LONDON (Reuters) -Brazilian Lucas Moura impressed Tottenham Hotspur to a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace that stretched their unbeaten Premier League run beneath new supervisor Antonio Conte to six video games in murky north London on Sunday.
Moura created objectives for Harry Kane and Son Heung-min and bagged one for himself as Tottenham comfortably beat a Palace aspect for whom supervisor Patrick Vieira missed the sport due to a optimistic COVID-19 take a look at.
While victory moved Tottenham up to fifth within the desk, it proved a dispiriting day for Palace, who light after a good begin and have been diminished to 10 males within the thirty seventh minute when Wilfried Zaha was despatched off for a useless second yellow-card offence.
By that point Tottenham have been effectively in management after Kane swept in from Moura’s cross earlier than Moura headed the second.
Son wrapped up the Boxing Day win together with his aspect’s third from shut vary within the 74th minute.
Tottenham have 29 factors, six lower than fourth-placed Arsenal however have performed three video games fewer after having two matches postponed this month due to COVID-19.
Conte has modified the vibe at Tottenham since taking over from Nuno Espirito Santo, and this newest victory offered additional proof that his strategies are paying off as his aspect avenged a 3-0 defeat at Palace in September.
“We began a bit sluggish however created possibilities to rating. We improved the standard and the depth and scored twice and for certain once we performed towards 10 males it was simpler,” Conte mentioned.
“Now now we have to get better and make one of the best determination round our beginning 11 for Southampton (on Tuesday). It will not be easy for us or different groups to play after two days.”
It took them some time to get into their stride, nonetheless, with Kane virtually invisible till the thirty second minute when the full of life Moura sped down the fitting wing and seemed up earlier than pulling again a cross for the England skipper to hearth in a right-footed shot.
Two minutes later Moura was within the thick of the motion once more, seizing possession and enjoying in Kane who in flip slid an astute ball into the trail of Emerson Royal. Royal then crossed and Moura steamed in to the world to energy in a header.
Things obtained even worse for Palace shortly afterwards when Zaha, who had already been booked, needlessly shoved Davinson Sanchez as they tussled for the ball close to the touchline.
Tottenham substituted Kane after an hour and performed a lot of the second half in cruise management as the sport petered out, however Moura accomplished an excellent particular person show when he crossed for Son to rating with a silky contact.
Palace, who’re twelfth, failed to register a shot heading in the right direction.
“The two objectives and the purple card modified the sport. We knew it might be tough with 11 males on the pitch, but it surely made it much more tough after the purple card,” Crystal Palace assistant supervisor Osian Roberts mentioned.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, modifying by Ed Osmond and Christian Radnedge)
