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Tottenham and Crystal Palace will meet at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, October 31, with kickoff scheduled for 17:30 GMT.
Tottenham is looking for a third consecutive Premier League victory after beating Coventry City and Chelsea. Palace arrives with renewed confidence following its midweek cup success, but its recent league performances leave plenty of room for improvement.
Verdict: Tottenham to win
Best odds: 1/2
Bookmaker: 1xBet
Tottenham has finally put together a couple of results that Roberto De Zerbi can build on.
A 3-1 victory over Coventry was followed by a 2-0 win at Chelsea, taking the club to nine points from eight Premier League matches.
That still leaves Tottenham in 14th place, but the mood should be considerably better than it was before those two games.
The victory at Stamford Bridge required patience. Mike Penders turned the ball into his own net in the 77th minute, Cole Palmer was sent off shortly afterward, and Mathys Tel added the second.
Tottenham had already taken the lead before the red card, which matters when assessing the result. It also created opportunities earlier in the match, with Omar Marmoush and Tel both testing the Chelsea goalkeeper.
The next challenge is to maintain that standard against an opponent likely to leave less space.
Palace has conceded seven goals across its last two league matches. Tottenham should therefore see opportunities to put the visiting defense under pressure, particularly if Mohammed Kudus and Tel can receive the ball in areas where they can attack their markers.
There is still a reason for caution. Two victories do not erase a difficult start, and Tottenham has several important absences.
Even so, the recent improvement makes the home win the most appealing selection.
James Maddison is a major doubt after being forced off against Chelsea with a groin problem, according to the latest Tottenham injury update.
Destiny Udogie also needs to be assessed because of a knee injury, while Tosin Adarabioyo is doubtful with a calf issue.
Rodrigo Bentancur remains suspended. Lucas Bergvall, Savio, Mykhailo Mudryk, Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert are also unavailable.
Conor Gallagher replaced Maddison at Stamford Bridge and offers an option if the playmaker cannot recover.
Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes should remain important in midfield, particularly when Tottenham needs to prevent Palace from breaking forward.
Pedro Porro returned as a substitute against Chelsea and is another option in defense. Jan Paul van Hecke and Micky van de Ven should be central to the home side’s defensive plans.
Marmoush and Dominic Solanke provide alternatives through the middle, with Tel strengthening his case for another start after scoring last weekend.
Crystal Palace needed a response after consecutive league defeats, and it found one in the Carabao Cup.
Pierre Sage’s side earned a 1-0 victory at Fulham on Wednesday, with Eddie Nketiah finishing Oscar Mingueza’s delivery to secure a place in the quarterfinals.
That result should help confidence. It also showed that Palace can protect a narrow lead when its concentration and goalkeeping are good enough.
The league picture is less encouraging.
A 5-0 defeat at Brighton was followed by a 2-0 home loss to Newcastle, leaving Palace with seven points from eight matches and sitting 17th.
Those results raise questions about both ends of the pitch. Palace failed to score in either game and gave its opponents too many opportunities to take control.
Sage made 10 changes for the trip to Fulham, so it would be misleading to assume that the entire first-choice team will arrive exhausted. Several regular starters should benefit from having played fewer minutes.
The more relevant concern is whether the defensive improvement can survive another away derby.
Palace will need Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada to help it keep possession under pressure. If every clearance comes straight back, Tottenham should eventually create chances.
Dean Henderson returned from injury against Fulham and produced several important saves. He is available again and has given Sage a decision to make in goal.
Cheick Doucoure also returned to competitive action after a lengthy absence, providing another midfield option.
Chadi Riad and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain sidelined, while Quinten Timber has also been unavailable.
Ismaila Sarr’s groin problem and Jorgen Strand Larsen’s ankle issue remain concerns, following Sage’s recent fitness update.
Jean-Philippe Mateta offers a possible focal point in attack, although Nketiah’s cup winner gives the manager another option.
Wharton, Kamada, Tyrick Mitchell, Yeremy Pino and Dwight McNeil all appeared from the bench at Fulham and could return to more prominent roles.
Their ability to support the attack will matter. Palace cannot rely entirely on its goalkeeper and defenders to get through this match.
Palace’s cup victory makes this a more demanding assignment than its recent league results alone might suggest. Henderson’s return is helpful, and Sage’s rotation means several regular starters should be relatively fresh.
Tottenham still has the stronger case.
The home side has scored five goals across consecutive league victories and should approach this match with greater confidence. Palace’s defensive problems against Brighton and Newcastle remain difficult to overlook.
Maddison’s fitness is a concern, but Tottenham has enough attacking alternatives to create chances against this opposition.
A third consecutive league victory looks achievable, making Tottenham to win the best selection.
Verdict: Tottenham to win
Best odds: 1/2
Bookmaker: 1xBet
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