MusaTottenham supporters had become increasingly apprehensive about watching their team play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier in the season, particularly given the club’s disappointing home record over the previous 12 months. However, the atmosphere surrounding North London has begun to change following a noticeable improvement in performances and results under Roberto De Zerbi.
Spurs have collected seven points from their last three Premier League matches, including consecutive victories against Coventry City and Chelsea, suggesting that the Italian manager is beginning to turn things around.
With that momentum behind them, Tottenham will be hoping to extend their winning run when they welcome Crystal Palace to North London on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors, meanwhile, have endured a difficult spell and currently find themselves just one point above the Premier League relegation zone, making the encounter an important opportunity for both sides.
Michael Oliver appointed referee for Tottenham vs Crystal Palace
The Premier League has officially confirmed that experienced referee Michael Oliver will oversee Saturday’s meeting between Tottenham and Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The 44-year-old has taken charge of 57 matches involving Spurs throughout his refereeing career, according to Transfermarkt.
During those encounters, Tottenham have recorded 29 victories, suffered 17 defeats and played out 11 draws.
Oliver has also shown Spurs players 99 yellow cards across those matches, averaging approximately 1.7 bookings per game.
However, one particular statistic could attract the attention of Tottenham supporters ahead of the weekend fixture.
The experienced official has sent off Tottenham players on six occasions, including three instances involving straight red cards.
Given the importance of the Crystal Palace encounter and Tottenham’s desire to maintain their recent improvement, De Zerbi will be hoping his players avoid unnecessary disciplinary problems that could affect their chances of securing another three points.
Tottenham’s disciplinary record has improved significantly under De Zerbi
Discipline was a major concern for Tottenham during the previous Premier League campaign, with the club collecting four red cards and 97 yellow cards throughout last season.
Those dismissals and bookings contributed to several suspensions, creating additional selection problems for the coaching staff.
Although Spurs have already experienced another disciplinary setback this season, with Rodrigo Bentancur receiving a straight red card for his headbutt on Luke Shaw during the 1-1 draw against Manchester United earlier this month, their overall record has improved considerably.
According to FotMob, Tottenham have received just 12 yellow cards across their opening eight Premier League matches, giving them the third-lowest booking tally in the division.
Interestingly, this improvement has come despite De Zerbi’s team recording the second-highest average number of fouls per match, committing 13.9.
The statistics suggest that although Tottenham remain aggressive when pressing opponents and attempting to recover possession, they have generally been more disciplined in their challenges and have avoided accumulating unnecessary bookings.
For De Zerbi, maintaining that balance will be particularly important against Crystal Palace.
With Michael Oliver taking charge and Tottenham looking to make it three consecutive Premier League victories, the manager will want his players to combine their usual intensity with greater composure.
Avoiding another costly dismissal or unnecessary suspension could prove just as important as their performances in possession as Spurs attempt to continue their recent resurgence.
Musa
