With Mohammed Kudus back in top form, Tottenham Hotspur appear to have regained their optimal level in the Premier League.
After triumphing in their last two encounters against Chelsea and Coventry, the team led by Roberto De Zerbi was too strong for Crystal Palace on Saturday, winning 2-0. Jan Paul van Hecke was a key player in this match, scoring a goal.
Kudus pivotal on a corner
Crystal Palace was put under pressure as early as the thirteenth minute. Forward Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent through, but Micky van de Ven was quicker. The French striker attempted a tackle, but his studs caught the ankle of the Dutch defender. Following a VAR intervention, he received a straight red card for the foul.
Ten minutes later, Spurs were already taking advantage of their numerical superiority. A corner taken by Ghanaian international Mohamed Kudus sailed over all the players except for Archie Gray, who was well-positioned at the far post and simply headed the ball into the net: 1-0. The score remained the same until halftime.
Tottenham controlled the match from start to finish, while Palace mainly tried to capitalize on the few counter-attack opportunities. With about twenty minutes left, the hosts finally sealed their victory. From a high cross by Gray, Van Hecke jumped higher than the entire Crystal Palace defense. The ball hit the crossbar after being pushed away by the goalkeeper, but on the rebound, the defender on the ground managed to send the ball into the net with his head.
Tottenham could have led 3-0, but Kudus missed a golden opportunity from close range after a brilliant team move by eighteen-year-old Luca Williams-Barnett. With this victory, Tottenham temporarily climbs to eighth place. Despite a chaotic start to the season in the Premier League, with three defeats and three draws, the Londoners seem to have found their way back to winning.
