Rob Edwards insists his Luton players have achieved nothing yet after a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace at Kenilworth Road saw them pull clear of the Premier League relegation zone.

It was a first home victory on their top-flight return for Edwards’ side and it came courtesy of late drama, culminating in a winning goal prodded in by substitute Jacob Brown seven minutes from time.

The game looked to be petering towards a drab goalless draw until defender Teden Mengi struck with 18 minutes to go, blasting a shot across goal and beyond Sam Johnstone from a corner to put Luton in sight of victory.

The lead was wiped out in seconds as virtually from kick-off Michael Oliseh collected the ball wide on the left, stepped inside and curled beautifully into the corner for a fine solo goal.

Yet Luton would have the final say, Brown getting in between defender Joachim Andersen and his goalkeeper to turn the ball home and propel his side to an historic win.

Edwards admitted his relief at seeing his side survive 12 minutes of stoppage time to finally get off the mark at home at the sixth attempt but emphasised the size of the task that still lies ahead.

“(It feels) really good,” he said. “Relief, I feel drained now, it was the longest game I’ve ever been a part of. Pleased for the supporters, pleased for everyone connected to the club.

“It’s been a long time coming here at home. I think we deserved a bit more than what we’ve got here in some of the games. We were close against Liverpool, close against Wolves, Burnley could have gone another way. But it’s taken until today.

“I don’t want the players having a party. We’ve done nothing (yet). We’ve got nine points. I don’t think that’s anything to be going out to the nightclub and having a flipping disco or a party.

“Enjoy it, but we’ve got to go again. Brentford’s really difficult next week, then we’ve got Arsenal and Man City to look forward to. We’ve got to keep improving and getting better.

“So enjoy the moment, enjoy the feeling, it’s nice. The players can enjoy their weekend. But it’s back to work quickly.”

The win was notable for a fine display by Ross Barkley in midfield, with the summer signing having played an increasingly influential role in recent matches.

“He allows us to play differently, allows us to be a different team,” said Edwards. “Ross is a really good player and he does help us, gives us more control.

“He has a 360 view of the pitch, he knows where the space is, he can calm things down for us. It was another big performance from him. He’s getting better every week.”

Palace boss Roy Hodgson reflected on a game that got away from his side as it hung in the balance at 1-1.

“A good goal from Luton’s point of view but a bad one from our point of view, especially at a time when we were playing well,” said Hodgson.

“We got the equaliser and should have been looking at consolidating and maybe going on to win the game.

“Congratulations to Luton for holding on and for a spirited performance.”

Luton won for the second time in the Premier League this season as substitute Jacob Brown’s dramatic late goal earned a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Kenilworth Road.

A stolid match burst suddenly to life 18 minutes from time when defender Teden Mengi blasted Rob Edwards’ side into the lead from a corner, just reward for the pressure they had put Palace under in the second half.

Michael Oliseh levelled within seconds for the visitors, a brilliant goal that deserved more than to be in a losing cause.

But Luton, buoyed by the 10-point deduction handed to Everton this week, roared back, sealing a first top-flight home win in more than 30 years when Brown nipped between defender and goalkeeper seven minutes from time to nick it.

The hosts dominated the ball in the opening 20 minutes but with little clear idea of how to hurt Palace.

The visitors by contrast were superior in possession and almost made it count after 23 minutes.

Eberechi Eze blasted low from range and brought a diving save from Thomas Kaminski, with the goalkeeper up quickly to deny Jeffrey Schlupp on the rebound with a superb block.

Amari’i Bell thumped a speculative drive from all of 40 yards that Sam Johnstone took the sting out of well with two solid palms.

It encapsulated Luton’s approach in the first period as they found the route to goal, both out wide and centrally, barred by an organised Palace rearguard.

Tom Lockyer tripped Eze 20 yards out to give Palace a final shot at breaking the deadlock before half-time, but the forward’s free-kick lacked the power to beat Kaminski who saved comfortably.

It was the kind of tame, ponderous effort that a languid first half had deserved.

Cheick Doucoure left the field on a stretcher shortly after half-time, having gone down off the ball. It seemed to unsettle Palace and Luton were quickly on top, Chiedozie Ogbene coming to life down the left with a series of driving runs.

Odsonne Edouard put the ball in the net with a cool finish on the rebound after Lockyer blocked his initial shot, but VAR intervened, ruling the striker had handled the ball as it clipped up off the Luton skipper.

A goal at that stage for Palace would have been completely against the run of play.

When Luton’s goal arrived minutes later, it was utterly deserved.

Alfie Doughty’s corner was floated over left-footed and arrived in a cluster of bodies eight yards out. As heads flew towards the ball, Mengi peeled away in anticipation at the far post and, as it dropped at his feet, he showed consummate cool to take a touch and drive it low across goal into the corner.

There was barely time to assess what three points might do for Luton’s survival hopes before Palace equalised, Oliseh showing why the club strived so hard to keep him in the summer with a sublime solo goal, stepping in off the left and bending a cool, arching finish high past Kaminski.

But Luton were not done and it was Palace’s tormentor Ogbene who made the goal that would win it.

His cross from the right pitched awkwardly inside the box but should nevertheless have been a simple mop-up job for Joachim Andersen.

Instead, the defender allowed the ball to run across him and there darting between him and the goalkeeper was Brown, lunging in to prod Luton back in front.

Andersen had the chance to make amends when he shot low towards Kaminski’s near post, the keeper turning it behind well with a strong right foot, before Jefferson Lerma hit a post in stoppage time.

But Luton held on to put life into their survival bid.

Sean Dyche praised Everton’s improved mentality away from home after he watched his side beat Crystal Palace 3-2 at Selhurst Park to make it back-to-back Premier League victories on the road.

Twice in south London Everton surrendered their lead but neither time were they deterred and they finally nicked it with a goal from Idrissa Gueye four minutes from the end.

Dyche, whose side beat West Ham at the London Stadium on their last Premier League away day, said he saw clear signs that his players are forging a mentality to win consistently away from Goodison Park.

“Obviously topsy-turvy,” said Dyche. “We started so well, with a fantastic goal. They responded with a moment we should have dealt with earlier. They get a soft penalty from our point of view.

“Then really it was a strange game after that. I don’t think anyone really gripped the first half, and second half (Palace) did. I thought they were very good. I think we had to work very hard.

“I think the mentality I’m trying to work with the players on is the belief in finding different ways of winning games, and I think we’re showing that.

“We had to do it last week against Brighton, so nearly won but got a good point. Then coming (to Palace) today.

“Away form here was a big question mark when got here. We’re beginning to change the mentality towards these games. That was on show today.”

Vitalii Mykolenko headed in Jack Harrison’s cross after only 55 seconds but Eberechi Eze, on his first start since returning from a hamstring injury, levelled from the penalty spot four minutes later.

Abdoulaye Doucoure restored Everton’s lead minutes after the break, but again Palace fought back to level when Odsonne Edouard capitalised on James Tarkowski’s error to score.

The hosts could not hold on to a point, though, as Gueye struck late to win it after latching on to Doucoure’s excellent through-ball.

Mykolenko, who had a hand in Doucoure’s goal, put in one of his best performances in an Everton shirt and Dyche said he felt the Ukrainian’s progression encapsulated his side’s improved approach in recent weeks.

“He’s beginning to mature into himself really as a player and in his Everton career,” he said. “I think he can defend, he’s beginning to show that he can go forwards, he wants to get into the right areas.

“It’s a fantastic header and he’s nearly got a brace with a lovely strike, a controlled effort at goal.”

Palace boss Roy Hodgson reflected on a match that ultimately slipped away from his side despite a gallant effort to twice recover from falling behind.

“I’m sad, I’m frustrated,” he said. “Early goals in each half, we had to come from behind twice.

“We had to work very hard to come from behind twice and put in a very good effort. We had a lot of the ball and worked hard to create those chances.

“To then concede a third goal and lose the game, that’s hard to take.”

Everton beat Crystal Palace 3-2 at Selhurst Park as Idrissa Gueye’s goal four minutes from time capped a superb away performance from Sean Dyche’s team.

Palace twice came from behind, with Eberechi Eze’s penalty quickly cancelling out Vitalii Mykolenko’s early opener and Odsonne Edouard capitalising on a howler from James Tarkowski to level up after Abdoulaye Doucoure’s goal.

But they had no answer a third time after Gueye kept his cool to seal victory and propel his side to consecutive away wins.

It all came after an electric start. Palace failed to clear their lines as Mykolenko’s shot was blocked, and as the ball broke wide on the right the Ukrainian found space inside the box and climbed highest to nod Jack Harrison’s cross past Sam Johnstone after just 55 seconds.

Palace fans may have been stunned but their team quickly hit back.

Within three minutes they were level, and it was Eze, back in the side after a hamstring injury, who danced into Everton’s box and drew a foul from Jarrad Branthwaite.

VAR checked and saw no reason to overturn referee Sam Barrott’s penalty award, leaving the Eze the task of calmly rolling the ball past Jordan Pickford.

Selhurst Park howled for a second spot-kick when Eze again went down under apparent pressure inside the box. This time the referee deemed the forward had dived, and rather than a penalty, a yellow card was Eze’s reward.

Edouard forced Pickford into a save low to his right in added time at the end of the half in what was a rare instance of attacking threat from the home team.

Everton had won three of their previous six in the league, and after the frustration of failing to hold on to their early lead they began the second half in similarly urgent fashion.

A corner from the visitors’ right was cleared only to the edge of the box, where Amadou Onana scooped the ball square to Mykolenko. For the second time in the game he was given too much time to line up an effort on goal, and as his volley cannoned back off a post there was Doucoure unmarked to tap home.

The advantage looked fragile. On the hour mark, Mykolenko and Gueye almost produced a comical own-goal, getting in one another’s way as Jeffrey Schlupp’s cross dropped into the box and they required Pickford’s fingertips to keep them from bundling the ball over their own goal line.

Edouard was growing as a threat and with 25 minutes to go he handed Jefferson Lerma a golden chance to level, coming inside from the left of the box and cutting the ball back, only for Lerma, free on the edge of the box, to fire wide.

Michael Oliseh came off the bench for his first appearance of the season and drew a roar of anticipation from around Selhurst Park with a shot from 20 yards that deflected narrowly over.

Palace were by now dominant, and their second equaliser came courtesy of a defensive calamity. A high, headed ball into the box looked an easy mop-up job for Tarkowski, but rather than nod it clear he left the ball for his goalkeeper, and in stole Edouard to tap home.

Still Palace could not hold on to their point, and Everton roared back at them once more with four minutes to go, this time decisively.

Doucoure received the ball in midfield and looked up to see Gueye racing through the centre. Doucoure’s pass was weighted expertly and Gueye needed barely to break stride as he evaded Tyrick Mitchell’s lunging challenge and guided it beyond Johnstone.

Vincent Kompany insisted Burnley were not getting the rewards their performances deserve after they slumped to a top-flight record sixth straight home defeat to start the season, losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace at Turf Moor.

A mistake from Jordan Beyer allowed Jeffrey Schlupp to put Palace in front in the 22nd minute and, despite dominating the ball and having 16 shots to Palace’s four, Burnley could not find an equaliser before Tyrick Mitchell doubled the visitors’ lead in stoppage time.

Defeat means Burnley are off the bottom of the table on goal difference alone, having already played a third of their home fixtures without reward.

When they suffered relegation in 2021-22, Burnley lost eight home games all season, but could conceivably reach that number before Christmas this time around.

“It’s tough because you want to call out the facts which is a mistake cost us but at the same time you don’t want players to lose their confidence,” Kompany said.

“They’ve worked really hard in every game, today as well, worked really hard behind the scenes, they’re getting the performance for it but to get the rewards of winning you’re just going to have to stick at it.”

Asked how worried he was about the home record, Kompany said his side’s problems extend beyond Turf Moor.

“When you have four points, it’s away and home form,” he said. “It’s not because we’ve got four points I can go and say we’ve got unbelievable away form. It’s tough.

“Like I’ve told you even in the home games we can’t all of a sudden think that this is going to be an easy game but the performance was good, the result was not good.

“I won’t deviate and take myself into anything other than making sure that we stay on plan, we stay ready to get the best out of our team.”

Kompany side’s stormed to promotion last term, losing only once at Turf Moor and lighting up the Championship with their possession-based attacking play.

To say that translating that into the Premier League has been difficult would be an understatement, but Kompany is full of belief that his side can turn things around.

“It’s not in my style to get knocked off the ball,” he said. “You have to have an idea as a manager, whatever that idea is. Whoever says that style is the solution is a fool.

“The solution is good coaching. The solution is better players – I’m not saying we need better players, it’s players getting better or having the best players. These are the foundation.

“Some of those are sometimes solved by having good finances. They are the foundation of what decides results more than anything else.”

The results may not be there for Burnley but Palace boss Roy Hodgson was impressed by their performance and backed Kompany’s side to turn it around.

“Burnley were good and we thought they would be,” he said. “We’ve been watching them in our preparation and we weren’t surprised in the way they played, the quality of their play.

“I thought they defended extremely well and prevented us from taking as much benefit from our winning of the ball as I would have liked to have seen us do, but the good thing is that even during that period we kept our shape, we kept working hard.

“There aren’t going to be too many teams who get away from here with three points, I can tell you that now, not if Burnley keep playing the way they are playing.

“We’ve got to be delighted with our discipline, our determination, our efforts really got us the three points.

“We’ll go back to London happy and I’m sure Burnley will feel very aggrieved they didn’t get more from their performance but if they keep playing like that they will.”

Burnley became the first club in top-flight history to lose their opening six home fixtures of a season as Crystal Palace deepened the gloom over Turf Moor in a 2-0 win for the Londoners.

Jeffrey Schlupp put Palace ahead in the 22nd minute and Tyrick Mitchell’s second Palace goal sealed it in stoppage time as Burnley suffered a club-record eighth consecutive top-flight home defeat, a run that dates back to the final two fixtures of the 2021-22 campaign in which they were relegated.

A similar fate will surely await if Vincent Kompany cannot come up with answers quickly as his side again could not find any cutting edge – now without a goal in six of their 11 Premier League games.

It was not for lack of trying – Burnley had 67 per cent possession and 16 shots to Palace’s four – but it was the visiting fans singing loudly at the final whistle as Palace recovered from back-to-back defeats to move into the top half of the table.

Turf Moor was an almost impenetrable fortress during last season’s promotion charge as Kompany’s side won 16 and lost only one of 23 home games and, even when suffering relegation in 2021-22, Burnley lost only eight home league games all season. So far this season there have been no home comforts at all.

Burnley started brightly, with Vitinho winning a corner inside the opening 20 seconds before Zeki Amdouni headed a Johann Berg Gudmundsson ball wide, then narrowly missed the head of Jay Rodriguez – making his first league start of the season – with a cross of his own.

The Clarets were playing some lovely flowing football but without the end product they so badly need and they were punished as one of the best halves of football Burnley have produced this season nevertheless ended with Kompany’s side trailing.

Palace had barely been seen as an attacking force – the most dangerous they had been was when Odsonne Edouard clattered into James Trafford as the Burnley goalkeeper tried to play the ball inside his own goal area, earning a yellow card.

But they got a huge helping hand when Jordan Beyer, back in the Burnley defence after a month out with injury, got himself into a tangle as he tried to play the ball back to Trafford, allowing Jordan Ayew to nick the ball away and play in a low cross for Schlupp to stab home.

It was only the second first-half goal Palace have scored all season, but the 12th conceded by Burnley, the most in the league.

Burnley tried to muster a response. Luca Koleosho controlled Charlie Taylor’s chipped pass with a lovely touch, but Andersen slid in just in time to prevent a shot, and in first-half stoppage-time Koleosho saw a shot palmed over as they tried to catch Sam Johnstone out with a quick free-kick.

Standing in the east Lancashire rain, Kompany tried to inject some energy into his players early in the second half.

Rodriguez headed a deep cross from Dara O’Shea wide but Palace were defending in numbers and leaving no path through.

Roy Hodgson sent on Eberechi Eze, making his return after five weeks out with a hamstring injury, but the hosts stayed on top and should have levelled moments later when Koleosho again burst down the left and pulled the ball back only for Gudmundsson to turn it wide.

Rodriguez had the ball in the net in the 64th minute but did not need the assistant’s flag to tell him he had been offside when Amdouni’s blocked shot fell for him.

Still Burnley kept pushing. Koleosho blazed over before Johnstone tipped over Brownhill’s dipping shot, then saving Rodriguez’s header from the resulting corner.

But it was Palace who had the final say. O’Shea failed to clear a long ball in the corner and Eze laid the ball off for Mitchell to rub salt in Burnley wounds.

Ian Holloway left Blackpool to become Crystal Palace’s new manager, on this day in 2012.

Holloway signed a four-and-a-half-year contract to fill the vacant position at Selhurst Park, with the Eagles having allowed Dougie Freedman to join Bolton in October.

The move ended Holloway’s three-and-a-half-year stay with Blackpool, where he oversaw their promotion to the Premier League in 2010.

Holloway was unveiled to the Palace crowd at half-time of their Championship game with Blackburn.

A 2-0 win took the Eagles third in the table and Holloway was delighted with what he was seeing when he spoke to the crowd.

“How lucky are we to see a team like this? It’s fantastic,” he said. “I think I have got goosebumps on the back of my neck to get an opportunity like this.

“People ask me why I have come here but the board sold me their dream about what they want for their club and with their energy and my energy let’s hope we can all be very happy.”

Palace went on to finish fifth in the Championship and secured promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs, but Holloway’s contract was terminated by mutual consent after seven defeats in the first eight games on their top-flight return.

“This club needs an impetus of energy but I just feel tired to be honest. I’m worn out,” Holloway admitted.

“I want to give them the chance to stay in this division.”

Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario earned praise from captain Son Heung-min following his key role in their latest victory.

Spurs made it four wins in a row after they battled to a 2-1 triumph at Crystal Palace, with Joel Ward’s 53rd-minute own goal and Son’s eighth strike of the campaign enough to earn all three points.

Jordan Ayew netted in stoppage time for the hosts, but Ange Postecoglou’s resurgent team held on and Son subsequently paid tribute to summer signing Vicario.

Vicario made two crucial early saves to deny Ayew and Odsonne Edouard, and while he missed out on a fifth clean sheet since he displaced Hugo Lloris as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, he continues to grow his reputation.

“Before we score without Vic’s saves we are going behind and when you go behind in this stadium, you know what is going to happen. I think big credit to Vic for making unbelievable saves,” Son told SpursPlay.

“I am enjoying every single moment (with Vicario) because he made a good save, is playing out well and it is fantastic to have him behind the goal.

“Obviously any game we are going to face chances and shots on target, but when you have Vic behind us you are just very comfortable he is going to make unbelievable saves, which he did.

“Big, big credit to Vic today and also the way he play with the feet is fantastic. It brings so much to the team and I am very, very happy to have him in the team.”

Vicario has adapted to life in England immediately and been an unsung hero during Tottenham’s ascent to first place in the Premier League.

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Guglielmo Vicario (@guglielmovicario)

 

The role of top goalscorer Son has earned more headlines and he netted again on Friday, but only after a brilliant team move. Pape Sarr’s diagonal ball was headed down by Brennan Johnson to James Maddison, who touched back into Johnson’s path and he teed up the Spurs captain for a smart close-range finish.

Former Empoli goalkeeper Vicario said: “I think our second goal was a top masterclass of football from the back. Find the spare man and then he (Son) attacks the right space.

“It is easy for him to come to the back and score this kind of goal. It is a big situation we work on during the week, so we’re happy for that and we have to keep going, keep improving on that because we can do it.

“Of course we enjoy the win, we take the rest of the week and then we go again.”

A largely perfect night for Tottenham was rounded off with Rodrigo Bentancur returning from injury to play for the first time since February 11.

Bentancur suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage to his left knee in a defeat at Leicester, which curtained a fine individual campaign that had seen him score five times.

Captain Son was thrilled to see the midfielder return with a late cameo, he added: “What an unbelievable player. Having him in our squad is kind of like a new signing.

“We couldn’t wait to have him back and when he came on I was getting emotional. He is one of my good friends and last year when I suffer with injuries, he was always pushing behind me.

“I am really grateful he came back healthy.”

Palace boss Roy Hodgson was downbeat about the impact of his substitutes and called for patience with Brazilian attacker Matheus Franca after his home debut off the bench.

“They need more time,” Hodgson insisted. “The fact is I feel sorry for Franca. For some reason people have tried to imbue him with qualities that we can’t expect to see from him.

“He’s 19 years of age, he has a handful of games in Brazil behind him and now we’re asking him to play against Tottenham, the team that is running away at the top of the Premier League at the moment.”

Ange Postecoglou was pleased Premier League leaders Tottenham passed their latest exam with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Crystal Palace and was in no mood to stop fans dreaming of a title challenge.

Spurs moved five points clear at the summit after they recovered from a sluggish first half at Selhurst Park to score twice in 13 second-half minutes.

An own-goal from Joel Ward broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute when he deflected James Maddison’s cross beyond Palace goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and it was 2-0 soon after when Tottenham captain Son Heung-min steered home after Brennan Johnson’s assist.

Jordan Ayew reduced the deficit for Palace in the fourth minute of stoppage-time, but Spurs held on to extend their unbeaten top-flight run to 10 matches and move five clear of Manchester City and Arsenal, who play Manchester United and Sheffield United respectively across the weekend.

“Let them dream. That’s what being a football supporter is all about. It’s fair to say this lot have suffered a fair bit, so I’m certainly not going to dampen that,” Postecoglou said.

“Top of the table is great and the results are great but it’s more in the manner we’re doing it. Pretty much from the first game we’ve had all sorts of different challenges we’ve had to overcome.

“Every time there has been a real focus and clear-headedness about the group collectively to deal with that.

“That has been a really pleasing thing and because they’re getting rewards from that, then that gives us the opportunity to accelerate the growth of giving them more tools out there to help them for whatever we need to overcome.

“I thought tonight was going to be a real difficult game for us. Coming here, Palace’s result last week, it’s a tight ground, they’d only conceded three goals in the four games so far and how were the lads going to cope with the fact we weren’t going to create as many chances as we had been?

“I really liked the way we worked through that as a group.”

After returning to the Premier League summit with a 2-0 win over Fulham on Monday, Spurs struggled in the first half at Selhurst Park and were indebted to fine early saves from Guglielmo Vicario to deny Ayew and Odsonne Edouard.

Postecoglou, who had lambasted his side for their second-half showing earlier in the week, introduced Emerson Royal for Ben Davies at the break and watched Ward put into his own net from Maddison’s cross to open the scoring.

It was 2-0 when Son fired home for his eighth goal of the campaign following Johnson’s smart pass, his first assist since a £45million deadline-day transfer from Nottingham Forest.

While Ayew managed to reduce the deficit – in the fourth minute of stoppage time after a lengthy VAR check – Tottenham stood firm to claim a fourth-straight win and show another side with a dogged defensively display, despite enjoying more than 70 per cent possession.

Postecoglou added: “I have always felt that matchdays are about the players. What we try to do on a daily basis is give them the tools to find the solutions.

“We prep them for their exam at the weekend, but we don’t know what the questions are going to be. They’ve got to work them out themselves.

“In an exam you are not asking anybody for help. You have to work it out yourself and hopefully what we’ve given them is the tools.”

Palace boss Roy Hodgson was disappointed to suffer a second-consecutive defeat and admitted his substitutes weakened his team.

“I thought it was an aggressive and quite-controlled first half from our side, but of course the first goal then produces a second,” he said.

“That is when we start putting players on the field, players who have not really played with the first team, Jes (Rak-Sakyi), (Naouirou) Ahamada, (Matheus) Franca and we lost the intensity we were able to do in the first half.

“In the end it became easy for them (Tottenham) to see the game through.”

Premier League leaders Tottenham recovered from a sluggish first half to win 2-1 at Crystal Palace and extend their lead at the summit to five points.

Ange Postecoglou’s side found life tough at Selhurst Park initially, but moved through the gears in the second period and went ahead when Joel Ward put through his own net in the 53rd minute following James Maddison’s centre.

Captain Son Heung-min made the points safe 13 minutes later with a close-range finish for his eighth goal this season to ensure high-flying Spurs extended their unbeaten top-flight start to 10 matches.

Jordan Ayew struck late on for Palace, but victory moved Tottenham five points clear of Manchester City, who visit rivals Manchester United on Sunday, and while that gap is unlikely to remain come the end of the weekend, this latest test passed by Postecoglou’s new-look team will only increase the optimism growing in N17.

The Australian made two changes from Monday night with left-back Destiny Udogie unavailable due to muscle tightness, which resulted in Ben Davies making his first league start this term, while Yves Bissouma returned to the starting line-up following his one-match ban.

Spurs were poor during the opening exchanges against a Palace side eager to respond to their 4-0 thrashing at Newcastle with Guglielmo Vicario twice called into action early on.

Vicario first denied Ayew’s low effort in the sixth-minute before he produced a smart save to thwart the snapshot of Odsonne Edouard, who was leading the line for the hosts.

Hodgson would have been pleased with the response to Palace’s thrashing in the North East after Will Hughes and Joel Ward snapped into tackles with Micky van de Ven and Maddison.

Maddison’s influence had been limited, but he sliced a tough half-volley chance into the Holmesdale Stand before Richarlison dragged wide from outside the area.

The opening half an hour in south London had been stop-start, which suited Palace who forced four corners in a row towards the end of the first 45, but Tottenham survived to walk off at half-time level.

Postecoglou had lambasted the second half showing against Fulham and would have been equally frustrated with this display after Spurs failed to have a shot on target despite more than 70 per cent possession.

He reacted with Emerson Royal introduced for Davies and while the visitors’ wait for a first shot on target continued, they still managed to break the deadlock in the 53rd minute.

Tottenham’s goal came from their right side with Pedro Porro playing in Pape Sarr, who cut back for Maddison and his smashed effort across goal bounced off Ward and into the Palace net.

It was tough on Palace but Hodgson’s side immediately searched for an equaliser and Edouard had a shot deflected over by Cristian Romero.

Marc Guehi headed wide from the resulting corner before Postecoglou made further changes with Brennan Johnson and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg brought on.

Johnson needed barely two minutes to make his mark with a first assist for the club since a £45million deadline day move from Nottingham Forest.

The substitute started the move with a cushioned header into Maddison, who passed back into Johnson and he smartly recycled the ball to Son and the Spurs captain rifled home from close-range in the 66th minute.

After Tottenham switched off at 2-0 up against Fulham, there was little chance of a repeat and Postecoglou sent on Rodrigo Bentancur for his first appearance since he suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage to his left knee in February.

Bentancur’s arrival on the pitch was met with big cheers by the away fans, but the travelling support endured a nervy finale.

Ayew reduced the deficit four minutes into stoppage time when he controlled Joachim Anderson’s cross and fired beyond Vicario, which was eventually awarded after a lengthy VAR check.

Palace pushed for a last-gasp leveller and forced several set-pieces before substitute Matheus Franca sliced wide under pressure from Porro to confirm a fourth consecutive win for leaders Spurs.

Ange Postecoglou has scoffed at talk Tottenham are a better team without Harry Kane, but admitted the departure of the club’s record goalscorer has allowed other individuals to flourish.

Kane left Spurs on the eve of the season to join Bayern Munich in a deal that could rise to £120million in add-ons and which had been expected to derail a club that only managed to finish eighth in the Premier League last term.

The opposite has occurred with Postecoglou able to mastermind an unbeaten start in the top flight that has sent Tottenham to the summit and posed the question are the north London club better without their ex-talisman Kane, who scored 278 times in 430 appearances for his boyhood team.

Postecoglou cited Kane’s final outing in Lilywhite – a four-goal salvo in a friendly against Shakhtar Donetsk on August 6 – as evidence against the aforementioned rhetoric, although acknowledged the sale of the England captain has changed the dynamic of his attack, which is now led by the likes of Son Heung-min, Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski and new signing Brennan Johnson.

“What I’ve been trying to explain is that individuals change the way you play,” the Spurs boss said ahead of a Friday night clash at Crystal Palace.

“I’m not into this commentary that we’re a better team without Harry because the last game Harry played for us, he did alright in our system when he scored four goals.

“It’s fair to say we would have been able to squeeze him in somewhere – and I’m being sarcastic there – but him not being there just allows us to bring different individuals into the team and they change the dynamic.

“Again, while the way I want my teams to play has a really clear structure, what I try to do is create a balanced squad where individuals can change the dynamics of it.

“Having Sonny as our nine is different from having Harry or even Richy as our nine. Having Deki as a winger or having Brennan Johnson as a winger changes it even if the structure is the same.

“Not having Harry there does change us as a team because we’re using different individuals, but if Harry was still here the structure would be the same and we’d have the same fundamentals of trying to dominate opposition, press the opposition, all those kind of things would still be there.

“Ultimately, I don’t want to suppress the qualities they have, I want to bring out the best of them within the structure we have.”

Tottenham captain Son has shouldered the burden in Kane’s absence with seven goals, while new number 10 James Maddison has immediately hit the ground running in N17.

Maddison scored for the third time on Monday night against Fulham and has also provided five assists to quickly become the team’s fulcrum.

Postecoglou said of the former Leicester playmaker: “He’s very intuitive around the game and at understanding the game.

“For all the players we try to provide a framework of education where we give them information to improve them as individuals, but some of them take them in a more broader concept of the team aspect and Madders is one of those.

“He takes the information but not just from an individual aspect but how it can help the team. The goal he scored the other night came not from his individual ability but just from him working hard.

“He pressed two or three times. That’s a conscious thing he has to do. That’s not just about him being a good footballer, that’s him as an individual saying I need to do this because I think the team will benefit and ultimately, he benefitted from it because he scored the goal.

“But if he didn’t someone else would have, like we did for Sonny’s goal, so I think he’s one of these players that looks at it from a broader perspective, not just how it can help him as an individual but how it can help the team evolve into the team we want to be.”

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou is loving his time at the Premier League leaders, but is bullish about what expectations should be despite the club’s lengthy trophy drought.

Spurs have not won silverware since 2008, although fans are dreaming of challenging for the title after winning 23 points from a possible 27 so far this season.

It has taken Tottenham to the top-flight summit and they could move five points clear of Manchester City and Arsenal with victory at Crystal Palace on Friday, ahead of the weekend fixtures.

Postecoglou has relished his dream start to life in England, but eager to point out his new club should be competing for trophies every year.

The former Celtic boss said: “I didn’t come here to not be successful. This club has all the fundamentals to be successful. The expectations should be there.

“Part of the reason why there’s been this real desperation for a trophy is because they feel that’s the space they should be in. That is the expectation, that’s the reality, but what drives me isn’t raising or trying to dampen expectations.

“What drives me is trying to build something that will realise the ambitions that this club has at this particular moment. People’s perceptions don’t concern me too much. This is a big club and should be in a position to challenge for trophies every season in my opinion.

“At Celtic we were on top for a very long time but at the beginning when we weren’t on top, I don’t think people saw anything different in my demeanour. I don’t think they will (here).

“It is one thing I do. It’s not about staying kind of level-headed or getting carried away with either thing. It’s just that, my role in that context is to be the one thing that people can rely upon to be consistent.

“In that I have one objective all the time: how can we be better? When that is your objective, it doesn’t really matter where you are on the table or kind of what the outside noise may or may not be doing.

“It is about the players and the staff and everyone involved with the football club, looking at me. The one thing I do is I come in every day, I am buzzing about doing what I am doing. You know, that’s the kind of demeanour I have consistently.

“It’s just the way I am. I get so much satisfaction from what I do. I really enjoy what I do, on a daily basis. There isn’t a day I don’t get up and I’m not looking forward to the day ahead.

“There’s no other levels of satisfaction in me to get. That’s it. I’m buzzing to do what I do.

“Within that context I also understand that I have a real big responsibility to lead an organisation, players, staff, people to what I hope will be a successful place.

“There’s got to be some reliability there in what they see and what they feel with me so some of it is conscious but the other bits, I’m not skipping about the place but I’m really happy. I love what I do. Just the way I am. I’m very, very happy.”

Postecoglou’s happiness did not extend into the dressing room on Monday night after he criticised his players for a poor second half against Fulham.

It failed to stop the team blaring out Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ classic from the 1980s’ of ‘Islands in the Stream’ following the 2-0 win.

But Postecoglou joked: “I stay out of the dressing room partly because of the music choices of the players.

“Most clubs want to turn their grounds into a fortress – ours is becoming a nightclub, mate. I’m all for it, whatever makes people happy that’s my thing.”

Spurs will assess Destiny Udogie ahead of the trip to south London after the left-back struggled with muscle tightness during the victory over Fulham.

Eddie Howe has saluted unsung hero Jacob Murphy after watching him inspire Newcastle to Premier League victory over Crystal Palace.

Murphy, a £12million signing from Norwich in July 2017, has been a peripheral character for much of his time at St James’ Park to date and was sent out on loan to West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday before Howe’s appointment as head coach in November 2021.

However, it was the 28-year-old that the manager turned to for the club’s first Champions League fixture in 20 years at AC Milan last month, and he was asked to fill the injured Harvey Barnes’ boots against Palace, responding with the opening goal and setting up two of the three which followed in a 4-0 win.

 Asked about the contribution of a man whose future at one point looked to lie away from St James’ Park, Howe said: “He’s someone who is the ultimate professional. He’s reliable, plays multiple positions and has never let me down.

 “For me, it’s all about consistency. What you’re looking for from the players’ perspective is that they turn up every day and give their best.

“Now, you’re going to have some good days and you’re going to have some bad days. I always say that the key response is how you handle the bad days.

“Before I came here, Jacob had some difficult moments, but you have to keep coming back.

“You have to be really resilient, you have to keep turning up, and I believe that if you do the right things off the pitch, then eventually you’ll show the right things on the pitch.

“For me, he’s just been that model of consistency in his approach and attitude.

“It’s great to see someone who puts that work in rewarded with an opportunity, and then it’s all about taking that opportunity. He’s done that, and it’s great to see.”

Murphy’s fourth-minute opener, a lob towards Callum Wilson which looped over keeper Sam Johnstone and crept inside the far post, set the Magpies on their way, but it was two goals inside three minutes at the end of the first half which put them out of sight as Anthony Gordon, from Murphy’s cross, and Sean Longstaff found the back of the net.

Callum Wilson completed the scoring 24 minutes from time with the former Canaries winger again supplying the assist to send Newcastle, who used midfielder Sandro Tonali as a second-half substitute as he awaits the outcome of a betting investigation, into Wednesday night’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund on Tyneside confident they can build upon their 4-1 demolition of Paris St Germain.

Howe said: “After the PSG win, we want to continue our momentum and see where it takes us.”

Opposite number Roy Hodgson left the north-east in sombre mood after a day to forget.

Hodgson said: “We were unfortunate with the first goal, of course, that didn’t help, that freak goal.

“If we’d have scored it, I’d have be delighted, but it’s a tough goal to have against you after a few minutes because that’s not one that really has come about because you’ve got it totally wrong defensively.”

Eddie Howe had admitted the hardest part is yet to come for Sandro Tonali after watching him play a cameo role in Newcastle’s 4-0 Premier League victory over Crystal Palace.

The 23-year-old Italy international, who could face a lengthy ban if he is found to have breached betting rules by an ongoing investigation in Italy, was applauded warmly by the Toon Army before, during and after Saturday’s game at St James’ Park.

Tonali and his club do not yet know when he will discover his fate, but head coach Howe is convinced the support he has received to date will help him whatever comes his way.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Newcastle United FC (@nufc)

Howe said: “Let’s wait and see, but yes, I think the hardest part is ahead regardless of what happens.

“Immediately, you get a lot of attention and people are talking about the situation. He’s had the love of the supporters today, but that’s difficult to maintain over a long period of time. Who knows what’s ahead?

“I just think it’s great for him to know he’s got the support, not just of the senior management at the football club and the manager, but also the support of the supporters and they’re the most important people.”

Tonali was introduced as a 69th-minute replacement for Bruno Guimaraes with the Magpies already four goals to the good in what could conceivably be his final game for several months if he is found to have broken the rules and is suspended.

Whether he is able to be involved in Wednesday night’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund on Tyneside remains to be seen, but whichever team Howe sends out will kick off brimming with confidence after a comprehensive win over the Eagles.

Jacob Murphy set the ball rolling with a fourth-minute lob which owed a great deal to good fortune – Palace boss Roy Hodgson described it as a “freak” goal – and further strikes from Anthony Gordon and Sean Longstaff before the break and Callum Wilson after it wrapped up the points with the minimum of fuss.

Howe said: “It was a really important game today. It can’t be underestimated how tough those games are because you don’t have a full squad, we’re having to manage players who have travelled a long way and had a big mental load for their countries.

“So I’m really pleased with the players’ response to that because these are very tough games.

“Crystal Palace don’t concede many goals. We knew the first goal today was going to be really, really important and thankfully we got it quite early.”

Hodgson’s emotions were understandably different after his best-laid plans were ripped apart before the break.

He said: “We came here thinking and believing that we could give Newcastle a good game and maybe even make life a little bit difficult for them, but we fell woefully short in that department.

“The first half was really nowhere near what we’ve been able to do up to now and what I thought we would still do despite the fact that this is a tough ask against such a good team because they are a hard team to defend against.

“But it didn’t work out and at half-time, we were just looking really at salvaging something from the game and not going away totally and utterly dejected because we’d conceded even more goals than the four we conceded.

“There’s nothing really positive to say from our point of view.”

Newcastle warmed up for their Champions League showdown with Borussia Dortmund with a 4-0 Premier League demolition of Crystal Palace as Sandro Tonali returned to action.

The Italy international, who is subject to an investigation into allegations of betting breaches, was introduced as a second-half substitute to warm applause from the locals among a crowd of 52,189 at St James’ Park.

Jacob Murphy’s early strike and further goals from Anthony Gordon and Sean Longstaff before the break put the Magpies in the driving seat and Callum Wilson cemented the points with 24 minutes remaining to send his side into Wednesday night’s clash with Dortmund on Tyneside brimming with confidence.

If Eddie Howe headed home in positive mood, opposite number Roy Hodgson set off on the long journey back to South London reflecting on a bad afternoon for his injury-plagued squad.

Newcastle needed just four minutes to force their way in front, if a little fortuitously, when Kieran Trippier cushioned Fabian Schar’s long pass perfectly into the path of Murphy, who hooked the ball towards Callum Wilson at the far post only to see it loop over keeper Sam Johnstone and into the net – and an offside decision was eventually reversed after a VAR check.

The visitors might have been level almost immediately after Jean-Philippe Mateta got his head to Will Hughes’ corner, but he could not find the target, and Johnstone had to make a solid save to keep out Murphy’s 25th-minute strike from distance.

Gordon went desperately close on the half-hour when he met Murphy’s deflected cross first time and saw his effort come back off the crossbar, and Wilson could not climb high enough at the far post to direct Trippier’s 34th-minute cross at goal three minutes later.

Newcastle were utterly dominant and effectively wrapped up the game with two goals inside three minutes as the first half drew to a close.

First Murphy was allowed to stride forward and cross for Gordon to slide home at the far post with 44 minutes gone and then in stoppage time defender Marc Guehi’s slip served up the ball for Longstaff to steady himself before firing low past the helpless Johnstone.

Palace resumed determined to restore a measure of pride with Jordan Ayew to the fore and they might have reduced the deficit within eight minutes had Schar not thrown himself into the path of Odsonne Edouard’s shot.

Keeper Nick Pope, who had enjoyed a quiet afternoon until that point, had to race from his line to prevent Ayew from running on to Johnstone’s long 61st-minute clearance, and then fielded Cheick Doucoure’s 66th-minute shot comfortably.

Newcastle increased their lead within seconds when Murphy once again found space down the right to cross for the unmarked Wilson, who took a controlling shot before sliding the ball past Johnstone.

That proved to be the striker’s final involvement as he, Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon were replaced by Alexander Isak, Tino Livramento, Tonali and Miguel Almiron, who had a chance to make it 5-0 within five minutes of his arrival, but saw his attempt blocked by Johnstone.

Pope had to claw Edouard’s late free-kick out of his top corner and then blocked substitute Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s shot at his near post to preserve his clean sheet.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.