Second-half goal from Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Nacer Chadli helped Tottenham Hotspur to a 3-1 comeback win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The breakthrough moment in the London derby clash came on the half-hour mark, as Jan Vertonghen diverted Wilfried Zaha's cross into his own net.
Spurs, who remain five points off the Premier League summit after this win, showed real character to hit back following the restart, although they survived a major scare when both Scott Dann and Mile Jedinak struck the crossbar.
Relive Sports Mole's live text coverage of the entertaining contest below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park. This afternoon's clash brings together two teams who have experienced contrasting fortunes over the past month, as an in-form Spurs take on a Palace side winless in five.
The Eagles may have dropped points at an alarming rate since the festive period, but manager Alan Pardew remains confident that his side can still mount a charge for the top six and a European berth that it brings. Tottenham, on the other hand, will see a top-four finish as the minimum target at this stage of the campaign, having clawed themselves into title contention of late.
The focus is very much on the top half of the table this afternoon, then, in what should be a pulsating clash in South London. The team news has just been released at Selhurst Park, so let's kick things off by checking out how these two sides line up for this one.
TEAM NEWS!
CRYSTAL PALACE XI: Hennessey; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Ledley, Cabaye; Zaha, McArthur, Puncheon; Wickham
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR XI: Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Dier, Dembele; Eriksen, Son, Alli; Kane
Let us start by taking a look at the visiting side, which shows just the one change from last weekend's Premier League victory over Sunderland. Fresh from scoring against Leicester City in the FA Cup in midweek, Heung-Min Son is brought back into the fold in place of Erik Lamela. Further back, there is a landmark 150th Spurs appearance for Hugo Lloris, while Eric Dier plays his 50th Premier League game.
As expected, Ryan Mason is not involved this afternoon due to his ankle injury. Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Lloris are all reinstated back into the starting lineup after starting on the bench at the King Power Stadium, though, in what is a strong-looking side named by Mauricio Pochettino for the short trip south to Selhurst Park.
In terms of the home side, Alan Pardew has opted to stick by Wayne Hennessey following his recent howlers against Aston Villa and Manchester City. The Wales international has been preferred to club legend Julian Speroni this term, and he retains his place between the sticks for the visit of Tottenham this afternoon. There is no place in the squad for Dwight Gayle, however, who continues to miss out with a hamstring injury.
The biggest loss in recent weeks for Palace is that of Yannick Bolasie, who once more misses out here to leave a big void out wide. Connor Wickham has registered just one goal since joining from Sunderland last summer - the only Palace striker to actually find the net all season, incredibly. Damien Delaney is another of those who was a big doubt, but he has shaken off a knock in time to feature from the off.
BENCH WATCH!
CRYSTAL PALACE SUBS: Speroni, Kelly, Jedinak, Lee, Mutch, Chamakh, Campbell
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUBS: Vorm, Davies, Wimmer, Bentaleb, Carroll, Lamela, Chadli
So Erik Lamela makes way for Tottenham, as Pochettino makes just the one change from last time out in the league. Nacer Chadli provides another attacking option should he be required, while Tom Carroll will also be keen to make an impression in this London derby. The hosts have plenty of options up top, meanwhile, including both Marouane Chamakh and Fraizer Campbell.
Son Heung-Min is rewarded for his goalscoring showing against Leicester City in midweek by being brought back into the starting fold for the trip to Selhurst Park. Erik Lamela is the man to make way, while the big news for the home side is that Wayne Hennessey retains his place between the sticks despite some high-profile blunders of late.
Heading into today's game, Palace find themselves sitting just six points off the top five in eighth place. It is certainly not a bad position to find yourselves in at this stage of the campaign, and many supporters would no doubt have taken it had it been offered to them back in August, but there is a sense that the Eagles are perhaps underperforming at this moment in time following a bright first half to the campaign.
With Stoke City and West Ham United both above Palace in the table, fans of the South London outfit will no doubt have set their sights on a top-six finish come the end of play in May. There is no denying that the Eagles are massively out of form at this moment in time and, for the first time since Pardew took to the helm 12 months ago, the wheels just about appear to be falling off. That said, victory here today - or a battling draw, at least - and all of a sudden things will begin to look rosy once more.
The Eagles' current form has been talked about in depth of late, but it certainly does make worrying reading. Five games without a win; five games without a goal; eight strikes conceded since the turn of the year. Palace are at risk of falling into the bottom half of the table should they fail to arrest their current slide, yet the fixtures certainly do not seem to be very kind with Spurs the latest visitors to Selhurst Park.
Furthermore, each of the Eagles' last three games have ended in defeat - the last of which saw Manchester City strike four times in a one-sided affair last weekend. The Citizens barely broke their stride when running away with the game, as Palace were left to rue an early chance which they failed to capitalise on. A four-nil scoreline was harsh, in truth, but that just goes to show the quality required to break into the top five in this tightly-contested division.
Before that Etihad defeat, Palace also slipped up against a Villa side previously without a win since the opening day, while also suffering a setback against fallen champions Chelsea. It does not take a genius to work out exactly where things have gone wrong of late for the Eagles, with the goals well and truly drying up in the absence of Bolasie.
Pardew has openly admitted that he is desperate for a new striker before the transfer window closes at the end of next week, and even claimed that Palace would be in the top four if they boasted a player of Harry Kane's talent. Emmanuel Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner are both thought to be on the radar, with each knowing this division well following previous spells in the Premier League. For now, though, it is left to Connor Wickham to carry the forward line until fresh legs are brought in.
The good news for Palace is that, after today's tough-looking test, the fixtures do begin to appear a little kinder following a difficult recent run. Swansea City, Watford, West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland provide the opposition over the next month or so, meaning that finishing as high as sixth is certainly not off the agenda just yet. With others picking up points around them, however, the Eagles really must look to take at least a point from today's match.
Palace do have one of the worst home records in the league, though, with their previously impressive away record also taking a dent of late. But with an FA Cup fourth-round fixture against Stoke City still to look forward to next weekend, supporters of the South London club will not be feeling too disheartened just yet thanks to their decent first half to the season. There is still plenty to play for on two fronts this term.
It has been a case of contrasting fortunes for Messrs Pochettino and Pardew over the past month - Spurs picking up some impressive wins to climb into title contention, while Palace have started to fade away and now find themselves looking over their shoulders in eighth place.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Crystal Palace have failed to score in four of their last five meetings against Tottenham Hotspur. The Eagles have also won just two of the last seven at Selhurst Park, failing to score in four of the previous six. There has been 17 goals scored in the last nine fixtures between the pair, all of which have come in the second half of games.
While Palace are falling off the pace slightly, there is no denying that Spurs are on the up. A disappointing home defeat to surprise package Leicester City aside, it has been a fine month or so for the North London club who still have outside hopes of claiming the title. Earning a return to the Champions League has to be the realistic priority, though, and they are certainly going the right way about it at the moment.
Spurs find themselves two points ahead of Manchester United in the race to finish fourth, while the gap on joint-leaders Arsenal and Leicester City is just five points as we fast approach the final third of the season. Spurs also boast a strong goal difference, which you get the sense is likely to play a vital part when the final tallies are totted up in May. Plenty of football to play before then, of course, with this trip to Selhurst Park the latest test to overcome.
It is now just two defeats in their last 18 for Tottenham in all competitions, with that Leicester reverse being followed up by some more positive results - including the 2-0 victory at the King Power in midweek to exact some revenge in the FA Cup. As well as contesting two domestic competitions, the Lilywhites are also still in the Europa League and can look forward to a tasty double-header against Fiorentina next month.
Despite the sluggish start to the season, Pochettino has well and truly shaped this Spurs side into one of the finest units in the division. No side has had more shots on goal (142), while only 3.1 shots on target per game have been conceded - a league low. Three wins and a draw over the festive period is to thank for the upturn in fortunes, and now the excitement levels can begin to build around White Hart Lane following many years of hurt.
Pochettino's charges take on Norwich City and Watford in their next two league outings after this one, before a mouthwatering fixture against Man City in February. That could, if things turn out right, be an early title decider, with Arsenal, Leicester and Man United also realistically in the mix at this stage. This really is a season that could go down to the final seconds, evoking memories of a certain Aguero goal just a few years back.
DID YOU KNOW? Tottenham are unbeaten in nine away fixtures in the league; last going 10 without defeat back in 1995. Spurs also have the best defensive record on their travels, shipping just nine all term to make themselves one of the toughest sides to face in the division.
With kickoff now less then 10 minutes away, it seems like a good time to check out the views from both camps heading into today's Premier League showdown.
Alan Pardew: "Spurs have the best goalscorer in the Premier League, in my opinion, in Harry Kane. In terms of the run they are on, they have confidence, their squad is strong and that gives them a massive advantage. If Kane was in our team we'd be in the top four."
Mauricio Pochettino: "It's a very good challenge for us to try to win at Crystal Palace, it would be a very good position for us if we win the game. The players and the squad are very focused, to be ready, to prepare and to compete. We're expecting a very tough game because it's not an easy place. We must arrive in a very focused condition, to ensure we can fight for the three points."
Hardly the greatest vote of confidence for Palace's strikers, really. Hard to disagree with those comments from Pardew, though, who has made no secret of his desire to land a goalscoring forward. Adebayor and/ or Bendtner could well be in place ahead of next weekend's meeting with Stoke City, but before then the current squad must pull together to end this five-game goalless drought.
There has already been one fixture in the Premier League this afternoon - and what a thriller it was! The topsy-turvy nine-goal affair between Norwich City and Liverpool really did have it all, so why not check out our match report from Carrow Road right now.
Both sets of players are now out on the field at Selhurst Park, with kickoff just a minute or so away. This should be an entertaining contest, but only if Palace can rediscover their goalscoring touch. Spurs should have too much for their opponents, though, so I'll back the visitors to claim a 3-1 victory this afternoon.
KICKOFF! Spurs get proceedings underway at Selhurst Park. The visitors are sporting their traditional white and black kit this afternoon, while Palace are in their famous striped tops.
An early chance for Puncheon to get a cross into the box, which lacks any real quality and is lifted over the crossbar. Decent tempo to the game in these opening four minutes or so.
Kane is picked out in the box, only to see the offside flag raised on the far side. Good movement from the England international, who is carrying the goalscoring weight in this side today.
Trippier gets a cross into the box which Hennessey is happy to simply help over the bar. It was one of those awkward ones that looked to be dipping in, so the Wales international was taking no chances there.
Palace appearing a little cautious in these opening 10 minutes - understandable going by their recent form, really. There will be a chance to open up on the break, but the hosts are not willing to take too many chances at this stage.
SHOT! Son takes on a shot from range, dragging his effort narrowly wide. Hennessey looked to have it covered, but that was an identical position to where Delph found the net from seven days ago.
Plenty of noise being made by the travelling supporters at the moment, and it is the visiting side who are just about in control of this game. The Lilywhites not able to really create any openings thus far, though.
Palace making some inroads down the right through Zaha, but the silky winger is frustrated by Alli who is back defending. Good to see the Eagles get forward after a tentative start to the contest.
SAVE! Tottenham really threatening now, as Kane's low drive is turned behind by Hennessey at his near post. The resulting corner is met by an unmarked Alderweireld, who failed to find the target from 14 yards out.
Lloris, the ultimate sweeper-keeper, plays his teammates into danger when Zaha intercepts the ball. Alderweireld got across well to cut out the danger, though, meaning that Palace have still yet to get a shot on goal.
Some really good closing down from Palace, who are giving their opponents not a single moment of peace. This contest has yet to take off, really, with just the one shot on target in these opening 21 minutes or so.
Souare blocks Son's effort from range. Spurs still largely in control, but they certainly do not deserve to be in the lead. Pardew will be happy enough with the way that this one is panning out thus far.
Just the one shot on target in a tame opening quarter to this match, which was provided by Harry Kane about 10 minutes ago.
GOAL! CRYSTAL PALACE 1-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (JAN VERTONGHEN, OG)
Well slightly against the run of play, Palace have the lead in this London derby. Cabaye, McArthur and Zaha all linked up well, before the latter put in a ball right across the face of goal which Vertonghen failed to clear. The Belgian instead put the ball past his own keeper, leading to scenes of joy around Selhurst Park!
Alderweireld looks to drag Spurs level instantly, but he fails to get the desired connection on his shot. Decent response from the visitors, but it is the home fans making all the noise now thanks to that breakthrough goal.
SAVE! Alli tests Hennessey with a decent strike, which the Welshman is able to hold on to. That is now three Spurs shots on target, while their opponents have yet to technically have a single attempt themselves despite holding the lead.
Souare does well to block Dembele's shot, which looked to be heading for the target. That came shortly after Cabaye blasted a volley goalwards which was also blocked aside. This game has certainly come to life since that opening goal.
Brilliant play from Zaha, who gets the better of Rose but failed to keep his shot down. The winger is looking very bright at the moment, and appears to be the hosts' best bet to find a second before the interval.
SAVE! Hennessey may have made a couple of howlers in recent weeks, but this is a superb stop to deny Spurs a leveller. Rose connected well with a volley from just five yards out, which the Welshman somehow got a hand to. Not only that, but he also held onto the shot to deny Rose a tap-in.
Really is end-to-end stuff now at Selhurst Park, but it is Spurs who have more of an end product at the moment. The scoreline does not reflect that, but Pardew will be a little wary that his side keep getting caught out when getting forward.
Pochettino will not be happy with the ease in which Zaha is getting the better of Rose down the right flank. Spurs are certainly the better side at the moment, yet Palace also causing problems at the other end. This match really could go either way at this stage!
For the first time since Vertonghen's own goal, things appear to have quietened down a little. Palace appear to be happy to see out the final minute or so of this half, while Spurs will also be looking to regroup at the break.
HALF TIME: CRYSTAL PALACE 1-0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
So Crystal Palace hold a slender lead at the end of an entertaining opening 45 minutes. In truth, the opening quarter of the contest did not contain too many moments to shout about, with just the one shot on target coming via Harry Kane.
Spurs had just about edged things at that point, as they have done throughout really, but it was Palace who edged in front thanks to a Jan Vertonghen own goal. Some nice play down the flank ended with Zaha putting in a cross, which the centre-back could only divert beyond his own keeper. It was a big blow for the visitors, and they have failed to recover since.
The ball in from the right by Zaha was decent enough, but Vertonghen should have been doing far better. Spurs responded in a positive manner, with Alli among those to get a shot on target in the minutes immediately following the breakthrough goal, yet Hennessey stood strong between the sticks to retain his side's advantage.
Spurs' best chance fell the way of Danny Rose, who made a solid connection to his volleyed attempt from five yards out, only for Hennessey - at fault for a couple of goals over the past fortnight - to brilliantly get in the way of the shot at his near post. The half-time whistle then sounded, meaning that the Lilywhites have plenty of work to do in this seconds half.
Could Mauricio Pochettino be tempted into making a change at the break? Unlikely - but Rose was given a real tough time of it up against Zaha in the opening 45 minutes, so Ben Davies could be thrown on at some stage. Let's check out the options available to both managers at the break.
CRYSTAL PALACE SUBS: Speroni, Kelly, Jedinak, Lee, Mutch, Chamakh, Campbell
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUBS: Vorm, Davies, Wimmer, Bentaleb, Carroll, Lamela, Chadli
Spurs have had the better of things in an attacking sense, but there has been no way through for them in a game that they trail at the break. Both sets of players are now back out on the field ready for this second half.
RESTART! We are back underway at Selhurst Park. Could we see a more restricted showing from Palace in this second half? Let's find out...
Good play from Trippier down the right to get the better of his man and swing a cross in. Dann looked to be the Palace man who got the final touch on the cross, denying Kane who was ghosting in around the back.
PENALTY SHOUT! Spurs players appeal for a penalty after Son's take down appeared to brought down by the hand of Dann, but replays show that referee Martin Atkinson got the call spot on - it hit the defender's face. Eriksen then tried his luck from 25 yards, with his swerving shot ending just a few inches wide.
A rare Palace attack on the break ends with Bolasie lofting one into a central position, which Lloris is there to collect. Real open feel to this contest once again, which means it really could still go either way. It's Palace who lead, with 38 minutes left to play.
SAVE! Well from nothing, Dier's punt forward is met well by Kane towards the back post. The Englishman met the ball with a fine diving header, but Hennessey was there once more to deny his fellow Brit. Spurs knocking on the door!
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUB! That long pass for Kane is to be Dier's last act in this game, as he is replaced by Chadli just short of the hour mark. Cabaye is also likely to be replaced for the hosts in the next few moments, having picked up a knock.
Barely a moment to breath since the restart due to the high-tempo nature of play. Tottenham still the side dictating play, but Palace are doing a good job of restricting their opponents and look as though they have a second goal in them.
Kane gets in behind the Palace defence once again, but Hennessey was equal to his effort down low. The offside flag was up anyway, so it would not have counted regardless.
YELLOW CARD! James McArthur picks up a yellow card for rugby tackling an opponent to the ground. The free kick is taken on by Eriksen, who sees his effort dip into the welcoming hands of Hennessey.
GOAL! CRYSTAL PALACE 1-1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (HARRY KANE)
We are all square at Selhurst Park, and it is Harry Kane - described as the best goalscorer in the Premier League by Alan Pardew this week - who finds the leveller for Spurs. Chadli got a bit of luck down the left when the ball fell nicely into his path, but there was nothing lucky about the quality of delivery which Kane did superbly to head beyond Hennessey.
Eriken's latest attempt from a free kick hits the wall and is cleared to safety. Spurs looking by far the more likely to win this one at the moment, but Palace - still - should not be written off on the break.
SAVE! Lloris pulls off a superb stop to deny Zaha, highlighting just how finely-poised this match is. Rose flicked on the initial cross into the box, which Zaha was able to latch on to in plenty of space. His curler was palmed aside by Lloris, though, to see the scoreline remain at 1-1.
Souare and Delaney are both denied in the Spurs box, as panic ensues. The Lilywhites desperately holding on at the moment for the first time in the contest. Ledley's foul relieves the pressure, however, and now it's Spurs' chance to attack.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUB! Vertonghen looks in a bad way as he hobbles off the field, meaning a potential layoff for him. The Belgian goes off to be replaced by Wimmer, who will make his Premier League debut.
A Premier League debut for Kevin Wimmer, who comes on in place of the injured Jan Vertonghen.
YELLOW CARD! Kieran Trippier is the first Spurs player to enter the referee's book for clumsily bringing down an opponent. Just over 10 minutes left to play in South London.
CRYSTAL PALACE SUB! McArthur makes way for Mile Jedinak, whose first piece of play is to produce a key interception in the middle of the park. Pardew opting to change things around in the middle, then.
OFF THE BAR! Incredible! Dann's looping header comes back off the crossbar, before Jedinak's follow-up also smashes the upright. Major let-off for the visitors, that!
GOAL! CRYSTAL PALACE 1-2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (DELI ALLI)
Just a couple of minutes after seeing their bar rattled twice, Spurs have surely won the game through a strong goal of the season contender. Dele Alli is the hero of the moment yet again, using one touch on the edge of the box to control the ball, a second touch to loop it over a defender, and a third to smash it into the bottom corner from 20 yards out. What. A. Strike!
CRYSTAL PALACE SUB! Fraizer Campbell now on in place of Cabaye, as Pardew throws on an extra pair of legs up top. Super turnaround from Spurs!
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUB! Eriksen is now replaced by Bentaleb for the visiting side. No great surprise, that, with Pochettino wanting to see out the remaining minutes.
We are one minute into five added on at Selhurst Park. Spurs trying desperately to run the clock down in the corner, but Palace sense that they still have one more chance to rescue a point.
YELLOW CARDS! Both Kane and Jedinak are shown a yellow card for a little coming together. The referee will add one more time to the initial five minutes, but Palace really running out of time now. One last chance, I wonder?
GOAL! CRYSTAL PALACE 1-3 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (NACER CHADLI)
Another fine Tottenham goal, as Chadli cuts in and curls one into the bottom corner with what is surely the final act of the contest.
FULL TIME: CRYSTAL PALACE 1-3 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
So there we have it - Tottenham dig deep to produce one of their finest results of the season. They trailed at the break to an unfortunate Vertonghen own goal, but second-half strikes from Kane, Alli and Chadli turned the game in their favour. The Alli belter in particular was pretty special - a real goal of the season contender.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at Selhurst Park, but coverage of the evening kickoff between West Ham United and Manchester City is just getting underway right here. Enjoy!
