Tottenham Hotspur delivered another night of anxiety for their supporters after collapsing to a 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace in a match that swung violently in the space of a few chaotic minutes before halftime.

Spurs scored in the 34th minute when Dominic Solanke pounced inside the box and finished sharply past the Palace goalkeeper. The stadium lifted. Spurs were ahead and briefly looked in control.

Then came the moment that turned the entire night on its head.

In the 40th minute Micky van de Ven brought down Ismaila Sarr inside the penalty area while trying to recover a dangerous Palace attack. The referee pointed to the spot and produced a red card, leaving Tottenham with ten men and the stadium suddenly gripped by a familiar sense of dread.

Sarr calmly converted the penalty to level the match at 1-1 and the momentum immediately swung.

What followed was a brutal collapse.

Just minutes before halftime, Crystal Palace sliced through the Spurs defence and Jorgen Strand Larsen finished a slick attacking move to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. Tottenham barely had time to regroup before Palace struck again. Deep in first half stoppage time Sarr grabbed his second goal of the night, exploiting the extra space created by Tottenham’s numerical disadvantage to make it 3-1 before the break.

Three goals conceded. One red card. The Tottenham Hotspur stadium was half empty before halftime, with frustrated and visibly angry fans storming out.

The second half felt more like damage control than a comeback attempt. Spurs tried to push forward but with ten men they struggled to create clear chances while Palace controlled the tempo with calm efficiency.

For Crystal Palace the victory strengthens their climb up the table. For Tottenham the defeat deepens a worrying trend. Another home loss, more dropped points and growing whispers about a relegation battle that Spurs fans never expected to be discussing this season.