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This time last year Tottenham were top of the Premier League unbeaten.

A year later, Spurs are eighth, five points adrift of the top four and 10 behind the league leaders ahead of a week of football that could prove pivotal to their season. Ange Postecoglou's team are troubled by a case of consistent inconsistency.

The Spurs boss cut a defeated figure when he faced the press following his side's 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace on Sunday. His demeanour was a far cry from the jolly, room-capturing man that wowed the league with a refreshing charm last campaign. His side's display at Selhurst Park was a reflection of that.

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Struggles away from home

Very much second best at Selhurst Park, Postecoglou alluded to Spurs being outfought in a "battle" against Palace, unable to deal with the intensity of a side that, before their meeting, had yet to record a league victory. Unfortunately for Postecoglou, the loss also represents a worrying trend for Spurs when playing away from home.

When the final whistle blew in south London, the result meant that Tottenham had failed to win any of their last four London derby matches.

With three losses and a draw, the north London side have only managed a single goal during those defeats, failing to find the back of the net in three of those games.

It's a problem that stretched beyond the capital, with Spurs having just one win in their last five league matches away from home. That victory came against 10-player Manchester United. Their only other point on the road came in their opening weekend draw at newly-promoted Leicester.

This season, based on home form alone, Spurs are fourth in the Premier League, scoring the third most goals and conceding the joint-second fewest. On away form, Spurs have scored the third fewest goals and conceded the fourth most, putting them in 13th.

This calendar year hasn't been kind to Spurs on their travels either with just three total away wins in 2024.

An inability to win duels

In the weekend prior to the Palace defeat, Spurs seemingly put right the wrongs of their collapse at the Amex stadium where they led 2-0 against Brighton before suffering defeat. Goals from Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Heung-Min Son and an Alphonse Areola own goal saw a rampant Spurs dismantle West Ham.

In the jubilation of the win was a reality of the performance that saw the Hammers cause Spurs real issues in transition. Their inability to deal with West Ham's midfield in the first half saw James Maddison withdrawn at half-time for Pape Sarr in an alteration that had the desired effect as Spurs took greater control.

An inability to win duels means that Spurs are prone to losing control of games, especially against some of the league's higher-octane sides away from home comforts.

Postecoglou's principles, while risky, are what he wants his side to stick to. Playing out from the back cost them against Palace as the Eagles won the ball high up the pitch after Micky van de Ven failed to trap a pass from Pedro Porro in his own box. Palace took full advantage and Jean-Phillipe Mateta punished them with the winning goal.

A return to home comforts

On Sunday, Tottenham face Aston Villa at home, live on Sky Sports.

Villa represent a team that has found a replicable formula this season. The last time the sides faced at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Spurs succumbed to a 2-1 defeat but were able to turn that around with a 4-0 victory in the reverse fixture at Villa Park. Postecoglou will be hoping for something similar to climb up the table.

The reality of Spurs' expectations is something that has been discussed by previous managers, but Postecoglou has been adamant he will yield positive results come the end of the season.

The trouble for Spurs though, is that there is an inherent unpredictability week to week in their performances, reflected in their results that is stifling any kind of progression.

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Crystal Palace claimed their first win of the Premier League season as Jean-Philippe Mateta's first-half strike sealed a 1-0 victory over Tottenham at Selhurst Park.

Palace had lost to Spurs in their last five league meetings, but Mateta, on his return to the starting line-up, put an end to that run and kick-started his team's campaign to ease the pressure on head coach Oliver Glasner.

Spurs came undone for the goal after being caught out when playing out from the back. Micky van de Ven was dispossessed deep in his own half by Daniel Munoz, whose cross was beautifully flicked on by Eberechi Eze for Mateta's 31st-minute opener.

As it happened: How Crystal Palace ended their winless run

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Live Premier League table | Watch PL highlights for free

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Ange Postecoglou's side produced an uncharacteristic display in south London, struggling to cope with the intensity of Palace's work out of possession, and rarely looked like scoring after going a goal down. The hosts, in fact, always felt more likely.

Spurs came closest to scoring soon after conceding, Brennan Johnson inadvertently hitting a post after Van de Ven hammered the ball off his leg at a corner, while Dean Henderson produced a fine save to deny James Maddison in first-half stoppage time.

When you would have expected Spurs to be pushing for an equaliser, it was Palace in the ascendancy. Guglielmo Vicario, who made five saves, kept out efforts from Eze, Ismaila Sarr and Adam Wharton in the latter stages to avoid the hosts going two goals up.

Palace lift themselves out of the relegation zone after ending their eight-game winless run with a dogged performance, creating a two-point cushion between themselves and the bottom three.

Spurs, meanwhile, remain in eighth, four points adrift of fifth-placed Chelsea, after suffering their third away league defeat of the season. They have won just three league games on the road in 2024.

Glasner: I wasn't concerned about my job

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner:

"I always felt quite comfortable with my job, always very close to my sporting director and to my chairman, so I wasn't really concerned about my job. I think all our performances were okay, but we missed a little bit of what we showed today.

"We showed this courage, we showed the intensity, we showed the bravery, how we pressed them, the intensity, and maybe this was what we were a little bit missing.

"But today, all the credit to the players, how they dealt with the situation, because everybody was saying 'no win, no win', and they stayed cool, they always had a good mood, very good training week, and that's why we all got the reward today."

Postecoglou: Spurs lost the battle to Palace

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou:

"It was just a game that turned into a bit of a battle. A lot of stop-starting and standing around and we didn't deal with that really well at all.

"We didn't get to grips with the nature of what was transpiring out there. They dealt with it better than we did.

"It was a different game [to the Brighton defeat].It was just a game where we needed to stay composed and not fall into the trap of trying to play the game. Ultimately, Palace wanted to play.

"It turned into a game of battle after battle and duels and stops, starts, waiting around. We need to be a lot more clear about how we deal with that rather than falling into the trap of trying to do what we did today.

"I just felt when we had control of things, we could have done it better. We ended up doing some silly things, giving away silly fouls and losing our composure, which just adds to that sort of game. And you can't just get any traction.

"I just think we directed our frustration in the wrong way, rather than dealing with it the way we should have."

Mateta must start for Palace

Crystal Palace's fine form under Glasner last season coincided with Mateta finding the best scoring form of his career. His 13 goals in 11 games put him in the same bracket as Erling Haaland, the Premier League's top scorer two seasons running.

The Palace boss' tinkering this season has seen Mateta share the striking position with Eddie Nketiah, signed from Arsenal for £30m on Deadline Day, and, for the last two games, settle for a place on the bench.

But, restored as the lone striker against Spurs, Mateta took full advantage and made a strong case to be the first-choice striker moving forward, scoring his fifth goal of the season for Palace in just nine starts across all competitions.

Despite Palace's miserable start to the season, Mateta still ranks among the Premier League's most prolific scorers in 2024, with his 17 goals this calendar year bettered only by Haaland (24) and Cole Palmer (21).

If Palace are to bring themselves out of the relegation battle, Mateta will need to be at the heart of the team. What that means for Nketiah is unclear, but he can have no complaints about being benched after an underwhelming start at his new club.

Spurs have a problem on the road

Tottenham just don't look like the same side when they aren't playing at home. At Crystal Palace, they never really looked like winning, even though they had a whole half to mount a comeback.

Ange Postecoglou said his side lost composure at Selhurst Park and fell into playing Palace at their game, rather than imposing their own style. But it seems to be a trend.

Spurs have won one of their five away games in the Premier League season - that was when Manchester United failed to turn up at Old Trafford.

Spurs' only other point on the road came in a draw against newly promoted Leicester in their first game of the season, when they were expected to blow their opposition away.

The other three games - against Newcastle, Brighton and now Crystal Palace - have ended in defeat. These problems go back further than just this season.

Spurs have managed just three away wins in the Premier League in 2024 - against Sheffield United, Aston Villa and Manchester United.

It seems Spurs struggle to stick to their philosophy when the going gets tough, and they don't have their fans to lean on.

For a club with ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League, this worrying habit needs to be addressed, otherwise Spurs will have to cope without it for another year.

Story of the match in stats...

Opta stats: Spurs struggling in London derbies

This 1-0 win was only Crystal Palace's second win across their last 19 Premier League games against Tottenham (D2 L15), though both victories in that time have come at Selhurst Park whilst keeping a clean sheet.

Tottenham have failed to win any of their four away London derby matches in the Premier League in 2024 (D1 L3), failing to score in three of those matches, whilst netting just one goal in total.

What's coming up in the Premier League?

Crystal Palace claimed their first win of the Premier League season as Jean-Philippe Mateta's first-half strike sealed a 1-0 victory over Tottenham at Selhurst Park.

Palace had lost to Spurs in their last five league meetings, but Mateta, on his return to the starting line-up, put an end to that run and kick-started his team's campaign to ease the pressure on head coach Oliver Glasner.

Spurs came undone for the goal after being caught out when playing out from the back. Micky van de Ven was dispossessed deep in his own half by Daniel Munoz, whose cross was beautifully flicked on by Eberechi Eze for Mateta's 31st-minute opener.

As it happened: How Crystal Palace ended their winless run

Teams | Match stats

Live Premier League table | Watch PL highlights for free

Stream the Premier League with NOW

Ange Postecoglou's side produced an uncharacteristic display in south London, struggling to cope with the intensity of Palace's work out of possession, and rarely looked like scoring after going a goal down. The hosts, in fact, always felt more likely.

Spurs came closest to scoring soon after conceding, Brennan Johnson inadvertently hitting a post after Van de Ven hammered the ball off his leg at a corner, while Dean Henderson produced a fine save to deny James Maddison in first-half stoppage time.

When you would have expected Spurs to be pushing for an equaliser, it was Palace in the ascendancy. Guglielmo Vicario, who made five saves, kept out efforts from Eze, Ismaila Sarr and Adam Wharton in the latter stages to avoid the hosts going two goals up.

Palace lift themselves out of the relegation zone after ending their eight-game winless run with a dogged performance, creating a two-point cushion between themselves and the bottom three.

Spurs, meanwhile, remain in eighth, four points adrift of fifth-placed Chelsea, after suffering their third away league defeat of the season. They have won just three league games on the road in 2024.

Glasner: I wasn't concerned about my job

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner:

"I always felt quite comfortable with my job, always very close to my sporting director and to my chairman, so I wasn't really concerned about my job. I think all our performances were okay, but we missed a little bit of what we showed today.

"We showed this courage, we showed the intensity, we showed the bravery, how we pressed them, the intensity, and maybe this was what we were a little bit missing.

"But today, all the credit to the players, how they dealt with the situation, because everybody was saying 'no win, no win', and they stayed cool, they always had a good mood, very good training week, and that's why we all got the reward today."

Postecoglou: Spurs lost the battle to Palace

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou:

"It was just a game that turned into a bit of a battle. A lot of stop-starting and standing around and we didn't deal with that really well at all.

"We didn't get to grips with the nature of what was transpiring out there. They dealt with it better than we did.

"It was a different game [to the Brighton defeat].It was just a game where we needed to stay composed and not fall into the trap of trying to play the game. Ultimately, Palace wanted to play.

"It turned into a game of battle after battle and duels and stops, starts, waiting around. We need to be a lot more clear about how we deal with that rather than falling into the trap of trying to do what we did today.

"I just felt when we had control of things, we could have done it better. We ended up doing some silly things, giving away silly fouls and losing our composure, which just adds to that sort of game. And you can't just get any traction.

"I just think we directed our frustration in the wrong way, rather than dealing with it the way we should have."

Mateta must start for Palace

Crystal Palace's fine form under Glasner last season coincided with Mateta finding the best scoring form of his career. His 13 goals in 11 games put him in the same bracket as Erling Haaland, the Premier League's top scorer two seasons running.

The Palace boss' tinkering this season has seen Mateta share the striking position with Eddie Nketiah, signed from Arsenal for £30m on Deadline Day, and, for the last two games, settle for a place on the bench.

But, restored as the lone striker against Spurs, Mateta took full advantage and made a strong case to be the first-choice striker moving forward, scoring his fifth goal of the season for Palace in just nine starts across all competitions.

Despite Palace's miserable start to the season, Mateta still ranks among the Premier League's most prolific scorers in 2024, with his 17 goals this calendar year bettered only by Haaland (24) and Cole Palmer (21).

If Palace are to bring themselves out of the relegation battle, Mateta will need to be at the heart of the team. What that means for Nketiah is unclear, but he can have no complaints about being benched after an underwhelming start at his new club.

Spurs have a problem on the road

Tottenham just don't look like the same side when they aren't playing at home. At Crystal Palace, they never really looked like winning, even though they had a whole half to mount a comeback.

Ange Postecoglou said his side lost composure at Selhurst Park and fell into playing Palace at their game, rather than imposing their own style. But it seems to be a trend.

Spurs have won one of their five away games in the Premier League season - that was when Manchester United failed to turn up at Old Trafford.

Spurs' only other point on the road came in a draw against newly promoted Leicester in their first game of the season, when they were expected to blow their opposition away.

The other three games - against Newcastle, Brighton and now Crystal Palace - have ended in defeat. These problems go back further than just this season.

Spurs have managed just three away wins in the Premier League in 2024 - against Sheffield United, Aston Villa and Manchester United.

It seems Spurs struggle to stick to their philosophy when the going gets tough, and they don't have their fans to lean on.

For a club with ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League, this worrying habit needs to be addressed, otherwise Spurs will have to cope without it for another year.

Story of the match in stats...

Opta stats: Spurs struggling in London derbies

This 1-0 win was only Crystal Palace's second win across their last 19 Premier League games against Tottenham (D2 L15), though both victories in that time have come at Selhurst Park whilst keeping a clean sheet.

Tottenham have failed to win any of their four away London derby matches in the Premier League in 2024 (D1 L3), failing to score in three of those matches, whilst netting just one goal in total.

What's coming up in the Premier League?

Tottenham's line-up against AZ Alkmaar said it all. Heung-Min Son, Dejan Kulusevski, Dominic Solanke were all rested to preserve minutes for key attackers - but James Maddison lined up alongside a string of squad players.

Albeit named as Tottenham's captain for the night to provide leadership on the pitch, Ange Postecoglou would not have used Maddison in such a fixture a year ago.

It is not the first time this week where Maddison's squad status has come into question.

Stream the Premier League on Sky Sports with NOW TV

Live Premier League table | Watch PL highlights for free

Last weekend, the midfielder created five chances in the opening 45 minutes against West Ham - more than any Premier League player managed across the entire weekend - including laying on the pass for Kulusevski's equaliser. Tottenham went in at half-time drawing and if anyone was going to break down the Hammers in the second half, it would have been Maddison.

When he was suddenly replaced by Pape Sarr at half-time, the immediate thought was the switch was injury related. Until Postecoglou announced the removal of Tottenham's brightest spark was a tactical call.

"I just felt we needed some more running power in that midfield area," said the Spurs manager. "Pape gives us a real good energy there and I thought that helped us in the second half."

Introducing Sarr ended up being the right call by Postecoglou. First of all, Spurs looked a lot more balanced in the second period, restricting West Ham to scraps after an open first half.

Sarr helped through his expert duel-winning ability, winning twice as many in the second period than Maddison managed in the first and played a key role in two of Spurs' second half goals.

First, his key pass to Son allowed the South Korean forward to set up Yves Bissouma. Sarr later fed the Tottenham captain, after winning the ball back impressively, to get the fourth goal in an eight-minute flurry at the start of the second half. Postecoglou's bold move paid off.

But the removal of Maddison - plus the selection against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night - spoke volumes about his place in the Spurs squad. This time last year, Maddison was on course to be Premier League player of the season with the way he started the last campaign. He was an irreplaceable cog in the Tottenham midfield.

Now, while Maddison still starts every game and impresses in a lot of attacking metrics, he is also yet to complete 90 minutes for Spurs this season. When Son, Kulusevski and Solanke start league matches, they tend to last the distance.

So why is Maddison deemed so dispensable by Postecoglou? Perhaps it is because Spurs have an even more impressive creative fulcrum in Kulusevski.

The Swedish forward has been used in a deeper attacking midfield role for most of this season so far and has unarguably been Tottenham's brightest and most consistent player this term.

No Premier League player has created more chances from open play than Kulusevski so far this season and that is partly due to his excellent ball-carrying ability.

Kulusevski is also crucial to Spurs' high press. Postecoglou's side sit top of possessions won in the final third out of all the teams in Europe's top five leagues with 60 so far. And at the top of Spurs' list for that category is Kulusevski with 13 regains in high areas.

Maddison, meanwhile, is streets clear at the top of Europe's top five leagues in terms of Expected Assists underlying how much he gives to his team-mates. But again, Kulusevski also brings that same support to Spurs in a different way.

In his attacking midfield role, Kulusevski tends to drift to the right wing to create an overload on that flank. It has been massively supportive to Brennan Johnson, whose run of six goals in six games came to an end this week.

It is a free role for Kulusevski that makes it difficult for opponents to track Spurs' fluid attacking set-up. "They can't know how to defend against me when I don't even know where I'm going!" said the Swede after the West Ham win.

"It's all freedom and every game is different. I have that freedom, my team-mates trust me, the manager trusts me."

Maddison also has that ability to drift wide and affect matters. His ability to play with Son and Destiny Udogie in a triangle on the left is similar to Kulusevski's role on the opposite flank - and has been a successful tactic for Postecoglou at Spurs.

But playing Maddison and Kulusevski together in the midfield at the same time, as shown in the first half against West Ham at the weekend, has balance concerns. And if Bissouma and Sarr are needed as a double midfield pivot, then one of the attacking fulcrums has to make way.

With Kulusevski playing so well and being Spurs' most important player this season, it puts Maddison's role in the Tottenham starting line-up under threat. The 27-year-old lost his England place over the summer, is he running the risk of losing his club spot too?