da dobrowin： Tottenham Hotspur defeated Crystal Palace in a one-goal affair on Saturday afternoon to return to winning ways and take the sixth-place spot in the Premier League.
da imperador bet： The Lilywhites took the lead on the stroke of half-time through talisman Harry Kane's resounding header, ending a run of four games in the top flight without victory.
Three points in north London leave Ryan Mason's outfit on 57 points after 35 outings, although a top-four finish looks to be an unattainable prospect with fourth-placed Manchester United six points ahead with two games in hand.
The emphasis must now be on securing nine points from nine in the culminating phase of the campaign, serving the club with the optimum chance of qualifying for the Europa League next term – a questionable prospect itself with the Seagulls just two points below in seventh – and with three games in hand.
The display against the Eagles claimed a first clean sheet in ten matches, which was largely down to the imperious performance of Argentinian centre-back Cristian Romero, whose all-encompassing work will embolden his teammates ahead of the crucial forthcoming period.
How did Romero perform against Crystal Palace?
Having signed for Spurs from Italian Serie A outfit Atalanta for £50m in 2021, Romero has made 63 appearances, scoring one goal and assist apiece.
The World Cup winner has played 33 times at club level this term and been an ever-present for his side.
The £165k-per-week gem ranks among the top 8% of centre-backs across Europe's big five leagues over the past year for tackles and within the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, and was able to demonstrate his aptitude at the back and then some against Roy Hodgson's resurgent Palace.
As per Sofascore, the 20-cap star recorded a match-best 8.5 rating, was an insurmountable wall with eight clearances, posted five interceptions and three tackles, and showcased himself as a ball-playing master with 99 touches and a pass completion rate of 88%, while succeeding with four of his five long balls.
It was the robustness and the tenacity that will have been so eye-catching to the Spurs hierarchy, who witnessed the unstoppable force bulldoze into 12 duels, of which he won 10 – a remarkable 83.3% success rate.
Romero also exhibited the offensive prowess of his arsenal by hitting the woodwork, creating one big chance and being hailed as a "Rolls-Royce" by Martin Keown.
With Tottenham needing a leader with iron-clad resolve to galvanise the squad at this late stage of the campaign, Romero proved that he is that man, and with the new campaign on the horizon, his brilliant display will undoubtedly evoke optimism that a return to prominence could be enacted next year.