Roy Hodgson will be urging his Crystal Palace troops to fly out of the traps against troubled Tottenham on Saturday - and there could be plenty of goals in this London derby.
Key stats
Tottenham Hotspur have been outscored 10-0 in the first half of their last three matches, with nine of those goals coming inside 21 minutes.
Despite their current form, it’s worth noting Spurs have only lost once in 15 meetings with Palace, winning their last six at home.
Crystal Palace’s tally of 13 goals in six matches is their best return from as many games since scoring 13 in April and May 2019.
The last four meetings between the sides have featured at least three goals with Gareth Bale, Odsonne Edouard and Harry Kane (2) all scoring a brace.
Verdict
Tottenham have made a shambolic start to their last three games as Newcastle, Manchester United and Liverpool outscored them 10-0 in the opening 45 minutes. Nine of those goals came in the opening 21 minutes.
You don’t need to be an expert to conclude that this is a team who are not at all prepared going into games. It’s hardly surprising with everything going on at the club, but the players are not mentally ready.
The difference between the Newcastle game and the comebacks against Liverpool and United are simple - missed chances and complacency.
While the Toon made no mistake, Liverpool switched off approaching half-time and Harry Kane’s goal changed the momentum of the game. Manchester United missed their two biggest chances (xG) when leading 2-0.
Until the weekend, Crystal Palace had forgotten what it felt like to score a first goal, so Spurs might just be alright here. But probably not. Because they’re awful.
Palace’s five-goal outburst against Leeds showed how dangerous they can be against a team not focused on the task at hand. Their 4-3 win over West Ham was a good response to the setback at Wolves too.
With 40 points in the bag and the threat of relegation a distant memory, we expect Palace to have a real go at Spurs, especially early on.
Roy Hodgson opted for an attacking line-up against the Hammers that included Wilfried Zaha, Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Jordan Ayew and Jeffrey Schlupp.
Olise was the only one of those five players who didn’t score, but he did lay on an assist.
The fluency of their movement caused West Ham lots of problems and although the game plan will be different, the outcome should still be the same.
Spurs will be allowed to dominate the ball, but they lack the quality to penetrate lines of five. Years of counter-attacking football and no investment in a creative midfielder are catching up and it’s time for a rebuild.
The absence of Bissouma and Bentancur significantly weakens Spurs, exposing their back four. In the absence of anyone who can pass a ball forward, Palace can afford to sit, wait, and pick their moments.
Palace are worth backing to get a goal or two and a reasonable price to win or draw. If Spurs are to make another slow start, then the odds on Palace to score first are eye-catching.
Suggested bets
Tottenham 2-2 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace to score first
Over 2.5 goals & both teams to score
Crystal Palace win or draw
