Archie Gray scored the goal to lift Tottenham spirits as they ended a year of conflicting emotions with the sort of performance to sum up their identity crisis.
There was little of the creative flair Spurs are expected deliver, and they had to dig in and resist pressure as Crystal Palace dominated for long spells.
They rode their luck but showed guts and determination to fight, and they carried their usual threat from set pieces, and were dangerous on the break.
Most of all, boss Thomas Frank liked the ‘desire’ and ‘discipline’ of his team and what he called the ‘details mentality’ and satisfied to see them edge a tight contest.
‘It’s so important to have that in the team in the long Premier League season,’ said the Spurs boss. ‘You need to go to a difficult away ground like this and fight and get a clean sheet. To win 1-0, massive win in many ways.’
Frank beat Palace at their own game, and while Oliver Glasner bemoaned the now familiar problems of chances missed and the vulnerabilities of his team when defending set pieces, the margin for victory for Spurs could, on the other hand, have been greater.
Archie Gray eased the pressure on Thomas Frank as Tottenham beat Crystal Palace
The young Tottenham star scored his first professional goal to secure a 1-0 away win
Richarlison had two goals ruled out for fractional offside offences and Wilson Odobert thumped a low shot against post in the closing stages when the game was stretched.
It might not sit comfortably with the purists who expect Spurs to dominate possession, but they might have to put up with it for some time longer as Frank tries to lay foundations for the future.
And it might be easier to win in this fashion away from home, in front of the hardcore than at home in front of more than 60,000 who have paid top dollar and demand to be entertained accordingly.
All of which leaves Frank in an awkward place. As the teams lined up at Selhurst Park there was an argument to say the best goalkeeper, the best centre half, the best central midfielder and the best centre forward were all in the blue-and-red of Palace.
Certainly, Marc Guehi, Adam Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta are all attracting interest from clubs in the traditional Big Six.
Yet it is Spurs who carry the expectation to thrill their audience. Frank needs time and to get time he needs results. Hence the tangible relief to get one in the bag ahead of his first return to Brentford on New Year’s Day.
There are signs going into 2026 that the Dane is settling on what he considers is his best team. The only changes from the previous line up were those called upon to replace Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero, who were suspended after red cards against Liverpool.
Kevin Danso came in at the back and was solid, despite an early scare in the fifth minute when he tripped Justin Devenny and the home crowd wanted him sent off.
There was enough cover around to support the call by referee Jarred Gillett that it was not an obvious goal scoring opportunity.
Pressure has been mounting on Frank amid a turgid start to the season for Tottenham
Richarlison, recalled up front, was premature with his pigeon celebration in the 17th minute having finished a splendid cross by Pedro Porro, only to find Bergvall offside earlier in the move.
The VAR reprieve lifted Palace. A trip to Selhurst Park is always fraught with peril, even though Glasner’s team are better away from home of late and stumbled through four games in 10 days without a win before Christmas.
They are learning to cope with the impact of success on the fixture schedule and toil that takes on a slender squad, but they have talent and are so well organised and they dominated for 20 minutes as Spurs lost control in midfield.
Jean-Philippe Mateta flashed one chance wide and climbed above Danso but could not keep his header down after Maxence Lacroix had headed a cross by Adam Wharton back across goal.
Guglielmo Vicario in the Spurs goal, took few risks with the ball at his feet and made routine saves when required to foil Devenny and Wharton during this spell of pressure. Will Hughes also went close before Frank’s team found a response, taking the lead from a corner won on the counterattack.
The set piece came with immaculate delivery by Porro and three headers won in the six-yard boss. If it made set-piece fan Frank purr it made Glasner lament injuries to defenders Chris Richards and Daniel Munoz, and the absence of Ismaila Sarr, who is on international duty.
‘We knew had a mismatch as they say in basketball,’ said the Palace boss. ‘We lost three headers in a row.’
Randal Kolo Muani to Richarlison to Gray alive to apply the final touch. Not only was it his first goal for Spurs but his first in 112 games in senior football for the 19-year-old, signed from Leeds in the summer of 2024.
Palace ended up with 15 efforts by the end of the game and only two of them on target.
Nathaniel Clyne and Devenny contrived to squander perhaps the best chance at the back post in the second half. Lacroix headed another wide when he should have scored. Marc Guehi headed over from a corner.
Frank’s substitutions worked for him. Joao Palhinha came on when Bergvall was injured and restored the balance midfield, helping Spurs win back the ball and, as Palace threw players forward in search for an equaliser, there were openings to exploit at the back.
Richarlison had a second goal ruled out for offside, a fraction off before converting a cross by Kudus, after a fine pass by Gray.
Odobert hit post from 20 yards and Dean Henderson save denied Rodrigo Bentancur in stoppage time.
