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By DAVID COVERDALE Published: 01: 10 AEST, 12 May 2025 | Updated: 02: 50 AEST, 12 May 2025 44 View comments The laugh from Eberechi Eze said it all. Tottenham Hotspur may be Europa League finalists, but they are a Premier League joke. And Eze had every right to giggle after scoring the first of his two goals in this one-sided London derby, so easy was it for him and his Crystal Palace side. What a sorry day this was for Spurs in a season that has been full of them. Yes, Ange Postecoglou was playing his reserves with both eyes on their final in Bilbao in 10 days’ time, when they could claim their first European trophy in 40 years. But this defeat meant they have now made unwanted history on the domestic front – losing 20 matches in a Premier League season for the first time. In the wake of Thursday night’s Europa League semi-final win over Bodo/Glimt, Postecoglou had arrogantly asked: ‘Who cares if we’re struggling in the league? ’ Well, perhaps try Daniel Levy for starters. Crystal Palace beat Tottenham 2-0 to hand them their 20th Premier League defeat this season Spurs plummeted to 17th in the table and are on track for their worst Premier League finish ever Eberechi Eze scored for a fourth straight game to open the scoring for Palace before half-time The Spurs chairman sat stony-faced in the directors’ box and there is no way he will accept his club sitting just one place out of the relegation place, whether or not silverware is lifted this season. Spare a thought too for the 60, 254 fans who turned up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to see Palace complete a league double over their side for the first time in their history. They will be more forgiving of days like this if they are toasting a trophy in Spain. But should they lose to Manchester United, another Premier League laughing stock, on May 21, then there is no hiding from their horrors in the top flight this term. As for Palace, what a warm-up this was for their own date with destiny next weekend. In contrast to Postecoglou, Eagles manager Oliver Glasner picked his full-strength side, resisting the temptation to ring the changes with Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City in mind. And he was rewarded with a morale-boosting victory and performance against a London rival, with all their stars coming through it unscathed. Given the way it went, perhaps Postecoglou wished he had changed all 11 of his team. For one of the three survivors from Thursday night, Dejan Kulusevski, was forced off in the 19th minute with an apparent knee knock after full-blooded challenge by Marc Guehi. As he stood alone in his technical area, Postecoglou looked like he would rather be anywhere else. It really was one of those afternoons. That Palace would win here never looked in doubt from the opening exchanges. They thought they had taken the lead in the ninth minute when Ismaila Sarr tapped in at the back post after a lovely free-flowing move involving Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eberechi Eze and Daniel Munoz. Eze added another goal just three minutes into the second half to double the Eagles' lead Ange Postecoglou's side face Aston Villa in the league next Friday, but will already have one eye on their Europa League final clash against Manchester United on May 21 Oliver Glasner's men next take the field against Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 17 However, Spurs were left off the hook when VAR found that Mateta, who was stood in his own half, had crept offside via his shoulder at the start of the move. Not that the left-off woke the hosts up, as Palace continued to create chance after chance, having 15 shots in a hugely one-sided first half. Munoz was proving a menace down the right, having been afforded the freedom of the pitch by left-back Djed Spence, who was seemingly unaware of his presence. The Colombian crashed against the bar with a fierce drive from Mateta’s through ball, then found himself clean through again moments later, but this time passed to Mateta rather than going for goal himself and messed up the move. Chris Richards was next to come to close, with Antonin Kinsky doing well to beat away his back post header. Palace then had a goal chalked out for the second time in the match when Maxence Lacroix’s header from Will Hughes’ corner went in off Guehi’s arm. But they finally had the on the stroke of half-time when Munoz again raced clear down the right from Mateta’s pass, then slipped the ball across to Eze, who comfortably stroked the ball home. To say the visitors deserved their advantage at the break was the understatement of the season – and they soon doubled it through the same source. Tottenham: (4-2-3-1): Kinsky 7; Porro 4 (Son 58, 4. 5), Danso 4. 5, Davies 5. 5, Spence 3; Gray 5. 5, Bentancur 5 (Bissouma 46, 5); Odobert 4. 5, P Sarr 4. 5, Tel 5; Kulusevski 5 (Moore 19, 4. 5). Subs not used: Vicario, Richarlison, Romero, Solanke, Johnson, van de Ven Booked: Bentancur Manager: Ange Postecoglou 4 Crystal Palace: (3-4-2-1): Henderson 6. 5; Richards 7, Lacroix 7. 5, Guehi 7; Munoz 8. 5, Hughes 7. 5 (Devenny 87), Lerma 7 (Kamada 61, 6), Mitchell 7 (Chilwell 61, 6. 5); Sarr 8 (Esse 78), EZE 8. 5; Mateta 8 (Nketiah 60, 6). Subs not used: Turner, Franca, Clyne, Kporha. Star man: Eze Scorers: Eze 45, 48 Booked: Lerma Manager: Oliver Glasner 8 Referee: Chris Kavanagh 7 Attendance: 60, 254 Eze started the move with an incisive pass to Sarr, who held the ball up and then played it back to the England forward to power past Kinsky for his fifth goal in four games. It could have been worse for Spurs, with Kinsky keeping out a shot from Mateta and a misdirected header from his own team-mate Kevin Danso. Sarr also headed just over from Ben Chilwell’s cross, while substitute Eddie Nketiah should have finished from Guehi’s throughball. For Spurs, even the return of Son Heung-min after a seven-match absence with a foot injury could not lift the spirits. Instead, it was Palace fans who were left singing about Wembley in the sun, while Spurs supporters trudged off home early, praying they will not feel this sort of pain in Spain.

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