Tottenham hosted domestic rivals Crystal Palace at White Hart Lane on Saturday afternoon, as Mauricio Pochettino’s side looked to secure their first win of the new Premier League season, after a 1-1 draw against Everton in the last game. The north London side were out to prove a point and were looking to take advantage of the “home crowd” behind their back. Though there were some good chances in the first half, the opening 45 minutes failed to produce any goals in the game, as both teams tried their best to break the deadlock. Spurs enjoyed some good spells of possession, though failed to get anything out of the match, till the break.
After the restart the story remained the same and there were no goals till the 82nd minute, when summer signing Victor Wanyama made an impact on the game, scoring the only goal which eventually gave his side all three points. Not the most convincing win, but the Londoners will surely take that.
Player Ratings:
Michel Vorm: 5.5/10
Not the best performance at goal with his kicking, though he managed to keep a clean sheet. Was not really tested in the game.
Toby Alderweireld: 6/10
Should have had a goal in the game from a decent chance and was sharp in the match at most times.
Jan Vertonghen: 5.5/10
Looked way better than he did against Everton and put in a much solid performance.
Danny Rose: 6/10
A slow start, but gradually grew into the game and looked better as time passed.
Kyle Walker: 6/10
Did well against Townsend and Zaha in the match, keeping them as quiet as possible.
Erik Lamela: 5/10
Put in a rather weak performance and was much better against Everton in the previous game.
Victor Wanyama: 7/10
Combined well with his teammates at both ends and eventually won the Londoners the match with his late goal.
Eric Dier: 6/10
Fulfilled his usual role and did well in the Spurs midfield, helping his side take all three points.
Christian Eriksen: 5.5/10
Withdrawn after 68 minutes owing to another poor performance by the Dan. A totally forgettable game for Eriksen with nothing more than misplaced passes and scuffed shots.
Harry Kane: 6.5/10
Played well in a number 10 role behind Janssen, helping create chances for both himself and his team-mate.
Vincent Janssen: 6/10
Put in a good shift in the first half and the Dutch attacker was a good outlet for chances in the second as well. A constant threat for the opposition defence.
Substitutes:
Tom Carroll: 5/10
Replaced Lamela towards the very end and was part of the action for a very short while.
Dele Alli: 6/10
Made an instant impact creating a good chance for Janssen and his own shot was just wide.
Joshua Onomah: 5/10
Came on for Kane and barely played for a short while.