Sarr scores twice as Palace punish Tottenham after Van de Ven’s red card
Tottenham’s season slid deeper into crisis after a damaging 3–1 defeat to Crystal Palace that left the club hovering just above the Premier League relegation zone. The loss at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium piled further pressure on interim manager Igor Tudor, whose side remains winless in the league since the turn of the year.
For a short period, it looked as though Tottenham might steady itself. Dominic Solanke gave the home side the lead in the 34th minute when he converted a cutback from Archie Grey. The goal briefly lifted the mood among the home supporters and suggested Tottenham might finally deliver the response they desperately needed.
That optimism lasted only a matter of minutes. Tottenham’s captain, Micky van de Ven, was sent off after pulling back Ismaïla Sarr when the Palace forward broke through on goal. The foul resulted in both a penalty and Tottenham being reduced to ten men at a critical moment in the match.
Sarr stepped forward and calmly converted the penalty to bring Crystal Palace level. The equaliser immediately shifted momentum toward the visitors, who quickly exploited the confusion in Tottenham’s defence following the red card.
Palace’s second goal soon followed. Adam Wharton delivered a precise pass that sent Jørgen Strand Larsen through on goal, and the striker finished confidently to give the visitors the lead. Tottenham’s defensive structure had already been weakened by the absence of Cristian Romero through suspension, and the loss of Van de Ven made the situation even more difficult.
Crystal Palace then struck again before half-time. Wharton once more found space to create an opportunity, releasing Sarr behind the Tottenham defence. The forward finished past Guglielmo Vicario to score his second goal of the evening and complete Palace’s rapid turnaround.
By the interval, the atmosphere inside the stadium had turned hostile. Many supporters voiced their frustration, while some began leaving the ground before the match had even reached half-time.
The defeat continues a difficult run under Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank but has yet to oversee a league victory. Tottenham were well beaten in each of their first three matches under the interim manager, and this latest result deepened concerns about the club’s direction.
Tudor had attempted to shake things up tactically by switching to a 3-4-3 formation and making several changes to the starting lineup. Conor Gallagher, Xavi Simons and Yves Bissouma were among the players left on the bench as the manager searched for a new approach.
The plan failed to deliver the desired improvement. Tottenham struggled to maintain possession and lacked a clear attacking structure for much of the match.
Crystal Palace, by contrast, displayed greater control in midfield. Adam Wharton’s performance proved particularly influential, as he repeatedly opened Tottenham’s defence with accurate passes and intelligent positioning.
Palace had even thought they had taken the lead earlier in the match when Evann Guessand set up Sarr for a goal. However, VAR ruled the effort out for offside.
Tottenham showed more determination during the second half, but the damage had already been done. Palace’s three quick goals before the break proved decisive, leaving the home side unable to mount a meaningful comeback.
The result leaves Tottenham just one point above the relegation zone with nine Premier League matches remaining this season.
For Palace, the victory provided a confident performance and valuable three points. For Tottenham, it deepened fears that their troubled campaign could yet end in a relegation battle.