Crystal Palace face a Tottenham Hotspur side in desperate need of a win on Thursday night. The Lilywhites are in a relegation battle, and if they were to go down, their squad would be the most expensive to be sent packing from the top flight.
Both teams started the season off the back of trophy wins as Palace won the FA Cup and Spurs won the Europa League. While Oliver Glasner’s top stars were prised away from Selhurst Park, the North Londoners bolstered their squad with talent many expected to help them challenge for Europe.
The fact that Thursday’s opponents find themselves at risk of dropping is remarkable given their squad. They have some of the highest-rated players in the top flight, but as a collective, they have stumbled.
That said, Palace supporters would almost certainly jump at the chance of signing at least one or two of Igor Tudor’s squad. But how many get into a joint XI?
Crystal Palace and Tottenham Joint XI
Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson
This is a no-brainer, given Dean Henderson has been one of Palace’s most important players this season. The English goalkeeper has now taken the club captaincy from Marc Guehi and is a leader between the sticks as well as an excellent shot-stopper.
Tottenham are reportedly showing interest in Henderson ahead of the summer transfer window. They are looking to replace Guglielmo Vicario, who is enduring a nightmare season.
The Italian’s worrying form is one of many reasons Spurs find themselves in a relegation scrap. He needs replacing even if his club manage to stay up.
| Dean Henderson (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 28 |
| Clean Sheets: | 10 |
| Saves: | 83 |
| Goals Conceded: | 34 |
Right wing-back: Daniel Munoz
It’s only fair to go with a back five as Palace are the superior team ahead of the two sides’ battle on Thursday. Daniel Munoz takes the right wing-back starting berth, seeing off Pedro Porro, who is too inconsistent.
Munoz has been brilliant ever since joining the Eagles from Genk back in early 2024. The Colombian is often seen bombing down the wing and is as reliable defensively as he is going forward.
Both Munoz and Porro are attacking-minded wing-backs who are often looking to pick their man out with a cross into the box. But the Palace man is one of the very best full-backs in the league and his absence is felt whenever he is sidelined.
| Daniel Munoz (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 20 |
| Goals: | 3 |
| Assists: | 2 |
Centre-back: Cristian Romero
When Cristian Romero is at his best and not picking up needless suspensions, he is one of the best centre-backs in the league. The Argentine is a warrior who scraps it out with opposition attackers both on the ground and in aerial duels.
The Tottenham captain will miss Thursday’s game due to a three-game ban, and his disciplinary record is what puts many off. He let his team down when he was sent off in a 2-0 loss to Manchester United.
Romero is his side’s joint-second top scorer with four goals, and he is incredibly dangerous from set-pieces. He just shades it over Palace’s Jaydee Canvot, who has become one of the Premier League’s most exciting defenders.
| Cristian Romero (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 21 |
| Goals: | 4 |
| Assists: | 1 |
Centre-back: Maxence Lacroix
The French defender will also sit out Palace’s meeting with Tottenham on Thursday, but his suspension is clouded in controversy. He was sent off for a contentious foul on Matheus Cunha in a 2-1 loss to United on the weekend.
Before that, Maxence Lacroix was scoring the opener at Old Trafford, producing a superb header in the early stages. He has been a rock at the back under Glasner, and if the Eagles are to win the Europa Conference League, he will be crucial.
Lacroix has stepped up and become the general in defence following Guehi’s move to Manchester City. The Holmesdale End adore the Frenchman, and he embodies everything you want from a Premier League centre-half.
| Daniel Munoz (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 27 |
| Goals: | 1 |
| Assists: | 2 |
Centre-back: Micky van de Ven
Tottenham will do well to keep hold of Micky van de Ven this summer, even if they remain in the top flight. The Dutch defender seems increasingly likely to be on the move and deservedly so as he’s remained top quality during the Lilywhites’ disastrous season.
Like Romero, Van de Ven is finding the back of the net more than most of Tudor’s attackers. He is level with his Argentine teammate in the goalscoring charts.
Van de Ven’s pace is frightening, and he goes on marauding runs that catch the opposition off guard. There aren’t many flaws in his game, and he could be a real issue when the two sides face off on Thursday.
| Micky van de Ven (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 26 |
| Goals: | 4 |
| Assists: | 1 |
Left wing-back: Tyrick Mitchell
It is quite astonishing that Tyrick Mitchell has earned only two caps for England, suggesting a bias toward the big six persists. The Palace left wing-back is unbelievably consistent, and his importance goes under the radar.
The Eagles have fortunately been able to hold on to Mitchell despite several top-four challengers requiring left-backs over the years. He makes everything look easy and is defensively sound, particularly in one-on-one situations.
Destiny Udogie is one of Spurs’ better players, but the Italian’s injury struggles have been an issue for the relegation battlers. He’s another one who will probably be off in the summer if his team are sent down.
| Tyrick Mitchell (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 28 |
| Goals: | 1 |
| Assists: | 1 |
Centre midfield: Adam Wharton
Most of Europe’s big guns are eyeing Adam Wharton, and he walks into nearly any midfield in the Premier League. He’s a real player, very composed and comfortable in possession; he makes his Palace side tick in the middle of the park.
It’s starting to feel inevitable that Wharton will make a big-money move to a Champions League club in the summer. He’s a dream signing for Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid, let alone Spurs.
Tudor does have some interesting midfielders in his squad that were under consideration. None more so than Conor Gallagher, who wowed Palace fans during a 2021-22 loan spell.
| Adam Wharton (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 25 |
| Goals: | 0 |
| Assists: | 3 |
Centre midfield: Lucas Bergvall
Thomas Frank is reportedly under consideration to replace Glasner at the end of the season. One red flag for Palace will be the Dane’s handling of Lucas Bergvall.
The Swedish midfielder was a focus of Ange Postecoglou’s Europa League-winning team, but he wasn’t an integral part of Frank’s team. He was even pushed out to the left at times, and Chelsea and Aston Villa were reportedly attentive to his situation, per The Athletic.
Bergvall is one for the future, but he’s shown maturity beyond his years with tidy performances in midfield. He’d be a perfect partner for Wharton thanks to his box-to-box profile and fantastic dribbling abilities.
| Adam Wharton (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 17 |
| Goals: | 1 |
| Assists: | 2 |
Right wing: Ismaila Sarr
Some might argue that Dejan Kulusevski deserves a place in this joint XI, but Spurs’ right-winger has spent the entire season sidelined. The Swede is a big miss for the North Londoners and is equally as important from an attacking standpoint as Ismaila Sarr is for Palace.
Sarr returned to England with the Eagles back in August 2024, and he’s arguably one of the most underrated wingers in the league. He played a key role in last season’s FA Cup win, scoring a brace and assisting in the 3-0 semi-final win over Aston Villa.
The Senegalese attacker is versatile, able to play across the frontline, but does his best work off the right. He could be the difference maker in Thursday’s clash as well as his side’s Conference League knockout campaign.
| Ismaila Sarr (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 18 |
| Goals: | 5 |
| Assists: | 1 |
Striker: Jean-Philippe Mateta
Palace will be without Jean-Philippe Mateta against Tottenham, but the French striker is the best number nine either team has to offer. His future at Selhurst Park is still in doubt despite missing out on a move to AC Milan in January after failing a medical.
Mateta was magic at times last season, producing magical moments that clearly caught Milan’s eye. He is a proper target man but possesses incredible agility for his size, along with a lethal right-footed strike.
Jorgen Strand Larsen has all the tools to become a Palace hero in the years to come. The Eagles’ club-record signing competes with Dominic Solanke for a place on the joint XI bench.
| Jean-Philippe Mateta (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 23 |
| Goals: | 8 |
| Assists: | 0 |
Left wing: Xavi Simons
The left wing is somewhat of a problem area for Palace, given Yeremy Pino has failed to impress this season. Brennan Johnson joined from Tottenham in January but the Welsh attacker has made a dissapointing start to life at Selhurst Park.
Mohammed Kudus probably deserves a place in the team, but it’s unfair to move Sarr centrally to accommodate the Spurs man. His Dutch teammate Xavi Simons instead takes the left wing, and he is capable of performing the role.
Simons has started to live up to the hype after a tough start in North London. He was highly coveted in the summer and was the signing that many felt would help his team push for Europe rather than be dragged into a relegation fight.
| Xavi Simons (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 22 |
| Goals: | 1 |
| Assists: | 4 |
