Tottenham Hotspur XI vs Crystal Palace – Predicted lineup and team news

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·28 December 2025

Tottenham Hotspur XI vs Crystal Palace – Predicted lineup and team news

Tottenham Hotspur travel to Selhurst Park on Sunday under significant pressure to improve their league standing.

Currently, Thomas Frank’s side struggle for consistency throughout December. Unfortunately, they dropped to 14th in the table after a run of four defeats in six matches. While their away record remains poor, Spurs historically end the calendar year strongly. In fact, they lost just once in their last 16 year-end fixtures.

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However, facing an opponent situated above them proved difficult for the Lilywhites recently, especially in away London derbies. Nevertheless, the creative presence of Pedro Porro and the expected return of Richarlison to the starting lineup offer hope. Therefore, Spurs aim to rediscover the attacking flair that defined the early weeks of their campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur Team News

Inevitably, Thomas Frank faces several forced tactical changes due to a significant number of suspensions and absences. Specifically, Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero remain unavailable following their red cards in the defeat to Liverpool last weekend. Additionally, the departure of Pape Sarr and Yves Bissouma weakened the midfield. Furthermore, long-term injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski continue to limit Frank’s creative options.

In the heart of the defence, Kevin Danso expects to start alongside Micky van de Ven to cover for the suspended Romero. Up front, Richarlison looks favoured to lead the line after he scored as a substitute last time out. It is likely that Randal Kolo Muani and Lucas Bergvall will support him. Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke remains out with an ankle injury. Consequently, the onus falls on the supporting cast to provide the goals against a compact Palace defence.