Everton 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Everton and Spurs shared the spoils in a dramatic Premier League clash at Goodison Park as Cenk Tosun headed a 97th-minute equaliser for the Toffees.
After Dele Alli had put Spurs ahead, the game exploded into life, with VAR controversy, a horrific injury to Andre Gomes, a Red Card and 12 minutes added time. Mauricio Pochettino and Marco Silva are two head coaches under serious scrutiny, the Everton boss was arguably under more pressure in the run-up to this game.
These are two teams we would normally expect to be in the Premier League 2019 betting odds for a top-four place. This time last season, Spurs were in a three-horse title race with Liverpool and Manchester City, while Everton looked the most likely club to break into the top six.
But wind forward 12 months and the Premier League 2019 results already in for the weekend left Spurs in 13th place and Everton in 17th. After today’s result Spurs moved up two positions but Everton stay one place above the drop zone.
Highlights of the game
In front of an expectant Goodison Park crowd, the football was open in a lively first half, but neither chance managed to carve out a clear cut chance. With England head coach Gareth Southgate in attendance, the quality was noticeably absent. Spurs had 60 per cent of the possession but only managed two shots, while the Toffees had four attempts on goal.
Spurs made the trip north without captain and talisman Harry Kane due to illness, so Lucas Moura started up front, but he made little progress all afternoon. The visitors’ best attempt in the first 45 came from a corner. Tanguy NDombele worked the ball out to Serge Aurier and he swung in a cross which almost caught out Everton keeper Jordan Pickford, but he just managed to tip the ball away. For Everton, Richarlison looked as likely as anyone to cause Spurs problems and when he latched on to a cross from Lucas Digne, he turned and shot but straight at Paulo Gazzaniga. Andre Gomes got on the end of a Theo Walcott cross but he was off balance and headed over.
It almost had a feeling of neither team wanting to lose, and the second half started as the first had ended. There has been plenty of VAR controversy this season already, and the crowd became tetchy when Heung-Min Son went down in the penalty area under a challenge from Yerry Mina. There didn’t seem to be much in it, but VAR took two minutes to rule out a spot-kick.
Then the game came alive. Everton skipper Digne crossed for Richarlison again, and this time the Brazilian’s shot had more venom but Gazzaniga saved, and almost immediately Spurs went ahead. Everton’s Alex Iwobi inexplicably passed straight to Alli and he evaded Mason Holgate before slamming the ball beyond Pickford and into the net.
Then, on 70 minutes, it was VAR’s time to take centre stage again. As the ball swung into the Spurs box Alli left his hand above his head and when the ball hit it, the technology started to whirr again. But somehow the Spurs man got away with it and boos rang around the ground.
And then came a moment of horror for everyone on the pitch. Son pushed into the back of Gomes and the midfielder fell awkwardly and seemingly broke his leg. There was no malicious intent but Son was distraught. Referee Martin Atkinson delivered a red card and the Spurs man went down the tunnel in tears, as Gomes was stretchered off.
The lengthy VAR delays and Gomes’ injury led to 12 minutes injury time and the Goodison crowd roared their team on. And the roof came off on 97 minutes when Everton finally found an incisive move. It was Digne again involved as the ball swung out to the left-wing, he volleyed it back into the danger area and Tosun planted his header into the corner of the net to cue bedlam.
Key Statistics
Spurs are now unbeaten in 14 games against Everton, but they are now winless in the last 12 Premier League away games, drawing three and losing nine. It’s the longest such run since 2001.
Everton have won seven of their last ten home games, but only one of the last four.
What’s next?
A 5-0 win over Red Star Belgrade was a welcome relief from the Premier League for Spurs, and now they head to Belgrade for the return fixture. Pochettino will hope his skipper has recovered from his malaise to be able to make the trip.
Here at SBOBET, we’ll be all over the Champions League and then back to the domestic competitions next weekend. The Toffees go away to Southampton and then have a home fixture against Norwich after the International break, and those two fixtures represent a good chance for Silva’s team to pick up some much-needed points.
They’ll need to be on their game against the Saints, but anything other than three points at home to the Canaries will be seen as a disaster on the Blue half of Merseyside.
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