Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur Prediction: London derby could be close

After suffering a 4-1 defeat at Leeds last weekend, Crystal Palace’s early Christmas celebrations will have been rather muted. However, the opportunity for late festive cheer presents itself to Oliver Glasner and his players, as they look to return to winning ways at the expense of local rivals Tottenham.

As for Spurs, they make the short trip to Selhurst Park having lost each of their last two league outings and with the pressure beginning to mount on the shoulders of Thomas Frank, the Danish manager needs a positive result in order to see in the New Year in North London. Read on for my Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur predictions with team news and match odds.

Team News

Crystal Palace have been kept busy these past few days. Playing in multiple competitions has been a severe test of the Eagles’ squad depth as Oliver Glasner has rotated the pack depending on which front the South London outfit are competing in.

A second string was deployed in Europe recently but this also meant a full strength side for the recent Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Arsenal. Edged out on penalties at the start of the week, but no need for any of those who played at the Emirates to be edged out of Sunday’s starting eleven.

Premier League Odds

With Tottenham finishing last Saturday’s defeat at home to Liverpool with nine men, it means both Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero have been handed an extended Christmas rest through suspension. The former begins a three-match ban for Serious Foul Play, the latter a one-match ban after collecting two cautions against the defending champions.

This means manager Thomas Frank has to once again shuffle the pack. Trusted defensive deputy Kevin Danso will be tasked with slotting into the back four next to Micky van De Ven and Swede Lucas Bergvall is likely to replace Xavi Simons in an attacking midfield role.

Today's Football Fixtures

Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur Odds

Crystal Palace are priced as favourites at 5/4 to win this game, with Tottenham the underdogs at 23/10. That gives the home team an implied win probability of 44.4% while a draw can be backed at 12/5.

BTTS has been priced at 4/5 and over 2.5 goals is currently at Evens. Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta is the favourite to score first at 7/2.

Draw @ 12/5

As we go into Sunday’s London derby between Crystal Palace and Tottenham, neither team finds itself in any real vein of form. The hosts have failed to win any of their last three league games at Selhurst Park. The visitors have failed to win any of their last three on the road. The only consistency between the two, is largely inconsistency.

Which means when you consider their respective patchy patterns and the fact that the last six games at Selhurst Park have been an even split in terms of outcome, there is no real indication as to what will happen. Neither side screaming out as the ‘pick me’ option, which makes me lean towards a festive stalemate in South London.

Jean-Philippe Mateta To Score Anytime @ 5/4

There is always a goal threat for Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, that threat is usually found within the feet of Jean-Philippe Mateta. The French forward has scored seven league goals since the start of the campaign – 33% of all Palace’s 21 goals during the campaign, no other Palace player has scored more than three.

Which means with Tottenham’s defence being expected to offer gifts in the form of conceding at least a goal, Mateta will be licking his lips at the prospect of going up against this toiling back four and more importantly, a flapping Guglielmo Vicario between the sticks. No 0-0 if the points are shared, back the 28-year-old to get his name on the scoresheet.

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