Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Wednesday 26 April, 20:00
Live on Sky Sports 1


Crystal Palace


It took longer than expected to turn the corner after the arrival of 'Big Sam' but Crystal Palace are now doing much more than just pointing in the right direction again; they're suddenly one of the Premier League's in-form teams.


Victory at Liverpool on Sunday made it six wins, a draw and a defeat in their last eight Premier League games and 19 points out of a possible 24 has lifted them to 12th in the table and erased all fears of relegation.


Allardyce won't be settling for what he has though. Palace have 38 points with five games to play and 40 points is still viewed as the magic number when it comes to survival.

Palace can reach that total with victory here and after taking the scalps of Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks, why not Spurs? 

Tottenham


After thinking the 'double' may even have been on ahead of Saturday evening's FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea, surely Spurs aren't going to see both elements go up in smoke in the space of a week?


That would probably be the case if they lose at Selhurst Park and Chelsea win at home to Southampton tonight as a seven-point gap would surely be too much to bridge.


In truth, Tottenham played some good stuff for large spells against Chelsea, showing the type of attacking football that has helped them to seven straight Premier League wins and cut the Blues' lead at the top to four.


The surprise was that they shipped four goals at the back. Spurs have the best defensive record in the top flight and yet they made both individual and collective mistakes at Wembley.


Part of being a top side is how you respond to such a big setback so Mauricio Pochettino will want a big statementhere.


Match Odds


It's just 1.68 that Spurs respond to their FA Cup woe with an eighth straight Premier League win.


Given that 66% of their points have been won at homethis season, is that too short - especially when they're up against a confident Palace?


Crystal Palace are 5.70 for the win while a draw is 4.30

The latter appeals although the evidence is conflicting. Only one team has drawn more away games than Tottenham's six although only Chelsea have fewer home draws than Palace's two.

Palace have lost their last three games against Spurs which tips it back in the visitors' favour but I can't help but think the1.68 is too short on a side which has won just six of 15 on the road in the Premier League this season.


To Score


A simple question: which do you trust more - Spurs to win orHarry Kane to get on the scoresheet?


Given the location of this game, I'm with Kane at the bigger price (5/6 with the Sportsbook).


Send Kane north and his powers are dimmed. He's fired blanks at Everton, both Manchester clubs, Sunderland and Liverpool. Okay, there are some tough fixtures in there but it's his job to score in such games.


Let Kane run out of the tunnel at a London ground and he's lethal.


As well as all his 15 Premier League goals at White Hart Lane, he's netted at the Emirates, at Wembley in both the Champions League and Cup semi and a hat-trick in the FA Cup quarter-final down the road at Fulham.


If you want to go all north/south divide, when you add in his strikes at Watford (2) and Bournemouth, I make it that Kane has scored just two of his 26 goals outside the south of England this season - one at Stoke and one in Monaco. 

Overall, in 24 London derbies in the Premier League, Kane has netted 18 goals which is a better ratio than anyone who's played in five or more.

That tally includes a goal in Tottenham's 3-1 win at Palace last year and the opener in a 2-1 defeat there in 2015.

Having scored on his last two visits to Selhurst Park, I'm backing the in-form Kane to fire home again.

It's tempting to play him for first goal too but Spurs have netted the opener in just 33% of their away games and Kane has managed to break the deadlock just once on the road all season.


For Palace, Christian Benteke is in a rich vein of form and dealt Liverpool a huge blow with a winning double at Anfield.

However, 13 of his 19 goals for club and country have come away from home this term so he's better value when Palace travel.

Ref watch


Jon Moss has shown three reds and 121 yellows in his 32 games this season. That's an average of 3.78 bookings per match.


He's been calm of late, showing over two bookings just once in his last five assignments. That includes two in Tottenham's last-gasp 3-1 win at Swansea when Erik Dier was the only Spurs player to go into his book.


As for the hosts, they've kept him busy. In his three matches involving the Eagles this season, he's booked 10 Palace players.


Opta stat


After failing to score in his first three Premier League appearances in 2016-17, Harry Kane has scored 20 goals in 21 matches in the competition for Spurs and converted 29% of his total shots.


Recommended Bet
2pts Back Harry Kane To Score v Crystal Palace @ 5/6 



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