Jeffrey Schlupp's late strike salvaged a deserved 1-1 derby draw for Crystal Palace and prevented Tottenham from going three points clear at the top of the Premier League. (More Football News)
Tottenham extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches, but they had to settle for a point at Crystal Palace.
Jeffrey Schlupp's late strike salvaged a deserved 1-1 derby draw for Crystal Palace and prevented Tottenham from going three points clear at the top of the Premier League. (More Football News)
Vicente Guaita's howler gifted Harry Kane a 15th goal of the season midway through the first half to silence the 2,000 fans who were allowed to return to Selhurst Park on Sunday.
Schlupp spared his goalkeeper's blushes nine minutes from time, though, prodding in from close range when Hugo Lloris failed to deal with Eberechi Eze's inviting free-kick.
Eze struck the post in the first half and Guaita, who made a string of fine saves, was almost embarrassed again when a Ben Davies cross looped over him and hit the crossbar.
Neither side could force a winner and although Tottenham are now unbeaten in 10 matches, Liverpool - who they play next Wednesday - could replace them at the top of the table with a win at Fulham later on Sunday.
Spurs started with a swagger and Guaita made a great reflex save to keep out Tanguy Ndombele's first-time strike.
Guaita was left red-faced 23 minutes in, though, when he totally misjudged Kane's right-foot shot from around 30 yards out, which he could only palm into the net.
The Palace keeper responded well by producing a fine double save - the second from Ndombele - before Palace finished the first half strongly, Eze hitting the far post with a measured effort from just inside the Spurs penalty area.
Schlupp wasted a golden opportunity to equalise when he blazed over from close range after Luka Milivojevic's free-kick caused havoc in the Tottenham penalty area.
Spurs offered little going forward in the second half and were relieved when Christian Benteke headed onto the roof of the net, but Schlupp bundled home after Lloris was undone by Eze's in-swinging free-kick.
Davies could have won it in bizarre fashion when his cross hit the bar and Guaita again reacted well to a lapse with a sharp reflex save when Kane got his head on Serge Aurier's shot.
Guaita then superbly saved Eric Dier's free-kick in a dramatic finale as both sides had to settle for a point.
What does it mean? Spurs can have no complaints
Tottenham had conceded just one goal in six top-flight games before making the trip across the capital and looked set for another clean sheet.
They can have no complaints not to have secured maximum points, though, as Palace posed a far bigger threat in the second half and deserved something from an entertaining game.
Although Jose Mourinho's side have the best defensive record in the league - shipping only 10 goals in 12 games - they invited pressure after the break by not showing enough ambition going forward and were made to pay.
Kane and Son combine yet again
Spurs' talismanic skipper Kane and Son Heung-Min combined for a goal for the 12th time this season, the South Korea international's pass giving his fellow forward a sight of goal.
Only lethal Blackburn Rovers duo Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton have combined for more goals in a top-flight season (13) in England - back in the 1994-95 campaign.
Redemption for Guaita
Palace keeper Guaita will never want to see Kane's goal again, but he produced some brilliant saves in a lively encounter.
Guaita showed a combination of agility and bravery to frustrate the leaders and his acrobatic stop to somehow keep out Dier's free-kick right at the end was out of the top drawer.
Key Opta Facts
- Despite surrendering their lead in the second half, Spurs are unbeaten in their last nine away games in the Premier League (W5 D4); their longest such run since April 2018 (also nine).
- Following 1-1 draws in both of their meetings in 2020, Crystal Palace have avoided defeat in consecutive Premier League games against Spurs for the first time since the 2014-15 season (W1 D1).
- Spurs have only lost one of the 21 Premier League games in which they've opened the scoring under Mourinho (W15 D5), with that lone defeat coming against Wolves back in March.
- Palace's equaliser was the first goal Spurs have conceded in the Premier League since the start of November (v Brighton), ending a run of 475 minutes without conceding in the competition.
- Since Mourinho's first game in charge of Spurs, Kane has been directly involved in more goals in all competitions than any other Premier League player (43 – 29 goals, 14 assists).
What's next?
Spurs face a trip to Merseyside to take on champions Liverpool at Anfield in midweek, while Palace have another derby at West Ham.