Tottenham Hotspur continued their impressive revival under Roberto De Zerbi with a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday, October 31, securing their third consecutive win.
However, despite the important result, not every Tottenham player impressed, with several attacking players coming under criticism following their performances.
The biggest disappointment was Dominic Solanke, who received the lowest rating in the match assessment published by Daysgazette.
Mateta’s red card changes the game
Tottenham received a major advantage in the 12th minute when Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Micky van de Ven.
Referee Michael Oliver initially showed a yellow card, but after reviewing the incident on the VAR monitor, he changed his decision to a straight red.
Playing against ten men gave Tottenham greater control of the match, and they eventually found the breakthrough.
Archie Gray puts Tottenham ahead
In the 24th minute, Archie Gray opened the scoring with a well-taken header from a Mohammed Kudus corner.
The young Tottenham player made excellent use of the opportunity and gave De Zerbi’s team a deserved advantage.
Spurs continued to dominate possession after the goal, although they struggled to create enough clear-cut opportunities despite having an extra player.
Jan Paul van Hecke seals the victory
Tottenham continued pushing for another goal after the restart.
Their second goal eventually arrived through Jan Paul van Hecke, who reacted quickly after Dean Henderson saved his initial header.
The defender managed to guide the rebound into the net, making it 2-0 and securing all three points for Tottenham.
Dominic Solanke and other attackers disappoint
While several Tottenham players delivered impressive performances, Dominic Solanke endured a difficult afternoon.
Daysgazette awarded him an E rating, the lowest assessment among the starting players.
The report criticised his movement and positioning, suggesting that he failed to create enough opportunities for himself.
Omar Marmoush and Mathys Tel also received D ratings.
Marmoush struggled to influence the attacking department, while Tel was criticised for his decision-making, final deliveries and lack of dangerous forward runs.
Their performances could create selection questions for De Zerbi as competition for attacking positions increases.
Tottenham’s standout performers
Jan Paul van Hecke – A: Excellent defensive performance and scored the second goal.
Mateus Fernandes – A: Impressive midfield display and helped Tottenham control possession.
Archie Gray – B: Scored the opening goal.
Sandro Tonali – B: Delivered another commanding midfield performance.
Mohammed Kudus – B: Created the opening goal and caused problems for Palace.
Youngster Luca Williams-Barnett also impressed after coming off the bench, showing confidence and excellent dribbling ability.
What happens next?
The victory represents another important step in De Zerbi’s Tottenham project.
Three consecutive victories have improved the atmosphere around the club, but the manager will still want greater consistency from his attacking players.
Solanke, Marmoush and Tel will need to improve if they want to maintain their places in the starting team.
