Crystal Palace vs Tottenham: Juan Foyth's goal keeps Spurs in the top four as Palace slip to bottom three
Crystal Palace 0-1 Tottenham: Foyth repays Mauricio Pochettino's faith with goal after giving away two penalties last week
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Your support makes all the difference.Juan Foyth’s dramatic introduction to the Premier League continues. Seven days after the centre-back conceded two penalties on his league debut at Wolverhampton Wanderers, the 20-year-old secured Tottenham Hotspur’s victory at Selhurst Park with the first goal of his career.
The Argentinian headed home in the 65th minute to deliver the win that ensures Mauricio Pochettino’s side will remain in the top four, no matter what the outcome of Arsenal’s home meeting with Wolves on Sunday.
Like so many times this season, Spurs were not at their fluent best but they coped easily against a struggling Crystal Palace side who were without the injured Wilfried Zaha and Pochettino will be satisfied with the way his side stuck to their task.
And the manager was also entitled to believe fortune was on his side when it came to the match-winner.
Foyth had dropped out of the side for the midweek Champions League victory over PSV Eindhoven but the failure of Davinson Sanchez to recover from a hamstring injury meant the youngster was restored to the starting line-up.
The initial signs were not promising with the defender showing signs of early nerves, a possible hangover from his testing experience at Molineux.
An untimely slip in the 15th minute allowed Andros Townsend a clear run into the Spurs penalty area after collecting Mamadou Sakho’s long ball forward and the Palace winger should have done better than fire into the side netting.
Foyth, though, grew in confidence the longer the game went on, working well alongside Toby Alderweireld to help ensure Palace’s home problems continued.
The home side’s cause was not helped by the absence of Zaha who was missing having picked up a hamstring problem this week. It’s now over two years since the Eagles last won a league game without the Ivorian and there were few signs that unwanted run was about to end.
Hodgson’s side came into this game without a win from their opening five home league games and with only goal difference keeping them out of the bottom three following results earlier in the day.
The Palace manager had insisted there is no cause to be unduly concerned, insisting he has seen positive signs in his side’s play this season. There were again periods when Hodgson’s players established a degree of control and had James Tomkins been more accurate with a header early in the second half, the outcome may well have been different.
Without Zaha, though, they lacked a creative spark with the front pairing of Townsend and Jordan Ayew rarely threatening Hugo LLoris’s goal.
Not that Tottenham appeared that much more dangerous. Heavy rain contributed to the high number of mistakes, particularly in the first half, although Spurs did create the better opportunities.
Mamadou Sakho was forced to throw himself in front of Moussa Sissoko’s shot after the Spurs midfielder had worked his way into the Palace penalty area and Wayne Hennessey, the home keeper, produced a good save to deny Kane’s long range shot.
Pochettino’s side enjoyed the lion’s share of possession but showed few signs of making it tell and the 22nd minute withdrawal of injured right-back Kieran Trippier did nothing to help the visitors build momentum.
Palace demonstrated more urgency following the restart and Lloris looked decidedly shaky at an early corner.
That, though, was nothing to the defensive lapse that allowed Foyth to put the visitors ahead in the 65th minute.
James McArthur blocked Kane’s header from a left wing corner but when the ball looped into the air, Patrick van Aanholt and Ayew inexplicably failed to react, allowing Foyth to head home from close range.
Hodgson’s side responded positively, particularly when Jeff Schlupp and Alexander Sorloth forced good saves from Lloris late on but Spurs weathered the late pressure.
Crystal Palace (4-4-2): Hennessey 7; Wan-Bissaka 7, Tomkins 7 (Kelly 59,6), Sakho 7, van Aanholt 5; McArthur 6 (Sorloth 70,6), Milivojevic 7, Kouyate 6, Meyer 5; Townsend 6, Ayew 5 (Schlupp 65,6).
Subs: Guaita, Ward, Schlupp, Puncheon, Riedewald.
Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1): Lloris 6; Trippier 6 (Aurier 24,6), Foyth 7, Alderweireld 8, Davies 6; Sissoko 6, Wanyama 7; Lamela 6 (Winks 82), Alli 7, Moura 6 (Son 70); Kane 6.
Subs: Gazzaniga, Dier, Llorente, Eriksen.
Referee: J Moss 7
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