Tottenham player ratings after Crystal Palace as Jan Paul van Hecke stands out

Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in the Premier League, and the ratings backed up the result. Jan Paul van Hecke came out on top with an 8.61 rating, scored the second goal and was the starting point for most of Spurs' attacks. Sandro Tonali was right behind him in midfield, and Tottenham made it three wins in a row for the first time since February 2025.

Van Hecke and Tonali set the standard

Sam Tabuteau of the Evening Standard gave Van Hecke 9/10, calling him “the starting point for most of Spurs’ attacks” and noting that he “scored the all-important second goal.” That lines up with the statistical return, because the defender also posted the best rating in the match at 8.61.

Tonali's written rating was 8, with Tabuteau describing an “industrious performance” in which he “got back well to win back possession” and “helped drive Spurs up the pitch with his trademark marauding runs.” He also “covered the most ground of any player for the second game running”, which fits a display built on ball-winning and carrying rather than one standout final action.

The sending-off and the decisive moments

The game turned early when Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off in the 13th minute after a studs-up challenge on Micky van de Ven. [Michael Oliver] was initially shown a yellow card before Jarred Gillett advised a pitchside review and the red card was issued.

That left Tottenham to work through a long spell with the extra man, and the next key moment arrived in the 25th minute when Archie Gray scored from a Mohammed Kudus corner. Kudus earned an 8 in the written ratings and supplied the assist, while the second half belonged to Spurs as Jan Paul van Hecke finished the match off in the 73rd minute after Dean Henderson pushed his first header on to the crossbar.

Crystal Palace were reduced to damage limitation for long stretches, but Tottenham still had to be patient to turn control into a two-goal win. Luca Williams-Barnett also made his Premier League debut at 18, a small bonus on a day when the main story was the authority of Van Hecke and Tonali. Tottenham are now on three league wins in a row, and the next scoreline to watch is whether they can extend that run in their following Premier League fixture.