Lucas Bergvall sparked concern on Sunday night after being forced off during the second half of Tottenham Hotspur’s narrow victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Spurs rounded off their 2025 league campaign on a positive note with a gritty 1-0 Premier League win, bringing an end to a short spell of disappointing results. While the performance wasn’t perfect, the three points were vital in keeping Tottenham within touching distance of the European places.
Crystal Palace began the match on the front foot, pressing high and unsettling the visitors early on. Tottenham briefly thought they had broken the deadlock in the 17th minute when Richarlison converted from close range, but celebrations were cut short. Bergvall was adjudged to be offside in the build-up, and the goal was chalked off following a swift VAR review.
Spurs responded well and gradually grew into the contest. Just before the interval, they struck the decisive blow against the run of play. Pedro Porro’s corner caused havoc in the Palace box, with both Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison involved as the ball refused to be cleared.
It eventually dropped kindly for Archie Gray, who showed great composure to head home in the 42nd minute and net his first senior goal.
Palace came out strongly after the break, ramping up the pressure in search of an equaliser.
Tottenham sat deeper to defend their advantage but nearly doubled their lead midway through the half. For the second time on the night, Richarlison found the back of the net — only for VAR to intervene again and rule him offside.
The closing stages saw sustained pressure from the hosts, yet Spurs stood firm. Despite a flurry of late attacks, the visitors remained disciplined and organised, seeing out the match to secure a hard-earned victory.
Thomas Frank offers Bergvall injury update
Despite the positive result, attention quickly turned to Bergvall’s condition after the midfielder was withdrawn in the 63rd minute. Filling in as the No.10 due to Xavi Simons’ suspension, the Swedish youngster appeared to suffer a groin issue.
Although he showed flashes of quality with neat touches and intelligent passing, he struggled to consistently impose himself in advanced areas.
His substitution immediately raised doubts over his availability for Tottenham’s upcoming fixtures.
Speaking after the match, head coach Thomas Frank offered a cautious but optimistic update ahead of the New Year’s Eve clash with Brentford, saying:
“Yes, I hope so. Of course, we will assess him tomorrow.”
Frank’s comments provided some reassurance, and the fact Bergvall was able to leave the pitch with assistance suggests the issue may not be severe. Nevertheless, his fitness will continue to be monitored closely.
The win lifted Tottenham to 11th in the Premier League table, leaving them just four points adrift of fifth-placed Chelsea and keeping hopes of a late push alive. However, squad depth remains a concern during the demanding festive schedule.
With Xavi Simons set to miss two more league games following his red card against Liverpool, any absence for Bergvall would force Frank into another reshuffle when Spurs travel to Brentford. Supporters will be hoping the teenager makes a swift recovery ahead of Tottenham’s first match of 2026 at the Gtech Community Stadium.
