Tottenham v Everton Preview & Lineups

Tottenham welcome Ronald Koeman’s Everton to White Hart Lane on Sunday for perhaps one of the trickiest matches left on the host’s schedule.

Mauricio Pochettino will take some relief from the remaining games on Tottenham’s calendar. Plenty of home fixtures, only Arsenal and Manchester United to worry about and troublesome schedules for their primary rivals for the Champions League spots.

On current form though there might not be a more difficult side in the Premier League than Everton. They are undefeated in 2017, having won five of their last seven matches.

Add to that the fact that Romelu Lukaku is on fire. He and Harry Kane share the lead for most goals scored this season and it feels like it will come down to the wire at the current pace.

Tottenham, for their part, enjoy a similar record, marred only by a 2-0 loss to Everton’s rivals Liverpool. Just last weekend they dealt a 4-0 blow to Stoke City, seemingly recovering from the slump that began at Anfield two weeks prior.

Let’s check out the lineups.

Pochettino names an identical lineup to the one that beat Stoke a week ago. That comes as something of a mild surprise. Both Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen were forced off the pitch last weekend and were doubts ahead of this match.

With those two in the lineup, Tottenham will again line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Kyle Walker and Ben Davies will hope to contain Everton’s own adventurous full-backs, while Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen will funnel the ball for Kane to do what he does best through the middle.

Though Koeman himself has toyed with a three-at-the-back formation in recent weeks, here he has his Everton side line up in a more traditional 4-3-2-1 — also known as the Christmas Tree formation.

That shape’s component parts are the best Everton could muster for the occasion. The midfield trio of Idrissa Gueye, Morgan Schneiderlin and Gareth Barry is designed to nullify and smother opposing attacks. Mousa Dembélé will have to be especially crafty to shuttle the ball forward here.

Everton’s will be a narrow attack, which should fall in favor of Tottenham’s similarly narrow defending. Eric Dier, Alderweireld and Vertonghen will have to keep the ball from finding Lukaku at the top of the formation.

Koeman’s biggest liability comes in his own defense though. Ashley Williams and Ramiro Funes Mori are hardly elite, especially as they won’t enjoy robust support from their advanced full-backs.

Next: Tottenham and Everton Are Very Similar

Check back with us after the match for an extended match report, player ratings and tactical analysis.