Everton vs. Tottenham: What to expect from Merseyside
By Gary Pearson
Tottenham get back on the horse with a visit to Goodison Park, where Spurs haven’t lost a Premier League match in almost five years.
The last time Everton defeated Tottenham on Merseyside was on Dec. 9, 2012. Since then, Spurs are unbeaten in four matches, with three draws and a win. However, Everton – with only two defeats – enjoyed the fourth best home record in the league during the 2016-17 campaign. The Toffees have won 10 of 11 recent matches at Goodison but have yet to play a home match in the current campaign. Only Spurs – with 31 – have accrued more points than Everton during that time frame.
While Everton have enjoyed a good run of form at home, Spurs have won six of their recent seven away matches, scoring at least two goals in three of those fixtures. The Toffees have bolstered their club with bundles of summer transfers, including the team’s marquee signing, Gylfi Sigurdsson. With aspirations of a top-four finish, Everton are a much improved side from a season ago.
Deficient areas Spurs should target
Everton are almost completely devoid of any weaknesses in their starting 11, except in central defence. Koeman is expected to line up with three central defenders, including elder statesman Phil Jagielka. The 35-year-old was dropped for larger portions of the 2016-17 campaign but made a resurgence during the latter stages of the season. He’s the one glaring vulnerability of Everton’s otherwise solid first team.
Jagielka has lost a lot of pace in recent years, a facet of his game Harry Kane and Dele Alli should exploit. Both Kane and Alli are quick – Kane after he gets going and Alli right out of the blocks – and must force the tempo against a comparatively slow center back pairing. Ashley Williams is significantly quicker than his ageing defensive partner but his top speed still pales in comparison to Spurs’ front men.
Everton’s most recent signing, 22-year-old Sandro Ramirez, is expected to start. Signed from Malaga, the Spanish forward scored 14 goals in La Liga last season. He’s strong, gifted with pace and has a nose for goal.
Rooney, after being arrested for driving under the influence during the international break, should retain his spot in Everton’s starting 11. However, we’ll have to wait and see whether another off-field transgression will affect his performance.
Spurs match up well vs Everton
Unbeaten in nine games against Everton, Tottenham will look forward to leaving the capital, albeit temporarily. Most teams dread visiting Goodison. Tottenham, though, aren’t most teams. Winning three away matches in a row, Tottenham are poised to triumph in their fourth consecutive road match for the first time since January 2014.
New signing Serge Aurier should slide directly into the first team, even though the 24-year-old hasn’t appeared in a competitive match so far this season. Fernando Llorente, however, should start on the bench. Llorente is also short on match fitness, with the Spaniard now fully recovered from the broken arm he suffered while riding his bike before pre-season training.
Concerns are mounting over Victor Wanyama’s fitness. If he is unable to go, Eric Dier should keep his defensive midfield role, providing the opportunity for Davinson Sanchez to make his Spurs debut alongside Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen.
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For Spurs to extend their unbeaten streak at Goodison, Harry Kane will have to get off the mark with his 100th Spurs’ goal in all competitions. Kane started September with a bang, scoring two goals in England’s 4-0 win over Malta. While Malta doesn’t pose the same threat as Everton, Kane will still take solace from bulging the old onion bag on two separate occasions.