Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson said Wilfried Zaha and Jeffrey Schlupp are starting from the bench against Tottenham Hotspur because he was impressed by the team’s performance in their last two matches.
The Eagles have settled for back-to-back draws in their last Premier League games, against Fulham and Manchester United, and they will be focused on fighting for maximum points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Gareth Bale's opener for the hosts.
Despite his absence, Zaha remains Crystal Palace's leading scorer with nine goals in 19 league matches this campaign while Schlupp has two goals and an assist to his name so far.