Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Logo

Tottenham 1-3 Crystal Palace: 'Disbelief'

Only three games in, Tottenham's head coach is facing crisis. Igor Tudor refused to comment on whether he is about to be sacked - but said some players will need "to leave the boat".

SportsBy Marcus ThompsonMarch 6, 20263 min read

Last updated: March 18, 2026, 11:57 AM

Share:
Tottenham 1-3 Crystal Palace: 'Disbelief'

With nine matches to go, Spurs remain one point above the relegation zone and in real danger of losing their Premier League status for the first time.

When the Spurs players returned early from the dressing rooms for the second half, the number of empty seats was significant as many supporters headed home.

The fans who remained until the end met the final whistle with loud jeers, with supporters last experiencing a Premier League victory at home against Brentford on 6 December 2025.

"Anxiety was all through the stadium," former Chelsea and England winger Joe Cole said on TNT Sports. "The whole performance was tepid.

"There was no bite and no anger and the fans were feeling that. It feels like they have given up.

"It looks like the fans are disillusioned, disenchanted and not believing it."

When Tudor was appointed as interim boss last month, he said Tottenham "100%" wouldn't go down. It would take a brave person to say that now.

"Of course I understand the fans [leaving]. It's normal, they wanted more," said the former Juventus manager.

Tudor refused to be drawn into conversations about his future after full-time despite questions already being raised about whether he would see out the season.

Tottenham's position is precarious at best and the underlying numbers are no better.

The team are without a win in the Premier League since 28 December and have only led for a combined 13 minutes in matches since 7 January.

Since Tudor's appointment, Spurs are bottom of the league in terms of goals conceded, goal difference, xG conceded, xG difference and points.

As things stand, only Wolves (20) have lost more home Premier League games than Tottenham (19) since the start of last season.

And they have conceded at least two goals in nine straight matches for the first time in their history.

Spurs fan Chris Cowlin told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I'm lost for words over what I've seen tonight. You want fight, desire and most importantly points.

"It is too much for a lot of people and this is the reality that Spurs might get relegated.

"When we moved to this stadium in 2019 it was meant to be a game-changer for us, the springboard for success and always competing for top honours. I've never known a time like this.

"We've gone through so many managers since moving to this stadium - six permanent managers and four interim appointments. Spurs have gone round in circles."

Outside the stadium, Tottenham supporters told BBC Sport the club were "in their worst moment in history" and "were more likely than not to go down".

One fan blamed Tottenham's form on the players, saying "there are too many egos" and "the players are still living off that high of the Europa League and sleepwalking to relegation".

Another added: "Nottingham Forest and West Ham have got fight and grit. We don't have any of that."

One supporter said the board's failures in the transfer market was the main culprit, pointing to a lack of goalscoring options and a failure to cover Tottenham's many injuries.

MT
Marcus Thompson

Sports Correspondent

Marcus Thompson is a sports correspondent covering the NFL, NBA, and major American sporting events. A former college athlete and sports journalism veteran, he has covered five Super Bowls and multiple NBA Finals. His player profiles and game analysis are known for their depth and insight.

Related Stories