PREVIEW: Tottenham desperate for league double over Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Igor Tudor’s Tottenham aim to haul themselves clear of a relegation battle with a win over Crystal Palace, a first victory since December in the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park.

Spurs find themselves just a point above rivals West Ham United in 18th, their season having unraveled with a string of poor performances – particularly at home, registering the second-worst point haul of just 10 points.

Tottenham have won 38 of their 68 meetings, losing just 15, which will feed some degree of confidence into a side that’s been down on their luck for some time.

Their last fixture ended in misery, with Fulham hitting the back of the net twice in the first 35 minutes of the game and Richarlison’s second-half strike not enough to bring themselves back on level terms.

Head coach Igor Tudor was notably unforgiving during his post-match press conference, saying: “We were not good, we lacked everything. There are problems here, big problems.”

Spurs’ primary problem has not been chance creation, but game management. They often meander through matches, failing to properly assert themselves, even when points are well within their reach.

There is a lack of cutting edge in the final third, and defensively they constantly undermine themselves with costly, avoidable mistakes. Against a Palace side comfortable on the counter, focus and discipline is essential.

Crystal Palace, currently sat in 14th, are not entirely clear of danger themselves. The team has struggled since losing key players, with this reduced squad depth leading to poor results.

Despite this recent spell of bad form, their away record offers encouragement, picking up 20 points in their 14 fixtures on the road thus far.

A defeat to Manchester United on the weekend highlighted ongoing issues but Oliver Glasner remains optimistic insisting they “are going step-by-step in the right direction.”

Lacroix’s red card at Old Trafford on Sunday is a major blow to Crystal Palace’s backline. Speaking ahead of the match, Glasner admitted that there aren’t many options available to replace him.

Jefferson Lerma is not quite at full match fitness, but the Austrian confirmed he has returned to training may be available for a brief period at the end of the game, emphasizing his ability to deal with set-pieces.

Regarding injury news at Tottenham, Tudor has confirmed that Spence will be out again but hopes the defender will return for the Champions League clash against Atlético Madrid on Tuesday.

With just two places separating the sides and a four-point cushion above the bottom three, the stakes are high as victory would provide breathing space whilst the loser risks being pulled deeper into the relegation picture.