stretch that included 10 draws and 13 defeats. It is also the first time in two years that Spurs have won back-to-back home league matches. Before kick-off, the mood around the stadium was shaped by that recent history, with some supporters viewing the visit of a struggling Palace side as a potential banana skin rather than an opportunity.
De Zerbi asked for patience with his expensive summer signings, and both are beginning to show their value: Sandro Tonali, a £100m arrival from Newcastle United, was pivotal against Palace with his running and physicality, while £85m signing Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United was lively throughout. Dejan Kulusevski also impressed as a substitute after a long injury absence, forcing a fine save from Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
The statistics underlined Tottenham's dominance: 34 shots to Palace's two — the largest shot difference they have recorded against any opponent since Opta records began in 2003-04 — and 79.4% possession, their second-highest figure in a Premier League match. Palace, who remain in the bottom three with two wins from nine league games, battled gamely despite their numerical disadvantage, but head coach Pierre Sage is likely to face increasing scrutiny. De Zerbi, meanwhile, stressed that three wins in a row is not enough and that his side must maintain the same approach.
Image: Reuters / BBC Sport
