Here are our Tottenham talking points after their 2-0 derby win against Crystal Palace in the Premier League made it three on the bounce

It has been 616 days since Tottenham Hotspur last won three Premier League matches in a row.

In that time they have had four different head coaches, three permanent captains, seen their chairman depart after 25 years, lost Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison for much of that time, three players to ACL injuries having lost a fourth the month before and finally won a trophy only to almost get relegated.

Time rarely passes without incident at Spurs but Saturday finally felt like a night when the fans could smile again and dare to actually look forward with some hope to Roberto De Zerbi's reign.

They were helped in some capacity by Jean-Philippe Mateta's studs-up lunge at Micky van de Ven's Achilles just 11 minutes into the contest, which reduced Crystal Palace to 10 men only after VAR official Jarred Gillett advised Michael Oliver that his initial yellow card was probably not enough.

The numerical disadvantage did not change Palace's gameplan too much with their low defensive block, but it did remove the focal point for their counter attacks with the big Frenchman heading off down the tunnel at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The visitors sat deep and compact as Spurs fired 34 shots at Dean Henderson's goal to Palace's two, one of the visitors' sent in the early minutes by Daichi Kamada straight at Antonin Kinsky. After that point the Czech stopper could have tied a hammock between his two goalposts and taken a nap without fear of his slumber being disturbed.

FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

The hosts managed to turn their numerical advantage into a goal one on 25 minutes when Mohammed Kudus' deep corner from the right found the unmarked Archie Gray to send a perfectly flighted header back across into the far corner of the net.

It was the 20-year-old's third goal for Tottenham, having also scored the winner against Palace last season, the final league victory of the Thomas Frank era.

This feels like a different time at Tottenham, even if they struggled from that point on to find a way past Henderson, despite their huge amount of possession, almost 80 per cent in the end, and their many efforts at goal as the keeper pulled off seven saves.

All of Gray's three goals for Spurs have been with his head and he was playing well once again but had to be sacrificed at half-time for Pedro Porro due to a yellow card picked up before his goal.

The youngster admitted afterwards that he was gutted to come off but understood De Zerbi's thinking as Palace were likely to target him.

"I didn't want to take a risk for another yellow card," explained the Spurs boss. "I'm sorry because he was playing very well. I explained why I took the decision, but I think it was the right decision in that moment.

"He's improving a lot. Since Manchester United, he's playing very, very well, as a mature player."

With Tottenham's form over recent years, especially in N17, there was always some fear of a last-gasp Palace leveller from a set piece or a counter attack, but in truth the hosts' midfield and central defensive pairings created their own force field to ensure a fourth clean sheet was gained.

Sandro Tonali in particular was again the beating heart as well as the legs of this Tottenham team.

Nobody on the pitch came close to his running stats on Saturday night as he covered 12.2km. His midfield partner Mateus Fernandes was next with 11.5km.

It's worth pointing out that 23 per cent of Tonali's distance was spent running (2.8km) and he hit a top speed of 33.3kmh which was topped only among his team-mates by Mathys Tel's 34.8kmh.

A team with an extra man should in theory be required to run fewer kilometres but that's not the Italian's game and he knew Spurs needed impetus to get around the bank of Palace players. Tonali also recorded 10 defensive contributions, Fernandes only bettering him with 11 and Tel close behind with nine and Dominic Solanke eight.

De Zerbi lavished praise on Tonali even if he said he wants more nastiness from his team going forward.

"I'm very happy with the performance, because we showed to be a mature team, with clear ideas. We didn't concede a counter-attack, maybe just one in the second half. We created many, many chances," he told football.london.

"If we want to follow perfection, we have to be more nasty, no? That is an individual thing, because if I'm number nine, number 10, I want to score. But I can't say nothing.

"We are improving the physical condition. Tonali today was unbelievable, incredible. We played with two players more. Tonali was the double [player] today. But we are improving with Archie Gray, with Robertson, the two central backs very well, to take the command of the game.

"Mateus Fernandes, another very good performance. Marmoush, Solanke, very well, especially when we lost the ball. So it's a clear signal that they were inside of the game. Kudus, Mathys Tel, very well. So I think they are improving and the team is improving."

The second goal did eventually come on 73 minutes from the head of Jan Paul van Hecke, at the second attempt and it was a goal that created a little bit of history.

Fernandes curled in a deep cross from the left and the Dutchman's first header was pushed by Henderson on to the crossbar.

However, fortune is finally realising Spurs exist and the ball fell towards the prone centre-back, who did well to react and head it from his position on the floor on to his leg and over the goal line.

It officially became the first headed goal from a seated position in Premier League history.

De Zerbi grinned when asked about that goal from his former Brighton protégé and said it summed up his character.

"Van Hecke is a tough character, tough personality. I'm very happy for him," he told football.london.

There was an added element to Van Hecke's big moment because Saturday was the day of the remarkable annual - sometimes biannual - pilgrimage of 100 people by boat or coach from his little hometown of Arnemuiden to come and support him.

They follow him as their local hero and have always come to watch him play each year wherever he is. You can imagine the big send-off with flares they gave him back home when he made them even more proud by heading off to the World Cup this year.

Van Hecke has a habit of scoring in front of his 100-strong fan group when they make their journey over. His first goal for the Seagulls on his 82nd appearance came in front of them and then on Saturday he netted his second for Tottenham with them all cheering him on.

At that point for Spurs the game was won and it allowed a couple of other narratives to come into play.

Maddison was able to sit the game out after the issue that kept him from training with his team-mates all week. Kulusevski did enter the fray for his longest stint yet, 18 minutes including added time, in the same fixture that brought that complicated knee injury last year.

The Swede almost marked it with a goal, sending a trademark left-footed curling effort that Henderson tipped over the crossbar at full stretch.

It wasn't just Van Hecke who had his own personal fan club. A healthy contingent of the Sweden Spurs supporters group had travelled over for the game and greeted him with flags in the lower south stand and chants.

The 26-year-old was met with almost as huge a cheer when he stepped on to the pitch as he got for his return against Coventry.

Kulusevski gave an insightful club interview in the week about his battle since his knee injury, including the amazing work done to change his pain management.

"It had been like one year and a couple of months and I still can't walk on the stairs. I can't walk on the stairs like a normal guy. I have to play football so in my head I'm not going to give up, but I have to think that if this doesn't work out, what do I do?" he said.

"I went to a physio in Sweden. He was able to change my nervous system and then it felt different. When I did the exercises, I said, 'I don't have pain, like this hurt yesterday. Why is this not hurting today?'

"Then I did the next exercise and said, 'this is not hurting,' and I went into the room to my wife. And I told her, 'it's over, we're going to do this.' From the minute I went into the room, it was better.

"There was still pain but it was different. Now I had control of my leg and then that is when the grind started that summer. I started to play football and it got better every day. I was limping and everything, but it was different now.

"I came here to Tottenham to do the pre-season and they were also impressed with the progress I made. I got a lot of help from them, I got much stronger in a short time and I went from, 'this guy will not play football any more,' to playing really good football in just a couple of weeks."

Some Spurs fans have feared that Kulusevski will now face the same issues that long-serving captain Ledley King did. The centre-back would famously work by himself all week, mostly in the gym or pool at the training ground, do a walkthrough with the team the day before a game and then somehow play at the weekend.

His left knee would subsequently balloon up the following day and then he would start the process again until it became too much and he had to retire.

The difference between King and Kulusevski though was that there was no cartilage left in the defender's knee and it was bone on bone, hence the joint swelling up.

Kulusevski, unlike King, is clearly able to train between games, and appeared to explain in his interview that he lost a portion of his cartilage in his right knee rather than all of it.

The Sweden international now undergoes an hour of stretching his knee every night to strengthen it and modern medicine and sports science has also moved on in the 14 years since King had to hang up his boots.

Kulusevski is back - he came on as the false nine on Saturday - and with his game time pushing up, that first start does not seem far away.

There was also time for a look at the future of Tottenham Hotspur and hopefully its present in Luca Williams-Barnett.

The 18-year-old has had to wait patiently for his Premier League debut but De Zerbi finally decided it was the time in the 88th minute.

The fearless youngster ensured his first touch in Premier League football was exactly as you would expect, killing a long diagonal pass stone dead with one touch and drawing a collective 'wow' from the crowd.

He caused mayhem for the Palace defence, constantly embarking on mazy runs and leaving his markers dizzy. One such escapade should have resulted in a debut assist only for Kudus to somehow contrive to slice his volley back across the face of the goal from about three yards out.

Williams-Barnett looked at the crowd in shock for a moment but immediately went back to business.

The fans love the teenager already. He was geeing them up with his hands and they chanted "Luca, Luca, Luca", having earlier roared his arrival from the bench.

It was somewhat fitting that it came on the same night that those same supporters sang "Harry Kane, he's one of our own" for their record goalscorer after his Ballon d'Or triumph.

Kane eventually found a pathway through at Tottenham and it's absolutely essential that the club ensure there is one for Williams-Barnett.

He is one of the most gifted youngsters to come through their academy in decades. With his age there is of course plenty to improve in terms of his off the ball work, his defensive game - key for a De Zerbi attacker - and he will quickly learn the mindset required of top players - Kane being the best possible example.

Yet there's magic in his boots and Spurs must harness it. He was born for this level of football.

"I thought it was the right moment for him. It is his first game in the Premier League, but his qualities, he is a big, big talent," De Zerbi told football.london.

"He is a very, very great talent. Very young, but a great talent."

The problem will be what happens to Williams-Barnett when Savio and Mykhailo Mudryk are back fit and available for the left-hand side along with Tel, who looked full of confidence after his Stamford Bridge exploits.

Where is the room for Williams-Barnett to grow? Spurs only seem to give chances to their young academy players when everyone else is injured.

They cannot afford to make Williams-Barnett think his future is better served elsewhere. He will see what's going on with Mikey Moore who also plays off the left and is currently out in Germany in Cologne and unsure what comes next.

Spurs have been slapped in the face this summer already with letting bright young talents feel they need to go elsewhere.

Luka Vuskovic is flourishing with third-placed Brighton, helping them to yet another win and a clean sheet at Manchester City. The 19-year-old has played almost every minute in the Premier League this season for Fabian Hurzeler.

Van Hecke starting to find his feet at Spurs is at least softening the blow somewhat.

The same can't be said at the other end of the pitch at a time when Spurs' attackers are working hard but being bailed out by their defensive team-mates in the goalscoring stakes. Van Hecke led Tottenham's shots with five attempts on Saturday.

So to see Will Lankshear hitting goals 14 and 15 on the same day in just his 16th game for Middlesbrough makes his exit all the more baffling. That the Championship leaders signed him for just £10million, with the chance of another £10million in add-ons, has left their supporters are laughing at their fortune.

The 21-year-old's second goal in the victory against Charlton was reminiscent of a certain Ballon d'Or winner he looked up to in training.

Some will point out that it's the Championship and others have scored at that level and not made it higher up.

Lankshear though is only 21 when they were not and he will pass the 20-goal mark within weeks. He will become a very good Premier League striker and it's mind-boggling that Spurs did not simply loan out a player who was not desperate to leave permanently, or even heaven-forbid, give him a chance to prove himself.

De Zerbi must get his current strikers scoring and he was asked how he gets that "nastiness" into his attacking players.

"I don't know. I don't know. I don't know because today we won 2-0, but 28 shots. I think we played very well because many times against 10 players, it's always difficult to find the space," he said.

"The spaces are very small. You have to move the ball quickly to put the ball from Mathys Tel to Kudus to move the opponent. If you want to play between the lines, you have to be perfect.

"Otherwise, you lose the ball and you concede a counter attack. For example, the second goal, we know very well that situation. The ball on the second post.

"Also in the first half, Mathys put the ball for Kudus in the same goal. I think we can be more precise in that situation if we want to score more goals."

Things are starting to click even if De Zerbi believes they are a little way off really being able to pull apart teams that defend so deep.

"Today, the best thing of the team, they showed to be mature. They knew what we had to do with the ball, not to take stupid risks and to counter-attack even one player more," explained the Italian.

"I think the style of Crystal Palace didn't change for the red card and I knew before the game it could be a very tough, tough game. Because now we are improving in the principle, we are improving in the quality of the play.

"Maybe now we are not ready yet to play against one low block so close, so aggressive, in so small spaces. And it's not easy for the top team, maybe for us in this moment. Maybe in two, three months we can reach the right level to play better against one low block. But now it's very tough."

The Spurs boss is starting to get players back from injury and that will help his options across the pitch.

Porro and Destiny Udogie, who has been struggling to log training sessions after his knee problem, got minutes in the second half.

"Pedro is ready. We didn't take risks, speaking with him, he decided before the game, he was very honest with me and I appreciate that a lot because Premier League it's 38 games, not one game," said De Zerbi. "With Udogie, hopefully we can work many weeks in a row. Until now, it was not possible.

The Tottenham boss had explained on Friday that Tosin Adarabioyo and Lucas Bergvall could be back for the game at Leeds next weekend, while Mudryk and Savio will return after the international break.

De Zerbi also provided an update on Wilson Odobert and his recovery from his ACL injury.

"[He should be back in training] after December. After Christmas. In January, I think. It is a great thing for us," he said.

That would seem a little later than the usual return for such an injury, normally eight or nine months at the quicker end. Odobert was injured on February 10 and De Zerbi appeared to suggest the French winger would not be back in training until 10 months on.

Either way both Odobert and Xavi Simons will provide more attacking power when they return.

There is a chance for Tottenham to push on now under De Zerbi as others tire with their midweek European exploits.

The Lilywhites are up to eighth in the table and just four points off the top four. Their next four fixtures are against Leeds, Ipswich, Sunderland and Fulham before the north London derby at the start of December.

None of those are easy games but they represent a chance to continue the momentum and the home games give De Zerbi's men an opportunity to continue to make the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a place they regularly win at.

For Spurs are finally remembering how to win football matches. It's been 616 days since they delivered a hat-trick of Premier League victories and the mood after the full-time whistle showed just how much the Tottenham supporters have missed being able to enjoy their Saturday nights. It was party time and it's been long overdue.