Tottenham Hotspur vs. Crystal Palace – EPL, March 7, 2021

After a poor run of results, Tottenham won back-to-back games this week and reignited hopes of being able to qualify for one of the European competitions.

Crystal Palace has far more modest aspirations but has already probably done just enough to escape any real worries of relegation.

Spurs would probably have been the favorite to win this one even if it hadn’t picked up six points in the last week. Palace has also improved recently, but the bookmakers make the home side odds on to win on Sunday, and it is difficult to argue with that take on the fixture.

Jose Mourinho has always seemed to pick out convenient scapegoats for his team’s defeats wherever he has been, and it has been Dele Alli has suffered this season – as well as Gareth Bale to an extent. But they both started the win against Fulham on Thursday and looked like they were enjoying themselves. Maybe Mourinho has had a change of heart about the pair?

That was Alli’s first start since the opening day of the season, but Bale has had more of an impact recently – and they could both help the more favored Son and Kane if they all get to play at the weekend. Spurs fans will just be happy if their team manages to collect three more points and keep the pressure on the other clubs in the race for a European place.

Crystal Palace might be a harder nut to crack than a few weeks ago, though. The Eagles have traditionally suffered when Wilfried Zaha has been unavailable. But he has missed the last five games now, and Palace has managed to go unbeaten in the last three. But, as the last two games have been goalless draws, it seems as though it is the defensive strength that has improved.

Roy Hodgson will know that there is very little chance of his team being relegated now, and that might result in a more relaxed atmosphere around the club. There will be a desire to put one over Spurs, though. If Palace can keep the defense tight, there might just be a chance of breaking on the counter.

After spending some time at the top of the league earlier in the season, Spurs has a real challenge on its hands now to even qualify for Europe – and could really do with another three points from Sunday’s game. Palace will struggle without the invention of Zaha if he is absent again, but this could be a close-run thing. Tottenham should just about prevail, though.