Tottenham ratings vs Crystal Palace: Micky van de Ven lets side down as Souza suffers brutal first start

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·5 de marzo de 2026

Tottenham ratings vs Crystal Palace: Micky van de Ven lets side down as Souza suffers brutal first start

Captain on night was given his marching orders as relegation fears deepened

10-man Tottenham were beaten 3-1 at home to Crystal Palace to leave them on the brink of the relegation zone.

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Spurs looked to be on their way to a vital three points after Dominic Solanke gave the hosts the lead in the 34th minute, firing home from Archie Gray’s cross from the byline.

By half time, though, the picture could not have been bleaker as Palace struck three times before the break after Micky van de Ven was sent off for a pull on Ismaila Sarr inside the box.

Sarr dispatched the resultant penalty before Jorgen Strand Larsen fired low past Guglielmo Vicario, with Sarr nicking ahead of the Italian goalkeeper to score Palace’s third as Spurs capitulated in a remarkable first-half, with the second 45 little more than an exhibition.

Sam Tabuteau rated the Spurs players at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium...

Guglielmo Vicario 5: Should have been quicker off his line as Sarr broke free to score Palace’s third goal. Little he could do about the other goals.

Pedro Porro 5: Was visibly annoyed at Vicario for not being quicker to close down Sarr, and his frustrations boiled over when he was subbed off with just over 15 minutes to play.

Kevin Danso 5: Had to mop up the mess left behind by Van de Ven. Given no support, it is hardly surprising that he committed the most fouls of any player on the pitch.

Micky van de Ven 2: He had to just let Sarr run free into the area. After his dismissal, the game was as good as gone for Spurs. The Dutchman has struggled to step up in Cristian Romero’s absence, and a more natural leader would have had the clarity of mind not to foul Sarr.

Seeing red: Micky van de Ven

AFP via Getty Images

Souza 4: A brutal first Premier League start for the young Brazilian, who was carded early on for a rash foul on Daniel Munoz before being sacrificed after Van de Ven’s dismissal.

Joao Palhinha 5: Completely overrun in the centre of the park, and no surprise. Did not offer anything with the ball, and looked bereft of fight.

Archie Gray 7: Dug out a good cross from the byline to assist Solanke and tried to get things moving forward after the break. A valiant performance as everything crumbled around him. Spurs’ best player by a mile.

Pape Matar Sarr 5: Dispossessed for Palace’s second goal, where Gray tried to dig in and earn back some credibility, Sarr struggled.

Tough day: Souza

Action Images via Reuters

Mathys Tel 6: Looked to be in the mood early on, driving Spurs forward before they took the lead. That all disappeared after Spurs were reduced to 10-men.

Randal Kolo Muani 4: Struggled long before Spurs fell apart and was the first to be taken off as Tudor tried to reshuffle the pack after Van de Ven’s red card. Ineffectual in attack, he was also guilty of giving away possession cheaply in defensive areas.

Dominic Solanke 6: Scored the opening goal and was a threat when found in the area, but after Van de Ven’s dismissal, his efforts to get Spurs playing were purely in vain.

Subs:

Conor Gallagher 5: Came on to salvage a desperate situation, and while he covered plenty of ground, it was all energy and bluster without anything tangible in possession.

Yves Bissouma 6: Tried his best to help Spurs with the ball, and applied himself in the right way out of possession. One of Spurs’ better players.

Richarlison 5: Hailed as the saviour for Spurs’ season, given his experience of relegation battles, but there was nothing even he could do off the bench.

Xavi Simons 4: Tried a short pass from a free-kick that was immediately intercepted. A summation of his cameo and Spurs’ performance.