Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Preview: Classic Encounter, Key Battles, Team News, Prediction & More

After some FA Cup and Champions League action, Premier League football finally returns to us this weekend. Crystal Palace in particular welcome Tottenham down

After some FA Cup and Champions League action, Premier League football finally returns to us this weekend. Crystal Palace in particular welcome Tottenham down to south London this Sunday in what has been a rearranged fixture due to Spurs' draw with Rochdale, but nevertheless, both sides will be raring to go as the business end of the season approaches. 

Mauricio Pochettino's men are unbeaten in nine league games, including impressive wins over Southampton, Everton and Manchester United, whereas the Eagles are struggling and are without a win in four games since their victory over Burnley at Selhurst Park. 

Roy Hodgson finds himself without a staggering ten players through injury at the moment, a statistic which could severely hamper his side's chances against Spurs as well as their battle for survival. 

Here's everything you need to know ahead of Sunday afternoon's clash...

Classic Encounter

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Crystal Palace 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur 

Crystal Palace shocked Spurs in a frantic second half period back in 2005, scoring three goals in 11 second half minutes to boost their survival hopes and leave Martin Jol's side travelling back to north London with their tails tucked between their legs. 

Mikele Leigertwood opened the scoring with a well taken strike that found it's way into the net via the crossbar after Tom Soares' cross into the six yard box, before Danny Granville crashed home a second just four minutes later to give the home side a cushion and leave those inside Selhurst Park breathing a little bit easier. 

The Premier League's two most prolific Englishman at the time in Jermain Defoe and Andy Johnson were on show for the 23,723 onlookers inside Selhurst Park, and it was the latter that made the more telling contribution when he won and dispatched a penalty on 77 minutes to secure the much needed win. 

Key Battle

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Harry Kane vs James Tomkins

Whilst Scott Dann and Mamadou Sakho have been out with serious injuries, James Tomkins has held the fort admirably for Roy Hodgson with a series of no nonsense displays, proving to be a commanding presence at the back whether he's playing alongside Martin Kelly or Timothy Fosu-Mensah. 

However, Harry Kane's exploits need no introduction. The Tottenham man is the leading scorer in the league this season with 23 goals in 26 games, and has 34 in all competitions in what has been a staggeringly impressive season for the 24-year-old so far, even by his lofty standards.

Tomkins has been good, but the former West Ham man will need to be especially good if he is to cope with the immense goalscoring talents of Spurs' talisman. 

Team News

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It is no secret that Palace's treatment room is packed to the rafters, with all of Wilfried Zaha, Martin Kelly, Julian Speroni, Bakary Sako, Jeffrey Schlupp, Scott Dann, Jason Puncheon, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Connor Wickham all out injured in what can only be described as a ridicolous injury crisis. 

In extremely stark contrast, Pochettino's men are all fully fit and ready to be called upon, and after his debut goal against Rochdale last time out, new signing Lucas Moura may be handed his first Premier League start against the struggling south Londoners. 

Potential Crystal Palace Starting XI: Hennessey, Fosu-Mensah, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt, Townsend, Cabaye, Milivojevic, McArthur, Benteke, Sorloth

Potential Tottenham Starting XI: Lloris, Aurier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies, Wanyama, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Son, Kane

Prediction

The north London side are flying at the moment and will be buoyed by their recent performances against Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal and Juventus, a daunting run of fixtures which has seen them impressively emerge unbeaten .

Palace, on the other hand, are struggling massively with a depleted squad at Hodgson's disposal and are without a win in four games, a stat they desperately need to better as the relegation battle hots up. 

Crystal Palace 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur