The China Mail - Spurs slip deeper into relegation trouble after loss to Palace

Igor Tudor's side squandered the first half lead given to them by Dominic Solanke as Palace struck three times in 12 minutes before the interval in north London.

Tottenham defender Van de Ven was sent off for a foolish professional foul on Ismaila Sarr, who converted the resulting penalty.

Jorgen Strand Larsen scored Palace's second and Sarr struck again as the atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium turned toxic.

Furious fans in the half-empty arena jeered interim boss Tudor and his team at the final whistle after thousands headed home long before Tottenham were put out of their misery.

Languishing in 16th place, Tottenham are just one point above the relegation zone after third-bottom West Ham's win at Fulham on Wednesday.

They have lost five successive league games and are without a win in 11 consecutive top-flight matches for the first time since 1975.

With just one win in their last 13 home league games, Tottenham are in grave danger of playing in the second tier for the first time since 1977-78.

That remains the only season they have spent outside the top-flight since 1950.

They have nine games left to save themselves from an astonishing relegation, starting with their trip to Liverpool on March 15.

Before that, Tottenham have a Champions League last 16 first leg at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, but Europe is now the least of their concerns.

Beaten by London rivals Arsenal and Fulham in Tudor's first two matches after replacing the sacked Thomas Frank, Palace inflicted more capital punishment on Tottenham, whose derbies next season could be against Championship sides Millwall, Charlton and QPR.

Tottenham are in danger of sleep-walking to a relegation that would cost them as much as £260 million ($346 million), according to a report this week.

That would be a huge blow for a club that lost £129 million last year, a period when they had the third-highest operating costs of any European team.

- Spurs in disarray -

Tudor gave a scathing assessment of his players after their defeat at Fulham, insisting a relegation battle is not the same as dealing with the kind of real life pressure endured by doctors.

But it took less than 60 seconds for Tottenham's anxiety to be exposed as Palace midfielder Adam Wharton was left in acres of space for a shot that forced Guglielmo Vicario to make a fine save.

Palace thought they had taken the lead when Strand Larsen played in Sarr and his shot deflected in off Pedro Porro.

A lengthy VAR check went in Tottenham's favour as Sarr was ruled offside and the hosts took advantage to snatch the lead in the 34th minute.

Archie Gray wiggled free down the right touchline for a low cross that Solanke volleyed home from close-range.

But Tottenham's relief was short-lived as Palace punished dismal defending in the 40th minute.

Van de Ven allowed Sarr to get goal side of him in the penalty area and responded with a panicked tug on the Senegal forward.

The Dutch centre-back was shown a red card and Sarr compounded Tottenham's misery, casually sending Vicario the wrong way with his penalty.

Tudor switched to a back five, but it made no difference.

Tottenham were authors of their own downfall again, Mathys Tel carelessly surrendering possession before Wharton slipped a pass to Strand Larsen, who drilled past Vicario from six yards.

Tudor's men were in disarray and Palace landed the knockout blow just before the interval.

Wharton's pin-point pass carved open the leaky Tottenham defence and Sarr poked home, triggering a mass exodus as fans flooded to the exits.

A painful evening for Tudor reached a grim climax when Porro reacted to his substitution by ranting at the Croatian before hurling a water bottle to the turf.

E.Lau--ThChM