Ban rap for Neil
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN came up with a moment of class to keep Tottenham in the title race.
The Dane struck in the 78th minute with a vicious, dipping shot from 25 yards to beat Wayne Hennessey.
It was the one piece of magic in the game from a tired-looking Spurs side.
And it again closed the gap behind Chelsea at the top to four points.
Spurs had looked anxious at Selhurst Park as they desperately tried to keep their title bid on track.
Their efforts were not helped by a Palace side looking to extend a run that had seen them pick up 19 points from their last 24.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side needed to put Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final defeat behind them.
But Chelsea did not help their mood by winning 4-2 against Southampton on Tuesday, the same score by which they beat their title rivals at Wembley.
Harry Kane had the first serious pot at goal with a half-volley which was always going wide.
Then Andros Townsend did well to tee up Christian Benteke for a rightfoot shot but he did not get enough power or angle on it to seriously trouble Hugo Lloris.
Kyle Walker, who looked particularly rusty early on, wasted a great chance on the half-volley, screwing his shot well off target.
Victor Wanyama was first in referee Jon Moss’s book for a late challenge on Luka Milivojevic.
Then the usually-reliable Eriksen failed to pick out a team-mate when he had two stabs at a cross from inside the box.
Kenyan Wanyama could have seen red in the 35th minute for a crude sliding challenge on Townsend, but Moss allowed him to escape with a lecture.
Hooked
Townsend, against his former club, looked lively and after a surging run in the 40th minute he shot not far over.
At half-time Pochettino hauled off Wanyama, with his holding midfield partner Mousa Dembele hooked too. Moussa Sissoko and Heung-min Son replaced them.
But there was no real sparkle to the players in white shirts, although Palace – like any team managed by Sam Allardyce – were not making it easy for them and Wilfried Zaha was a constant thorn in their side.
At the other end, Dele Alli couldn’t hit the target after he found a little space to have a pot at goal.
There was a blow for Palace in the 54th minute when Mamadou Sakho looked to suffer a serious knee injury as he fell awkwardly
He was carried off on a stretcher and replaced by Damien Delaney.
Spurs immediately turned up the pressure but despite having won their previous seven in the league, there was nothing super about them.
When Walker did deliver a teasing cross from the right, Young Player of the Year Alli contrived to volley it back across goal and out for a goal kick.
Alli was on target with a curler soon after his flop, but Hennessey was not too stretched to collect.
Then up stepped Eriksen with his magical strike to win it. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-2-3-1): TOTTENHAM (3-4-3): Referee: ® NEIL TAYLOR will miss Wales’ World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Austria after being punished for his horrortackle on Seamus Coleman.
The Republic of Ireland defender suffered a double leg break as a result of Taylor’s challenge at the Aviva Stadium last month.
Taylor was shown a straight red card and his two-match ban leaves Wales boss Chris Coleman with selection problems ahead of the Serbia tie in Belgrade.
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale was already suspended for the June fixture, before he was sidelined for a month by a calf injury.
Wales’ hopes of a place in Russia next year could be over if they lose to Serbia.
Coleman’s side trail the front-runners Republic of Ireland and Serbia by four points with five games remaining.