Ed Aarons’ report tells where it went wrong for Palace, and so right for young Archie Gray.

Of the 20 goals that Oliver Glasner’s side have conceded this season in the league, 12 have come from set-pieces and Palace have now failed to win any of their last five matches as a packed schedule has finally caught up with them. But this was all about Gray as the 19-year-old midfielder who left the pitch to a standing ovation and big hug from Frank after becoming the youngest Englishman to score for Tottenham in the Premier League since a certain Dele Alli in January 2016.

A disappointed Will Hughes spoke to Sky: “We had our chances throughout the game, just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. You know, none of the defeat was, you know, but proud of the performance as a whole, you know, compared to last week against Leeds where, the manager said, we deserve to lose, and that was one of the first games, a long time. And he was really honest with us.

“Lazy to say that because it’s nothing sort of energy or fatigue. We’re going through one of those stages now. All teams will go through it where they create chances, but just don’t put the ball in the back of the net. Unfortunately, we’re going through that at the moment. You know, we’re creating chances that’s the most important thing and the next stage we’re putting the ball back in the net and the results will change.”

Archie Gray, goalscorer, speaks to Sky: “I mean, when I turned around, I didn’t see my teammates celebrating me. I was a bit confused. I was like, have I actually just scored or?

“It’s a good feeling and it’s definitely definitely one that took too long, you know, I don’t know how long it’s taken but yeah, it’s an amazing feeling, though.

“Um, to be honest, I don’t really think about anything. It was just like a matter of, I’m so close to the goal. It wasn’t really like I didn’t really have to do much. I don’t think.. Yeah, because obviously I’m so close to the goal. All I had to do was just flip it on already. I knew Mateta was stood on the line.”

Ed Aarons’ report is in.

90+8 min: Palace cannot find a way back and that’s that.

90+7 min: Odobert escapes and forces a throw. LaCroix had to speed all the way back but this one looks done. Danso takes his time over the restart. Porro and Spence keep the ball, and Johnson sets up Bentancur to shoot, Henderson making the save. That really would have killed it.

90+5 min: Lerma to launch another throw – this time legal – and there’s some chaos as the ball bounces down, only for Palhinha to close down Wharton.

90+4 min: Hughes robs Richarlison, and then Palhinha and Wharton smash into each other. The Spurs player stays down and is limping, rather than pretending, when he rises.

90+2 min: Tottenham back in serious numbers, with Danso, as so often this afternoon, leading the rearguard effort. There’s calls he handballed but nothing given, and nothing from VAR, either.

90 min: Vicario claims when Uche is the target for another Lerma foul/long throw. There will be seven more minutes of this.

89 min: Johnson might kill it, but seems to misread the movement of Odobert. Palace look gassed in truth.

88 min: Odobert makes another cameo appearance, and hits the post. Palace have had 62% possession and yet Spurs have had the ball in the net three times, and hit a post.

87 min: Dragusin has been brought on to deal with that gang of centre-forwards. They’re struggling to service them at the moment.

85 min: Devenny off, Esse on for Palace, which makes four strikers for the home team. For Tottenham, Archie Gray, an actual goalscorer today, goes off, as Radu Dragusin comes on for his first game since January. Kudus off too, for Brennan Johnson, lately linked with a move to Palace.

84 min: Spurs are holding firm, for now. Though not creating much, give or take that disallowed goal, which came against the run of play. Danso is their long throw expert, and Nathaniel Clyne deals with that.

82 min: Joe Pearson gets in touch: “If I recall correctly, Jon Moss used to have Mossy embroidered on his boots. Also owned a record shop, so there’s that.”

Fashion victims, they know so well…

81 min: On the sidelines, Thomas Frank is pacing, chewing, exhorting. This would be a big win for his team. He’s having an angry dialogue with the fourth official.

79 min: Palace chance…Guehi heads over from another fine Wharton delivery. They are likely to rue such missed opportunities.

78 min: Palace make a change, with Pino withdrawn for Uche. They’re still in this game after that VAR decision. The home crowd are getting behind their team, too.

73 min: Wharton hoiks another ball into the box and it takes some bravery from Vicario to clear the danger. A rare Tottenham attack? Yes, Odobert, with what must be his first touch, skips inwards and shoots. Straight at Henderson.

71 min: A note from a colleague about one of the assistant referees: “He has personalised boots marked with ‘LEDGE’ - his name is Scott Ledger.”

Surely more egregious than odd-coloured boots.

70 min: Spence and Porro bundle the ball behind for a Palace corner. From it, Spurs clear, and then Wharton sends in a cross that LaCroix heads wide. That was a big chance.

68 min: Nketiah is at least finding space, and shoots wide this time.

67 min: Oliver Glasner is not happy. His team are increasingly disjointed. Nketiah makes another burst but again fails to find a teammate. Not much coming off for Palace.

65 min: Palhinha is immediately in the muck and nettles, throwing in tackles. Nketiah, another second-half arrival, is struggling to be on the same wavelength as his colleagues.

63 min: Devenny drifts a cross to the back post but again it’s beyond the reach of Nketiah. Palace are knocking on the door but failing to make themselves heard.

62 min: Bergvall goes down for Tottenham, and Thomas Frank is readying some changes. Odobert and Palhinha are coming on for Kolo Muani and Archie Gray, though Bergvall rolls down his socks to mean he rather than Gray goes off.

59 min: Nketiah almost immediately involved but Pino can’t reach him with his pass.

58 min: Palace sub: Nketiah on for Clyne, and Devenny will go to right wing-back.

57 min: Boos for a handball when Palace thought they had a corner. Mitchell picked up the ball when it was still not dead.

56 min: Ooof! So close. Pino’s ball in, Clyne heads down and Devenny can score but in spinning to hit it, can’t keep it down. Spurs continue to be a bit ropey.

54 min: Richard Hirst, with whom I confused Jeremy Boyce, is himself confused: “To whoever pretended to be me: I was of course being ironic in saying that maybe football did begin in 1992. Someone who has been watching Fulham since 1965 and whose hero is Johnny Haynes is firmly rooted in the past!”

53 min: In odd boots, and tights, Spence is stretching out his leg in. Lerma meanwhile launches a long throw that looks one-handed, like a rugger lineout. Spurs fail to get quick ball when they get it clear…

52 min: Another Tottenham corner, can they find another goal? Porro goes for the near post. Looks like Djed Spence has done himself a mischief, his knee to be precise.

50 min: Wharton’s corner is headed away by Gray, who played much of last season as a centre-back. Next, Wharton tries to play a through ball but again the radar is faulty. Palace perhaps feeling the brunt of their long season so far.

49 min: The pressure is on Palace now, and they build up a head of steam, with Pino’s shot blocked, as Wharton lays him up.

47 min: Porro to zing one in, but this time it’s the right height for Henderson. At the other end, Mateta goes on the attack, Spence hacking clear.

46 min: We go again, with Selhurst still quiet, as LaCroix is also immediately booked for legging up Djed Spence.

Toby in Budapest gets in touch: “Of course it’s moot at this point, but I’m interested to know why Ghuehi’s handball was not given as a penalty (you say correctly)? It clearly deflected what would have been a very dangerous ball - it may or may not have been deliberate but they rarely seem to be when a penalty is given.

“You see ‘em given for less”, as they say.

”Thank you for your work, love your reporting otherwise, but some clarity here would be really helpful for my understanding of the rules!”

It hit him while sliding along, and was in a “natural” position. It would have been very harsh. And Gray scored his goal straight after, right?

Gareth Evans gets in touch, and he’s angry: “Not watching, overseas and can’t be fudged to find a feed, so keeping a lazy eye on the MBM for Spurs coverage. It’s reading like we’re having another game with no actual attacking plan but also looking shonky at the back.

“Frank isn’t doing himself favours at the moment either in what we see on the pitch or what he says away from it, is he? You can say someone will need time to turn things around but you’ve to show *something* coherent to suggest that person should be you.

“You also probably shouldn’t refer to finishing 17th to summarise last season as it’s not even half the story. This apparently awful squad was bolstered after winning the Europa League and breaking the cycle of near misses in the process. He’s causing an unnecessary schism in doing so. I’ve had a season ticket for well over 20 years, I don’t expect us to win everything whilst playing like Brazil 1970. I do expect us to attack with some impetus. We’ve not had that this season under Frank, particularly since everyone sussed the only plan he had (the long throw into the mixer).

“This turgid performance comes after over a week on the training ground, what is he doing?”

PS: “Of course we score as I press send. 91% of previous email stands.”

45+3 min: Will Hughes booked for cynical sweep of Porro’s legs from under him. That takes him to four bookings. The suspension limit goes to eight after this week’s round of matches.

45+2 min: The Wharton radar lets him down again, as the first half closes disappointingly for Palace. Tottenham picked at the set-piece weakness that Palace have had, the fifth conceded in three games.

45 min: Four minutes added on, with Selhurst going quiet aside from the contingent from north London/Herts.

43 min: Archie Gray is 19, though we have heard much about him, as son of Andy Gray (not that one), and grandson of Frankie Gray, and great-nephew of Eddie Gray. Leeds royalty, though it’s odd to hear him described as English when all those forebears played for Scotland.

41 min: Tottenham’s Muani wants a handball after his run is stopped by a Guehi challenge. No penalty given, and correctly. A corner will have to do.

40 min: Mitchell’s ball into the box is dangerous and Bentancur clears. He needed to, Palace sense a goal before half-time and Will Hughes fires wide. Oliver Glasner is frustrated that went wide though Hughes, for such a fine player, is no goalscorer.

38 min: Steve Hudson gets in touch: “You mentioned Derby County in the terrible pitches conversation - the Baseball Ground was absolutely shocking for most of every season - only in October and April was it not two inches deep in mud. Surely the worst pitch. Wasn’t it undersoil heating that changed it all, so that the grass carried on growing all year, repairing wear and tear?”

Yes, I recall they used to import different grass, too, from Australia and South Africa.

36 min: Porro blams a shot wide and then claps, presumably as encouragement, rather than self-praise. Spurs have been rotten, in truth.

35 min: Spurs try to play out from the back, and that presents a chance to Wharton, on his favoured left foot but this time he can’t deliver any magic.

34 min: David Bowen gets in touch: “I’ve just spotted Djed Spence is wearing odd coloured boots. The right a vibrant orange, the left an energetic lime green. What are your thoughts/feelings/emotions on such a development?”

I’m OK with it, as long as they fit.

33 min: No Spurs attacks since that flurry around the disallowed goal.

31 min: Jefferson Lerma, standing in among the defence, has a problem. The cupboard is bare and him going off would mean a reshuffle. He’s soon enough back amid the fray.

29 min: The Spurs fans make themselves heard. Long trip home on the Windrush Line or via Victoria for them. Devenny, who has been lively among the sloth, has an effort. Wharton, such a classy player, is trying his best to set up something. He’s a stroller in the finest tradition. The modern game is no place for a stroller, you’d think, but he has real class, plays in his own time.

27 min: Will Hughes and Kolo Muani bring da ruckus after a dispute over a free-kick. It got heated, but not for long. Palace get the free-kick, from which LaCroix, sweetie, heads over to Mateta, who nods over. That counts as a big miss.

26 min: The game’s entertainment levels have not been high despite a couple of incidents. Perhaps it needs a pitch like the old Baseball Ground.

24 min: Richard Hirst Jeremy Boyce is back in touch: “Yeah, footie actually stopped in 1992, the pitches were part and parcel of all that legendary footie we love to watch on YouTube archives. We were treated to players making a mockery of the conditions to produce unreal skills and great action. I refer the honourable Gentleman to Derby County 1971/72, Champions of England, playing on the most unplayable surface anywhere winning the title with a bunch of no-nonsense defenders (McFarland, Hennessey...) then a skillful midfield and attack (Gemmill, Hector, Hinton, Durban, McGovern, O’Hare) that skipped over the filth and racked up the goals.”

Pitches were still bad in the 1990s, with Old Trafford bad, as was Stamford Bridge in the early 2000s. Selhurst was no snooker baize, either.

23 min: Archie Gray is now booked, for manhandling Wharton when the Palace man had beaten him with a drop of the shoulder.

22 min: You might say officialdom has been harsh on Spurs for the goal ruled out but not for the early Danso decision. It looked a foul, and if it’s a foul then…

21 min: Now Palace go close, and it’s Mateta, from a Wharton pass, who lashes wide. Kevin Danso is struggling with him.

20 min: Richarlison, who was barely involved until that “goal”, goes on a run into the box and is eventually crowded out.

19 min: The first bit of quality from Tottenham and they are denied by a marginal – if correct – call.

16 min: No Tottenham attacks of note as yet. But here’s one…

14 min: Maxence Lacroix has played the most games of anyone this season, and he seems happy to pass the ball around the back. Spurs’ forwards are doing little to press and chase.

13 min: All Palace on the attack. Mateta has a sniff of a chance when Devenny tries to force his way through but an offside flag stops the move.

12 min: Long ball to Kudus, who seems recovered, but there’s jeers as Bergvall losess the ball. Up in the stand, Chris Richards looks on. He’s expected to be back soon, good news as that looked a nasty injury he suffered against Arsenal.

10 min: Mateta spins and turns, this time failing to find a teammate but he looks on his game. Spurs beware. They also have worries that Mohamed Kudus has a back problem. They’ve not been at it, at all.

8 min: Palace look lively, full of spring on the break. Mateta is sent away by Tyrick Mitchell but Spurs are back in numbers this time.

6 min: There’s a few contenders for the kick but the wall is hit when Pino smashes low. That was a waster.

5 min: Mateta sends Devenny away and Danso is struggling, and clips the Palace player. That resulted in a yellow, and VAR rules that’s the correct decision. No Dogso, you see. Palace must settle for a free-kick.

4 min: Djed Spence and Marc Guehi get into a tussle. Guehi seems set to see out the season at Palace, though he is able to sign a pre-contract from Thursday, 1 Jan.

2 min: There’s a drum beat audible but Selhurst sounds quiet; most grounds this weekend have. The festive fare can have a draining effect.

Glad All Over plays, signifying a Palace game is on its way. Odd that the Dave Clark Five were known as the “Tottenham sound”.

It’s a cold day in London, and Selhurst awaits the teams, who are both in the tunnel and will enter the pitch from the corner.

Richard Hirst gets in touch: “Watching the video of John Robertson in the piece you linked to I was reminded not only of his ability but also of the state of the pitches. It really was a different game then: maybe football did begin in 1992!”

So does Jeremy Boyce: “Looking forward to the match and I’m almost certain that Palace will have benefited from a few days to rest tired legs after their hectic pre-festive schedule. So what will Glasner’s team talk consist of ? Mostly “Lads, it’s Tottenham” I would think. Frankly, I’m beginning to wonder if Franck’s decision to take the ill-fated manager’s job at the cheese shop won’t turn out to have been as ill-judged as Graham Potter’s when he swallowed the devil’s shilling and moved from a great career at a smaller club to ignominy and ridicule at a bigger one. And then another. Spurs aren’t in crisis, yet. But defeat today would leave them small goal difference and points away from the Postecoglou vortex of the drop zone.

“A win for Palace would leapfrog them back to the Europe places, where of course they already are. As are Spurs. Who will be there next year ? Glasner, a much-touted one day “Big-Club” boss would be well advised to read the tea leaves and everything else possible before deciding anything should such an offer materialise. 3 - 1 Palace then....”

Here’s an obituary of one of British football’s very best players.

Last time out, both teams coming off a defeat:

Palace had that disappointing loss in the Carabao Cup to Arsenal this week, from which Oliver Glasner makes four changes. Dean Henderson has the gloves, while Nathaniel Clyne starts in defence and Will Hughes and Justin Devenny play in midfield.

Suspension robs Spurs of Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero for their red cards against Liverpool, as Richarlison and Kevin Danso come in.

The benches:

Palace: Benitez, Nketiah, Uche, Esse, Canvot, Sosa, Rodney, Benamar, Drakes-Thomas.
Tottenham: Kinsky, Dragusin, Joao Palhinha, Tel, Johnson, Takai, Odobert,
Davies, Scarlett.

The referee is Jarred Gillett (Australia)

It’s been a golden year for Crystal Palace. This is their last of 2025.

That Thomas Frank is under pressure is no secret. Though he is a tough character and pulls few punches.

At Brøndby, I didn’t win the first eight games and then we were unbeaten in nine,” he said. “At Brentford, we lost eight out of 10 games and then we were unbeaten in 10. So I am convinced we will see a similar pattern here. I’m not in doubt of that. Because I know how to make a competitive team. We will make a very competitive team here, as well.