'Spurs must not be written off as genuine title contenders after another win'
Everyone will put the clocks back one hour on Saturday night- except Tottenham, who will rewind about 63 years.
Joel Ward's freak own goal and skipper Heung-min Son sent Spurs five points clear at the Premier League summit – and the last time they enjoyed such a gap at the top was in 1960-61, the year they won the Double.
To dare is to dream, and at some point we need to stop writing off Tottenham as title contenders because this wasn't just winning ugly. It was three points in a Hallowe'en mask.
For 45 minutes at Selhurst Park, Ange Postecoglou's front runners were so anonymous as an attacking force that they might have been reported to Scotland Yard's missing persons bureau. But the most efficient sides find a way to grind out a win when not at their best.
And as Postecoglou absconded into the south London night with the loot, he was left to marvel at the sight of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool disappearing in his rear view mirror.
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There was even the late bonus of midfield Rodrigo Bentancur making his comeback from eight months out with a walk-on part from the bench.
Angeball does not yet have the thrilling abandon of its cricket cousin, Bazball, and Tottenham's fair dinkum messiah accused his players of “taking liberties” against Fulham five days ago.
For long periods they struggled to make headway when the midfield battle was as overcrowded as south London's perpetually rammed rush-hour rail network.
Much of the credit for the stodge Spurs served up must go to 76-year-old Roy Hodgson, the Palace manager who could turn the gravy on your Sunday roast to cement with a single pep talk.
Son celebrates with Brennan Johnson after scoring (PA)One of these days, dear old Roy will be referred to Age Concern if he spends too long on the touchline dicing with hypothermia. And his assistant Ray Lewington – puffa jacket up top, fluorescent orange shorts down below – couldn't decide if the required dress code was for the North Pole or Benidorm.
But Palace, who rolled over meekly and had their tummies tickled at Newcastle last weekend, began with the friskiness of labradors eager to make amends for trailing toilet rolls all over the house.
Without the injured Ebere Eze and Michael Olise, their two most creative players, they applied commendable pressure. Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario was twice forced into action in the opening seven minutes, to foil Jordan Ayew and Odsonne Edouard, while Joachim Andersen headed over the top.
At the other end, bar Richarlison's scuffed effort from 20 yards which bobbed apologetically wide like a municipal golf club hacker's hopeless tee shot, Tottenham didn't trouble Sam Johnstone.
How much longer Postecoglou will tolerate Richarlison's inadequate finishing, flouncing and pouting remains to be seen. But you don't always get what you deserve in football, and eight minutes after the break Tottenham adjusted their highwaymen's masks and burgled an unwarranted lead.
Maddison's angled volley was travelling well wide until the panicking Ward inadvertently diverted it into his own net – a travesty, but they all count.
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Marc Guehi, who had been outstanding at the other end, spurned the chance to restore parity immediately when he glanced a Will Hughes corner wide.
And Palace soon lived to regret it as Maddison played in Brennan Johnson, whose first touch after coming off the bench two minutes earlier set up Son for his ninth goal of the season.
Spurs were holding on comfortably enough until Ayew's superb volley, in the fourth minute of added time, was allowed to stand after VAR Stuart Attwell took half the night to let it stand.
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