Tottenham player ratings after 1-0 win over Crystal Palace: Two 6/10, one 4/10 in a new formation

Spurs’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace had a bit of an end-of season ‘board game day’ feel to it.

Both teams are safe and neither are in the running for big honours.

Caretaker boss Ryan Mason changed formation to a four-four-two, with Richarlison next to Harry Kane up front, and Pedro Porro and Son Heung-min on the wings.

It suited Spurs, who looked dynamic going forward even if they never managed to kill the game off after Harry Kane’s first-half headed goal.

Fraser Forster (5)

The keeper got down well on the few occasions when he was needed. The big man is an able deputy for Lloris, who is out for the rest of the season with a thigh injury.

Emerson Royal (5)

The Brazilian is better defending than going forward and so the formation suited him. In a tidy game a sprint in parallel with Richarlison past Ayew might have been the highlight.

Cristian Romero (5)

The agent-of-chaos centre back hit the bar with a header from a corner and put in a perfect last-ditch tackle in the first 20 minutes. It was an assured performance with solid defending and headed clearances. There continue to be wayward passes but he put a perfect ball over the top to Son, who should have scored.

Clement Lenglet (5)

The Frenchman’s stay at Spurs may not turn out to be a long one, but he has been consistent in a poor Spurs season. He slotted in well as the left-sided centre back.

Pedro Porro (6)

The Spaniard has had a difficult start at Spurs and this was an opportunity to play to his strengths, as an out-and-out winger with Royal behind him at full-back. And it worked: a cross in, a Kane header - simple as that.

In the second half Son was left fuming when Porro opted to shoot rather than play him in. But then minutes later a deflected Porro shot forced a save.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (5)

The Dane had a tidy game but missed a good opportunity, fed through by Kane in the first half.

Oliver Skipp (5)

Another tidy, if unremarkable, game from Skipp, whose return to his best form continues after a long spell of injury.

Ben Davies (4)

Not the best performance from the experienced defender, who is coming back from injury. There were misplaced passes and missed opportunities to progress the play. He is well suited to a four at the back though, especially playing behind Son.

Son Heung-min (5)

Although Son’s form has picked up recently, he is still off his best. He seemed freer here though than in many games, playing on the wing and looking to create. When he did get played through with a long ball from Romero towards the end, he really should have scored but when he rounded Sam Johnstone the keeper still managed to get a big hand to it.

Harry Kane (6)

God save the Kane - he scores goals. This one he set up and scored with a lovely ball out wide, followed by an old-fashioned header from a Porro cross, the striker as clinical as ever. And he’s overtaken Wayne Rooney for Premier League goals, in case you hadn’t heard.

When the ball came loose in his own six-year box, it was the striker who was there to hook it clear.

Richarlison (5)

The Brazilian striker got a rare start up front, partnering Kane. He looked busy early on, spreading a nice ball to Davis but also getting caught offside unnecessarily when his strike partner headed forwards. And the game played out in that fashion. Nothing is really falling for him, and once again he looked dejected when taken off towards the end.

Substitutes

Dejan Kulusevski

Deki came on for Richarlison with just over ten minutes to play.

Eric Dier

The Englishman came on for Lenglet who took a knock throwing himself into a ‘tackle’ late on.

Arnaut Danjuma

Once again, Danjuma only got a cameo in the came, coming on for Son late on.