Tottenham vs Crystal Palace: Player ratings, reaction and analysis as Kane, Son and Lucas see Spurs run riot

Tottenham 3-0 Crystal Palace (Kane ’32, Moura ’34, Son ’74, Zaha sent off ’37)

Harry Kane maintained his 100 per cent record in Boxing Day fixtures as Tottenham eased past an ostensibly depleted Crystal Palace.

There had been 12 hours of conjecture over whether the fixture would be going ahead at all, Patrick Vieira the most notable absentee following a Covid-19 outbreak in the Eagles squad. Yet while the visitors made just one change from the 2-2 draw with Southampton, they were undone by two goals and a red card in five first-half minutes.

Kane scored his third league goal of the season – and his second in consecutive weekends – latching onto Lucas Moura’s cross, finishing first time after finding himself in ample space in the box.

The diminutive Brazilian then turned goalscorer with a rare headed goal thanks to Emerson Royal’s ball in from the right, before Wilfried Zaha completed a miserable afternoon by seeing red for a petulant push on Davinson Sanchez.

For the first time this season, Son Heung-min ensured all of Spurs’ front three made it onto the teamsheet with Lucas providing the assist once again.

The 2-2 draw with Liverpool will quite possibly have pleased Antonio Conte even more but regardless of Palace’s disrupted build-up – they reportedly cancelled a team meeting on Christmas night because they were so sure the game would be postponed – in his absence Vieira’s side still did plenty of the right things in the early stages.

The Eagles remain industrious, with glimmers of brilliance from Conor Gallagher, and in the first 15 minutes Tottenham struggled to create, particularly down the left.

However, an outstanding performance from Oliver Skipp was key to dominating the middle and Conte’s structure has finally provided Spurs with the width to break teams down eventually. Lucas’ work rate hasn’t always been rewarded with goals but his runs are now better timed, his teammates are creating the space and the bluntness of Spurs’ attack under Nuno Espirito Santo looks an increasingly distant memory.

Tottenham remain unbeaten in the league under the new manager: six games, two draws and four wins.