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Tottenham Hotspur faced a sobering defeat on Sunday as Crystal Palace secured a 1-0 win at Selhurst Park in the Premier League. The result marked a significant setback for Spurs, who had enjoyed a successful run, winning seven of their last eight matches.
Ange Postecoglou’s side entered the match with high hopes following recent victories over West Ham United and AZ Alkmaar. However, they were brought back to earth by a struggling Palace team, with Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring the decisive goal in the first half.
“This result is a big setback to what we were building,” Postecoglou admitted after the match, as Tottenham now sits eighth in the league table.
In a surprising move, Postecoglou made several changes to his starting XI, including handing 17-year-old Mikey Moore his first Premier League start. Moore joined Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson in the front three. The decision raised eyebrows among pundits, including former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara, who criticized the team selection.
“I think Ange got it wrong. I think he picked the wrong team,” O’Hara told Sky Sports. “Starting a 17-year-old away from home against Crystal Palace is a big, big ask. He did alright, but it’s a big ask to come in for that game and make something happen.”
O’Hara further argued that Postecoglou should have opted for the more experienced Timo Werner, saying, “Use him for 20 or 25 minutes, but the damning indictment of that is that Timo Werner has been so poor he [Postecoglou] has had to start Mikey Moore. I would have stuck with Werner and given him another game, especially away from home as he’s experienced.”
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