Crystal Palace piled more misery on Tottenham Hotspur with a 3-1 away win on Thursday night. Igor Tudor’s Lilywhites have hit rock bottom, edging closer to the drop zone.
The result leaves Spurs 16th, just a point above 18th-placed West Ham United with nine games remaining. There is a real chance that the North Londoners play EFL Championship football next season.
A mass exodus is anticipated if that happens, and some players are already linked with moves away. One of those could be Archie Gray, who was one of the only positives his club could take from their defeat.
Palace must plot Gray move
Gray’s performance didn’t go unnoticed by observers especially Peter Crouch and Joe Cole who were on punditry duties for TNT Sports. Crouch gave a glowing verdict of Gray:
“I look around there now, and I think Archie Gray was the best player on the pitch for Tottenham. he is a young lad, he’s 19 years old. Where are the leaders? I know Van de Ven went off, Romero is out suspended. There’s not enough leaders out there.”
| Archie Gray vs Crystal Palace | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Minutes played: | 90′ |
| Goals: | 0 |
| Assists: | 1 |
| Key passes: | 1 |
| Crosses (accurate): | 2 (1) |
| Carries: | 19 |
| Ground duels (won): | 2 (1) |
| Aerial duels (won): | 1 (1) |
Gray made his 28th appearance of the season in the defeat against Palace. He started the season mostly on the substitute bench but has reclaimed a starting berth in recent months.
Expectations were high when the English starlet joined Spurs in the summer of 2024. He arrived from Leeds United in a £30m deal following a stellar spell at Elland Road.
Gray was linked with Palace before heading to North London and a report from Sun Sport claimed the Eagles viewed him as an Adam Wharton alternative. If the Lilywhites are relegated, it could prompt the versatile Englishman to try and stay in the Premier League.
Palace must capitalise on the situation if that’s the case and revive their interest in the 19-year-old. The sky is the limit for the Durham-born youngster and he is only at the start of his career.
Gray’s versatility is impressive as he can play as a six or an eight and even as a makeshift centre-back. He has four years on his contract, so the South Londoners might expect to pay more than the transfer record £48m fee for Jorgen Strand Larsen in January.
A Wharton replacement
Ismaila Sarr won the Man of the Match award in the win over Spurs but Wharton was the star of the show. The English midfielder produced two stunning assists for Sarr and Strand Larsen.
Wharton’s future has been a hot topic amid speculation about a possible big-money move in the summer. Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Newcastle United are all reportedly eyeing the 22-year-old.
Palace would desperately need to find a suitable replacement for Wharton if he were to leave Selhurst Park. They already know what Gray can offer the team, not just from watching him in the Premier League but from their past interest.
