Premier League LIVE: Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace news conferences

'I won't be the guy who says everything is perfect and smiles'

Tottenham v Crystal Palace (Thurs, 20:00 GMT)

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham interim boss Igor Tudor admitted his disappointment after the defeat to Fulham last time out: "I feel better now. Of course, there was emotions and some disappointment after the game because we are working hard with the players on what they need to do, but the result didn't come.

"Of course it was a little bit disappointing, but that's how we should feel [after a game like that]. We need to be angry and disappointed. I won't be the guy who says everything is perfect, smiles and acts like nothing has happened.

"Also it's about me, personally, sending a message to everyone that I do not accept the situation - but we move on. We had a good but short period to prepare for this next game and I have seen the guys react really well.

"We need to be optimistic about tomorrow's game. We play at home against a good team, but we're in our stadium and in front of our fans."

Spence will not feature against Crystal Palace

Tottenham v Crystal Palace (Thurs, 20:00 GMT)

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham interim boss Igor Tudor started off by providing a team news update: "Djed [Spence] is out. He is not ready for the game tomorrow.

"I would hope he will be back for the Champions League game [against Atletico Madrid]."

On whether there are any updates on absentees Destiny Udogie and Dejan Kulusevski: "No, not yet.

"Kevin [Danso] returned in the last game so it has been great to have him back, but there is no other news."

Tudor positive players are 'ready to step up'

Tottenham v Crystal Palace (Thurs, 20:00 GMT)

Sami Mokbel

BBC Sport Senior football correspondent

Igor Tudor has come out fighting here at the Tottenham’s training ground.

The Tottenham manager has been speaking here ahead of Thursday’s clash versus Crystal Palace.

Tudor is adamant his team are too good to go down and what he has seen from his squad has underlined that belief.

He also provided a punchy answer to a question from BBC Sport about trying to alleviate the pressure on his players in the midst of a relegation fight.

“This is just sport, other jobs - where it is a matter of life or death - is where the real pressure is," he said.

“But our players are ready to step up.”

Mateta to return for Larnaca tie

Tottenham v Crystal Palace (Thu, 20:00 GMT)

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner revealed that Jean-Philippe Mateta aims to return after the Spurs game as he gave an update on his knee issue: “We’re planning for him to be partly integrated next Monday in the team training for the Larnaca game. It will be the same, starting from the bench.

“He was out for a long time, but his knee looks better now. That’s why we have decided to reintegrate him. We have to be careful, but the goal is that he is available for the Larnaca and Leeds games."

Glasner added:

“Eddie Nketiah won’t be available before April. So we’re pushing hard to have him back in the team.”

Crystal Palace team news

Tottenham v Crystal Palace (Thu, 20:00 GMT)

Crystal Palace

There are no fresh injuries at Palace, and Jefferson Lerma is set to return for the first time since the Eagles lost to Burnley in February.

The midfielder isn't ready to start but he will travel with the squad and is fit to get some minutes if needed.

Speaking in his news conference before the Tottenham game, Palace boss Oliver Glasner said: “Jefferson Lerma is back in the squad but not ready to start.

"He trained with us and is ok. It’s quite early, but if we need him for 15-20 minutes at the end we have him.

“That means it is either Chadi [Riad] or Nathaniel Clyne will play [in defence]. They are the options we have and one of them will start.”

'Glasner's accomplishments count for something'

Tottenham v Crystal Palace (Thu, 20:00 GMT)

Sami Mokbel

BBC Sport Senior football correspondent on Football Focus

It is logical for Palace to wait until the summer as they look to appoint Glasner's successor.

You would imagine Glasner's body of work would also have been a point of consideration for Parish in recent weeks.

The Austrian is widely recognised as the team's greatest ever manager having led Palace to last season's historic FA Cup victory – their first ever major trophy – the Community Shield triumph over Liverpool in August and the club's first ever foray in European football.

Things behind the scenes are not perfect and while Glasner's public outbursts are not ideal, there is a recognition that in the 49-year-old they still have an accomplished coach that has led the club to arguably the greatest period in its history.

That counts for something.

There is also an understanding that Glasner can be emotional and, on occasion, those emotions can spill over.

With that all said, relations between the club and Glasner are described as positive and certainly not as unfavourable as some would assume given the public comments made by the manager.

More recently, Palace have sensed a greater zeal in Glasner amid a sense that the manager is focused on bringing the curtain down on his reign with further glory.

So, for now, Palace will continue with Glasner at the helm. Unless there is a significant change in the course of events in the coming weeks, the expectation is that Glasner will see out his contract before riding off into the sunset.

The state of play for Palace

Tottenham v Crystal Palace (Thu, 20:00 GMT)

This time last year, Palace had just beaten Millwall to move one step closer to their FA Cup. They were out of the League Cup, but after 28 games, they were sitting eleventh in the Premier League table with 39 points - and were on a relatively hot streak of six wins in eight.

Today, domestic cups are off the table - but with 35 points in 14th place, the picture in the league isn't all that gloomy and Palace are starting to put their horrid Christmas and New Year period of losses and defeats behind them.

Seven points from their last 15 isn't form that will take them charging up the table, but the fact that Palace were able to overcome the banana skin of Wolves at home is perhaps a symptom of a ship slowly steadying itself.

Later this month they'll face AEK Larnaca for a place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Conference League - a trophy which Palace have been favourites to lift since the start of the competition.

'It is a mess at Spurs'

Tottenham v Crystal Palace (Thu, 20:00 GMT)

Luke Edwards

Daily Telegraph writer on the Football Daily podcast

Tudor's done a variation of 'they can't attack, can't defend and can't score goals'. If you look at what he's said, he's basically saying his team is rubbish.

He's doing that after two games. He's come in to replace Thomas Frank. Do we think Tottenham would be looking more likely to stay up under Frank or Tudor, who looks like a scorched-earth policy?

They look vulnerable, fragile, like a team who have forgotten how to win games. I do have to query whether a new manager coming in and being that volatile and aggressively critical, what sort of impact is that going to be having on a team and a group already shell-shocked from what is happening this season?

On recent evidence, West Ham are playing better than Tottenham, Leeds are. Nottingham Forest haven't been great but you still think they are better than Tottenham.

Are they equipped to do what needs to be done in a relegation fight? To do what is necessary. You have to question the manager, the players and those above them making decisions. It is a mess.

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