Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur: Premier League live!

Follow live updates as Spurs travel to Selhurst Park looking for a win

Eric Dier and Christian Benteke battle for the ball (Getty)

Tottenham Hotspur travel to Selhurst Park in Sunday’s early Premier League kick-off needing to win to keep their top four hopes alive.

Spurs currently sit fifth but can temporarily leapfrog Chelsea with a win, ahead of their match with Manchester United. But Spurs will need to win without their first-choice defensive partnership of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. In their absence, Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier line up together in the heart of a four-man defence.

Crystal Palace have injuries of their own to worry about, leading to Roy Hodgson giving 20-year-old Aaron Wan-Bissaka a start. Jaïro Riedewald is also named in their starting XI.

Follow Jack Watson’s live coverage of the match below.

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Key Points

• Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Wan Bissaka, Fosu-Mensah, Tomkins, Van Aanholt, Milivojevic, Riedewald, McArthur, Townsend, Benteke, Sorloth.
• Subs: Lee, Souare, Delaney, Lokilo, Henry, Rakip, Kirby.
• Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Aurier, Sanchez, Dier, Davies, Wanyama, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Lamela, Kane.
• Subs: Trippier, Rose, Son, Vorm, Sissoko, Foyth, Lucas Moura.
• Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

[25 February 2018 11:00 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Good morning and welcome to our coverage of Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Live blogging whizzkid and man of the people Jack Watson will be here very shortly to bring you the very latest team news, build-up and minute-by-minute action. Woof. 

[25 February 2018 11:05 · Jack Watson]

Team News

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham

[25 February 2018 11:10 · Jack Watson]

Team News

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham

With half of Crystal Palace's first team injured, you can excuse Roy Hodgson for naming a side which would not look out of place in the first round of the League Cup or in a pre-season friendly.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka makes his competitive debut for Palace at right back which moves Timothy Fosu-Mensah into the middle and Alexander Sorloth makes his home debut after completing his deadline day move from FC Midtjylland.

[25 February 2018 11:13 · Jack Watson]

Team News 

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham

Toby Alderweireld misses out with a minor hamstring injury, don't ask Mauricio Pochettino any questions about it, and Jan Vertonghen is also absent with an injury he picked up yesterday in training.

[25 February 2018 11:15 · Jack Watson]

Last time

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham

These sides met in another 12:00 start in November where Son scored the only goal of a fairly dull game at Wembley. Here's to something more eventful today.

[25 February 2018 11:26 · Jack Watson]

Benteke needs 'luck'

Crystal Palace manager, Roy Hodgson, says that Alexander Sorloth's arrival can boost Christian Benteke's confidence and help him find the luck to add to his measly two Premier League goals this season.

"He (Benteke) didn't need someone to come along to boost him. What he really needs is that little bit of luck where a couple of shots or headers go in, and it relieves that pressure all centre-forwards feel when they're playing but not scoring goals.

"That was why we brought him in, but we also brought Sorloth in to strengthen an attack which also had Bakary Sako and Wilf Zaha."

[25 February 2018 11:31 · Jack Watson]

Pochettino compares Spurs midfielder to Ronaldinho and Maradona

Bare with me on this one, but Mauricio Pochettino has compared Mousa Dembele to Brazilian legend Ronaldinho and some bloke called Diego Maradona.

"Only I can talk about him because I know him very well. Some people use my words to describe him as a genius," said the Spurs manager.

"For me I put him next to Ronaldinho, Maradona and Okocha. I was lucky to play with them.'

"For me he's one of the greatest talents in the history of football. It has been difficult for him with his fitness but now he's in an amazing talent."

[25 February 2018 11:43 · Jack Watson]

I would imagine he'll improve this record this afternoon. 

[25 February 2018 11:51 · Jack Watson]

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham

Can Christian Eriksen continue his impressive run of form today? His manager recently described him as his 'special one,' and after a great performance against Juventus in the Champions League, is he getting close to Harry Kane as Spurs' best player?

[25 February 2018 11:58 · Jack Watson]

Crystal Palace vs Tottneham

The players are in the tunnel and kick off is almost upon us. Crystal Palace are only above the relegation zone on goal difference but come up against Spurs who start the day outside the top four. A win for Tottenham would mean they leap frog Chelsea in fourth but that might not be enough if the Blue win at Old Trafford this afternoon.