Tottenham 2 Everton 1
Two teams met at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium who had come into form of late. Ange Postecoglou’s side welcomed a resurgent Everton, spurred on by their points deduction and being the black sheep of the Premier League.
Like any good Christmas panto, it was always going to be the way that Tottenham’s first goal was going to be scored by Richarlison. After some good work down the right by Johnson, he whipped a ball into the box and the Brazilian met it at the near post to put Spurs ahead.
Often the pantomime villain, he began to celebrate but then remembered he used to play for Everton so chose not to show his emotions. It was a crisp move by Postecoglou’s side and a neat finish by the striker.
Mykolenko then found himself in acres of space down the left and clipped in a quality cross to find the head of Calvert-Lewin. His effort was punched away by Vicario. For someone who is so good in the air, it baffles how often he heads it straight at the keeper.
Credit: @Arsenal
Kulusevski, who still looked like what would happen if you ordered batman from wish, was making some good runs and fed Johnson but all Tottenham could do was force a corner. The pair combined again from the resulting set piece but Pickford blocked the Welshman’s effort.
As much as people rate Jordan Pickford, and he is a good shot-stopper, all too often he palms the ball back out into the danger area. Son was there to meet it and drilled the ball into the back of the net. Everton’s own T-Rex had a look on his face like he had just spotted a huge rock heading to Earth.
The visitors continued to carve out chances and as a cross came to the back post, Mykolenko met it but was confronted with two footballs. He struck the one that had come from the wing wide of the post but looked confused by the whole situation.
Garner then had a chance to go for goal moments later just inside the box but Vicario got down to save it. Harrison sprung the Tottenham high line and went for the bottom corner but Spurs’ keeper was to foil Everton once again.
It was no more than the visitors had deserved after spurring a number of chances in the first half. Apart from the scoreline, the game had been an even contest, it was just a case that the hosts had buried their two chances.
Sadly, VAR sent the referee to the monitor and he decided that Gomes’ challenge on Royal was a foul and disallowed the goal. Soon after, Harrison found Garner who got a shot away, only to see it clip the outside of the post.
Credit: @SpursOfficial
Tottenham countered and the wish batman got a left-footed shot away but Pickford got down well to save at his near post to keep his side remotely in this game. They had enjoyed more than enough chances to be leading at this point.
An Everton corner was half cleared by the head of Dier before Gomes struck it into the bottom corner. The forgotten man of Goodison Park had given them a glimmer of hope with time running out in North London.
Danjuma had an effort which drew a smart save from Vicario to deny them an equaliser. The Toffees continued to press and he was to hit a volley that rattled off the underside of the crossbar, hit Vicario’s thigh and come back out.
The assistant raised his flag but the replay showed it was Beto who was in an offside position and had the ball gone in, VAR would have reviewed it and allowed the goal. Tottenham managed to hold on and move to fourth in the table with victory. On another day, Everton could have won this.
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