Tottenham are unstoppable, beating Crystal Palace 2-0: De Zerbi now dreams of the Champions League

Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 2-0 to move closer to the positions that matter. The sides are evenly matched until the 13th minute, when Mateta makes a bad challenge on van de Ven while trying to reach the ball. VAR calls Oliver over, and he sends Mateta off. De Zerbi's side have an extra man for the rest of the match, with plenty of time and little to worry about. In the 25th minute, Archie Gray heads in Kudus' corner from the right. Palace drop everyone back to defend as Tottenham dominate and create chance after chance. Their pressure brings a second goal when van Hecke heads in a cross from Mateus Fernandes. Kulusevski also tries his luck late on, but Henderson denies him.

A manageable fixture list

Tottenham have won three in a row, following victories over Coventry and Chelsea, to put their difficult start to the season behind them. They sit eighth on 12 points, four behind fourth-placed Chelsea and a place in the next Champions League. Who would have thought it a month ago? Before the international break, Spurs travel to Elland Road to face Leeds. When they return, they host Ipswich, visit Sunderland and welcome Fulham, before Arsenal come to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That run gives them licence to dream.