David Flower
Dailysports's expert
Tottenham
Crystal Palace
One of the fixtures of the 36th round of the English Premier League will take place on Sunday in London, where local side Tottenham will host Crystal Palace. I'm offering a bet on goals in this match with solid chances for success.
Match preview
In the previous round, the London club managed to break their losing streak by drawing away to West Ham (1-1). For Ange Postecoglou's men, this was a much-needed respite after three consecutive defeats in which the team conceded a staggering 11 goals while scoring just four. Despite all their struggles, the side has firmly secured 16th place in the table, avoiding the threat of relegation to the Championship. However, climbing into the top half of the table is already out of reach for the Londoners.
Interestingly, Tottenham remains the highest-scoring team in the league by average goals per match — games involving Spurs see an average of 3.43 goals. However, over their last nine Premier League outings, the club has just one win, two draws, and six defeats. On the bright side, the Spurs have advanced to the Europa League final, having beaten Bodo/Glimt twice.
Oliver Glasner's team continues to struggle in the league, now winless in five matches in a row. The run began with heavy defeats to top opposition — first Manchester City (2-5), then Newcastle (0-5). After that, the Londoners managed to stabilize their defense, but without results: the next three matches ended in draws — against Bournemouth (0-0), Arsenal (2-2), and Nottingham Forest (1-1).
Currently, Crystal Palace sits 12th, and it's unlikely the team will climb higher before the season ends. Notably, the average goals scored in Crystal Palace matches this Premier League season is 2.63 — one of the lowest tallies in the league (19th). However, in their last ten league games, Palace have lost only twice, winning four and drawing four.
Probable lineups
- Tottenham: Guglielmo Vicario – Kevin Danso, Ben Davies, Djed Spence – Archie Gray, Pape Sarr, Yves Bissouma, Dejan Kulusevski – Mathys Tel, Richarlison, Wilson Odobert
- Crystal Palace: Dean Henderson – Marc Guéhi, Maxence Lacroix, Tyrick Mitchell, Daniel Muñoz, Chris Richards – Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Eberechi Eze – Ismaïla Sarr, Jean-Philippe Mateta
Match facts and head-to-head
- In the first half of the season, Crystal Palace beat Spurs 1-0
- The "Over 2.5 goals" bet landed in three out of the last five matches
- Both teams to score was successful in two out of the last five matches
Prediction
Ange Postecoglou's side comes into this derby after a tense away clash in Europe against Bodo/Glimt. It's no surprise the hosts might look tired, especially since they have virtually lost any motivation in the Premier League. In my opinion, the visitors are at least unlikely to lose here, given the hosts' fatigue and lack of motivation. Our recommendation: "Crystal Palace to win with a (0) handicap" at odds of 1.88.
