Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace: 3 Key Battles

You’d expect Djed Spence to start in the left-back role with Udogie rested. Spence will possibly be more ideal to deal with the threat that Sarr could bring with his pace and power on that flank. Sarr would like to be involved in 1v1 take-ons in the wide zones and also maybe run from outside to inside on transitions, so Spence will have to be on his toes given how the former Watford man can go either way to beat his man. That being said, Spence also possesses an athletic stature, making it quite difficult for players to pass through him (as we have seen on multiple occasions in the English top tier this season), and it will likely be the case against Sarr as well.

Solanke vs Lacroix

Now this will be a physical battle, one where we could expect to see repeated aerial duels and direct play used as a way to progress through Palace’s compact shape, given how Solanke thrives when he pins defenders with his back to goal and can be the outlet if they face an organised press, while he also has the ability to link with runners like Kulusevski or Tel around him. Lacroix, on the other hand, is as aggressive in his front-foot defending and will look to step early to intercept, so Solanke must be intelligent in his hold-up and spin movements. If Tottenham look to build through vertical channels, this battle can end up dictating whether Ange’s side are able to get central dominance or are forced wide and around.

Tel vs Munoz

This is likely to be one of the more dynamic duels tomorrow, where both players can dominate on the offensive side of things. Tel has that raw pace and flair and will be looking to isolate Munoz in wide 1v1s, especially in moments of transition, where he can cut inside on his right or look to hold the width (with maybe Spence arriving inside). That being said, Munoz is no slouch going on the offensive side as well, given how the Colombian full-back has been encouraged under Glasner to push high up the pitch in underlapping and overlapping patterns, and this is where Tottenham could end up being exposed. If Tel does not track Munoz going into the final third, Ange could find his side overloaded down their left flank particularly when the Eagles are looking to transition when Spence is drawn inside to support build-up.