Troy Deeney raves about ‘fantastic’ Tottenham duo who excelled in Crystal Palace win
Troy Deeney was incredibly impressed with how Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 1-0 on Sunday.
Archie Gray’s first senior goal was enough for Thomas Frank’s side to claim all three points as they moved up to 11th in the Premier League table.
Frank was under pressure going into the match, but seeing out their one-goal advantage sowed seeds of promise among the Tottenham fans who haven’t been impressed with their performances this season.
Spurs head into 2026 with a fresh wave of optimism, and Gray and Kevin Danso were singled out by Deeney for their impressive displays at Selhurst Park.
Troy Deeney heaps praise on what Kevin Danso did vs Crystal Palace
The Austrian defender has been a useful asset, with his long throws becoming incredibly valuable for Frank.
Against the Eagles, he had the tough task of containing the impressive Jean-Philippe Mateta, but he did that with relative ease as Spurs secured their sixth clean sheet of the season.
Deeney named Danso and Gray in his Premier League Team of the Week, and when talking about the defender, he said: “He was going to Wolves at one point, but Spurs swooped in and signed him.
“I think he was meant to be a squad player, but every time he steps in, he’s fantastic. He doesn’t do anything wrong. He just delivers on what he’s supposed to do.”
| Stat | Danso |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Pass accuracy | 68% |
| Clearances | 16 |
| Recoveries | 4 |
| Tackles | 3 |
According to FotMob, the 27-year-old won 78 per cent of his aerial duels and 57 per cent of his ground duels.
Danso leads the way for the most clearances per 90 of any Premier League player (10.7), and he has no issue with putting his body on the line for the benefit of the team.
Often playing second fiddle to Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Danso has thrived every time he has been allowed to start and is more than capable of filling their shoes when he is called upon.
Archie Gray playing himself into contention for England
Gray scored his first professional goal in his 122nd senior appearance, and the joy was etched on his face in his celebration.
Deeney said: “Simply put: he got the winner and he’s done every single thing that Spurs have asked of him – played left-back, played right-back, played right wing. You name it, he’s done it all. I think he goes in for that situation.”
Gray registered a pass accuracy of 78 per cent against Palace, while also having three touches in the opposition box, despite playing in defensive midfield.
At just 19 years of age, a huge amount of responsibility has been placed on him already, even having to play centre-back under Ange Postecoglou for parts of the 2024-25 campaign.
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, there seems to be no reason why he can’t be on Thomas Tuchel’s mind.
England have several gaps across their backline that desperately need addressing, and Gray’s vast experience and versatility at such a young age is almost unheard of at this level.
For now, he needs to keep his head and continue to perform for the Lilywhites, and if he continues down this path, he may have an outside chance of being selected in Tuchel’s final squad.
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