### Jan Paul van Hecke Reacts as Tottenham Make It Three Consecutive Premier League Wins Against Crystal Palace
Tottenham Hotspur continued their impressive Premier League revival with a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday, securing their third consecutive league win under Roberto De Zerbi.
Spurs enjoyed a dominant evening in north London after Crystal Palace were reduced to 10 men when Jean-Philippe Mateta received a red card for a dangerous challenge on Micky van de Ven.
Tottenham took advantage of their numerical superiority and opened the scoring in the 25th minute. Archie Gray found himself unmarked inside the penalty area and headed home Mohammed Kudus’ corner to put the hosts ahead.
De Zerbi’s side remained in control after taking the lead, enjoying plenty of possession and putting constant pressure on their opponents.
However, Crystal Palace still managed to create an opportunity to equalise in the second half. Dwight McNeil attempted to get his side back into the contest, but Dominic Solanke produced an important block to deny him.
Tottenham eventually secured all three points in the 73rd minute when Jan Paul van Hecke found the net, scoring the second goal to put the result beyond doubt and send Spurs into the top half of the Premier League table.
### Jan Paul van Hecke Gives His Verdict on Tottenham’s Victory
Van Hecke was one of Tottenham’s standout performers against Crystal Palace, with the Dutch defender also getting himself on the scoresheet.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, as reported by BBC Sport, the 26-year-old expressed his happiness with the team’s performance and their latest victory.
He admitted that Mateta’s dismissal gave Tottenham an advantage but praised his teammates for remaining calm, creating chances and maintaining their composure throughout the encounter.
The defender explained that the team were pleased with the result, adding that although it took some time to score their second goal, they remained solid and deserved the three points.
Van Hecke also discussed the difficulties of playing against Palace’s defensive approach, explaining that Tottenham knew their opponents would sit deep and make it difficult to find openings.
He revealed that patience was important because Spurs needed to move the ball around and wait for opportunities to break through the opposition’s defensive setup.
Although he believed Tottenham could have scored more goals, he was satisfied with the overall performance.
The defender also shared his thoughts about his goal, admitting that he initially thought his first attempt had been saved.
However, the ball came back towards him, allowing him to get another touch and eventually force it into the net.
He described himself as fortunate that the opportunity fell his way and expressed his delight at scoring such an important goal.
### Van Hecke Produces Outstanding Display Against Crystal Palace
Tottenham’s defensive unit enjoyed a relatively comfortable evening after Mateta was sent off in the 13th minute.
With Palace losing an important attacking option, Spurs’ defenders were able to push further forward, put pressure on the visitors and contribute more to their team’s attacking play.
Van Hecke particularly impressed with his confidence and composure in possession, regularly carrying the ball forward and helping Tottenham build attacks from the back.
The Netherlands international spent much of the second half playing inside Crystal Palace’s half as Tottenham continued to dominate proceedings and search for another goal.
His impressive performance was rewarded with the crucial second goal in the 73rd minute, ensuring Spurs secured another important victory.
He also helped Tottenham register their fourth clean sheet of the Premier League season, providing another encouraging sign of the defensive improvement under Roberto De Zerbi.
The victory represents another major step forward for Tottenham, who will now be looking to maintain their winning momentum in their upcoming Premier League fixtures.
