Archie Gray’s Late Header Secures Vital Win for Tottenham, Leeds Earn Draw with Sunderland
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A crucial victory for Tottenham Hotspur and a hard-fought draw for Leeds United marked a compelling day of Premier League action on Sunday, December 28, 2025. Tottenham edged past Crystal Palace 1-0, while Leeds denied Sunderland a top-five spot with a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light.
Tottenham Grind Out Victory at Selhurst Park
Archie Gray proved to be the unlikely hero for Tottenham, scoring his first senior goal to secure a much-needed three points for the team. The win, achieved against a resilient Crystal Palace side, represents only the second league victory for Tottenham in their last nine games. Despite having two goals disallowed for offside – both scored by Richarlison – Gray’s header proved decisive.
Palace, currently experiencing a dip in form, are now winless in five matches, a consequence, according to reports, of stretching limited resources across multiple competitions. A senior official within the club described their recent set-piece defending as “embarrassing,” a vulnerability Tottenham exploited with Gray’s winning goal from a corner.
While the victory provides temporary relief for manager Thomas Frank, another uninspired performance going forward is unlikely to silence his critics within the Tottenham faithful. The visitors failed to register a shot on target from open play before halftime, relying on VAR to overturn an initial offside call on Richarlison. Ultimately, it was Gray who broke the deadlock, heading in Richarlison’s flick for his first goal in 112 appearances for both Tottenham and Leeds.
Palace dominated possession after the break but lacked the clinical edge needed to capitalize. Opportunities went begging, with Justin Devenny shooting high over the bar and Maxence Lacroix heading wide. Another potential goal for Palace, from Mohammed Kudus to Richarlison, was again ruled out by VAR. Tottenham ultimately held firm, climbing to 11th in the league table, just one point behind Palace in ninth.
Calvert-Lewin Continues Hot Streak as Leeds Secure Draw
Earlier in the day, Dominic Calvert-Lewin continued his remarkable scoring run, netting for a sixth consecutive Premier League game as Leeds secured a 1-1 draw against Sunderland. The result denied Sunderland a place in the top five.
Simon Adingra put Sunderland ahead with a well-placed shot in the first half, but Calvert-Lewin responded early in the second period, leveling the score and bolstering Leeds’ position above the relegation zone. Sunderland, despite remaining unbeaten at home since their return to the top flight, are facing challenges due to the absence of six players currently participating in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Interestingly, Adingra, a key player for Ivory Coast during their recent AFCON triumph, was not selected for the tournament this year, a fortunate circumstance for Sunderland. The winger capitalized on a fine through ball from Granit Xhaka to score his first goal for the club on 28 minutes. Leeds, however, started the second half strongly, with Calvert-Lewin capitalizing on a low cross from Brenden Aaronson for his eighth goal of the season – seven of which have come in the last six games.
The former Everton striker’s prolific form is proving instrumental in Leeds’ fight for survival and has, according to reports, secured the future of manager Daniel Farke, who was previously considered to be on the brink of dismissal. “I’m not dancing on the table tonight,” Farke stated, “The feeling was if we were a bit more clinical we should have won the game.” Sunderland, while disappointed to miss out on a top-five spot, remain seventh, just four points outside the Champions League qualification places.
