The spectre of Premier League relegation loomed ever larger for Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday after a 1-3 home defeat to Crystal Palace left it teetering just above the drop zone.
When striker Dominic Solanke gave 16th-placed Tottenham the lead against the run of play in the 34th minute, a first league win in 2026 looked on the cards for the host.
But it collapsed in shambolic fashion before the interval with Palace replying thrice to stun the host after Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven was sent off.
Van de Ven hauled back Ismaila Sarr in the area to receive a red card before Sarr slotted the resulting penalty home.
Adam Wharton then played in Jorgen Strand Larsen to slot a low show past Guglielmo Vicario in the first minute of stoppage time and provided another classy assist for Sarr to make it 3-1.
Sarr also had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside shortly before Solanke’s opener.
Ten-man Tottenham battled after the break in a subdued atmosphere but could not prevent a fifth successive league defeat which extended its winless league run to 11.
It has 29 points from 29 games, one more than Nottingham Forest and West Ham United who are in better form. Palace’s victory lifted it to 13th in the standings with 38 points.
Tottenham has been ever-present in the Premier League and was last relegated from the top flight in 1977, but interim manager Igor Tudor will have to turn things around very quickly if it is to stay above the trap door.
Published on Mar 06, 2026
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