Tottenham Hotspur have won three consecutive Premier League matches for the first time since February 2025, defeating 10-man Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday. The victory lifts Spurs into the top half of the table and marks a significant turnaround after a prolonged period of inconsistency.
Crystal Palace were reduced to ten men after just 13 minutes when striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off for a reckless lunge on Micky van de Ven. Goals from Archie Gray and Jan Paul van Hecke secured a comfortable win for Tottenham, building on their first league win of the season against Coventry City and a historic 2-1 triumph at Chelsea — only their second league victory at Stamford Bridge in 36 years.
The three straight wins equal the total number of victories Spurs managed in their previous 26 league games, a run that yielded three wins, ten draws and thirteen losses stretching back to midway through last season. It is also the first time in two years that Tottenham have recorded back-to-back home league wins. The statistical dominance was striking: Spurs registered 34 shots to Palace's two, a shot difference of 32 — the largest since Opta records began in 2003-04 — and enjoyed 79.4% possession, their second-highest figure in a Premier League match after the 80.2% against Newcastle United in August 2019.
Head coach Roberto de Zerbi praised his side's passion and concentration, telling BBC Sport's Match of the Day: "The passion we showed - we didn't lose the focus, the concentration. We made an incredible reaction when we lost the ball. We could have scored more goals, but we created many chances. We have to be more nasty, especially in the last third of the match, especially in the finishing. I'm happy because I knew before this would be a tough game." De Zerbi also urged patience for his big-money summer signings, midfield duo Sandro Tonali (£100m from Newcastle United) and Mateus Fernandes (£85m from West Ham United), both of whom are now beginning to justify their fees. Tonali was pivotal with his running power, physicality and creativity, while Fernandes was lively throughout, constantly probing for openings. Dejan Kulusevski, returning from a long injury layoff, made a threatening cameo off the bench and forced a fine save from Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
De Zerbi emphasized the psychological shift at the club: "Listen, we are Tottenham. We can't forget to be ambitious, to be hungry, to win games in a row, and to make our fans happy. At the same time, we can't forget two weeks ago where we have been in the table, to change the last two to three seasons of this club. Three games in a row is not enough. We have to keep this behaviour, this spirit. This condition to prepare every game in the same way. After the international break, we spoke together honestly, and decided to change the mood quickly because in football, you can't ask for time, especially if you have good players like we have. I think nothing has changed, but the mood, spirit, the relationship with the players are totally different."
For Crystal Palace, the defeat leaves them in the bottom three with only two wins from nine league games, increasing pressure on head coach Pierre Sage despite a spirited performance with ten men.
