Mateta’s Red Turns the Tide as Spurs Make It Three on the Spin

• Mateta sent off on 13 minutes after VAR upgrade for studs-up tackle
• Archie Gray heads Spurs in front; late second seals a 2-0
• Third straight Premier League win — first time in 20 months

Tottenham did what good sides do: punish mistakes. A moment of madness from Jean-Philippe Mateta handed Spurs the initiative, and they never looked back, easing to a 2-0 win over 10-man Crystal Palace to make it three Premier League victories on the spin for the first time in 20 months. For those tracking form as closely as the league table, our guide to the best football betting sites is a handy companion to nights like this.

Red Card Chaos, Spurs Take Control

The game’s hinge moment arrived on 13 minutes. Micky van de Ven nipped in smartly and Mateta, late and high, left his studs on the defender’s Achilles. Referee Michael Oliver initially flashed a yellow, but VAR stepped in and the card rightly turned red. From there it was one-way traffic.

Spurs made the advantage count on 25 minutes. From a dangerous corner, Archie Gray ghosted to the back post and nodded home, a tidy header that rewarded Tottenham’s control and composure. Palace’s Dean Henderson had his moments to keep the visitors in it, but he could only hold back the tide for so long.

Job Done, Questions for Palace

After the interval, Tottenham upped the tempo, with Pedro Porro continuing his comeback and adding thrust down the right. The pressure built and, with just under 20 to play, the hosts finally killed it with a scruffy second after sustained pressure in the box — exactly the sort of ruthless edge you expect when a side smells blood.

There was time for a late cameo from Dejan Kulusevski and a league debut for teenager Luca Williams-Barnett, capping an enjoyable night for the home crowd. For Palace, reduced to ten so early, this was always going to be an uphill slog — but the manner of the defeat will only sharpen the focus on where they go from here.

Bottom line: Spurs handled the chaos, managed the game, and banked the points. Win streaks aren’t built on fireworks alone; they’re built on nights exactly like this — disciplined, decisive, and utterly professional.

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