Tottenham Hotspur will be aiming to get back to winning ways when they play hosts to Everton in the Premier League on Monday night.
Tottenham will be looking to keep their hopes of securing European football for the next season alive, when they lock horns with Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the final fixture of Matchday 33.
Jose Mourinho’s troops haven’t made the most favourable start to the final phase of the season after the enforced break. Spurs have won just one of their three fixtures since resumption (D1 L1), with their most recent fixture ending in a 3-1 thumping at the hands of Sheffield United. They have failed to win eight of their last nine games in all competitions.
Currently tenth in the table, they are seven points off of Wolves in sixth and four below Arsenal in seventh – a position that has been enough to secure a Europa League place in the last five seasons. However, things will not be easy for the North Londoners against an Everton side that are on a resurgent run since the campaign resumed last month.
The Toffees are unbeaten in their three matches post the break, having managed to hold Liverpool to a goalless draw, before beating Norwich City (1-0) and Leicester City (2-1). They are just a point and a place below their Monday’s opponents and can still mount a push for a Europa League qualifying spot with a strong finish to the season.
The reverse fixture, played at Goodison Park in November last year, ended in a dramatic 1-1 draw, with Cenk Tosun equalising for Everton late in stoppage time after Dele Alli had scored for Tottenham. Ahead of their latest meeting this Monday, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both the teams.
Team News & Tactics
Tottenham Hotspur
Mourinho will be sweating over the fitness of Dele Alli, who picked up a thigh injury during training. However, the manager sounded positive over the Englishman’s availability in his pre-match press conference. Apart from Alli, Troy Parrott is closing in on a return, but Japhet Tanganga and Juan Foyth remain unavailable for selection.
The Spurs’ boss hinted at rotating his players with games coming thick and fast. So, there ought to be some changes from the disappointing outing against Sheffield United.
Captain Hugo Lloris is nailed on to start between the sticks, but there could be an alteration in the backline protecting him as Toby Alderweireld should replace the error-prone Davinson Sanchez alongside Eric Dier. Serge Aurier and Ben Davies should continue as the two full-backs on the right and left sides respectively.
Moussa Sissoko has started three games in a row in midfield and could be given a breather on Monday, with Harry Winks likely to come in for the Frenchman. Tanguy Ndombele made a brief appearance from the bench last time out and looked to provide that bit of creativity that was lacking for most of the game. He could be in line for a rare start on Monday.
Erik Lamela was another player who looked bright after coming on as a sub against the Blades. He should get a run-out from the start in the No.10 role, with Alli and Giovani Lo Celso likely to be given a breather. Steven Bergwijn and Son Heung-min should slot in on the flanks, with star man Harry Kane spearheading the attack.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Dier, Davies; Winks, Ndombele; Bergwijn, Lamela, Son; Kane
Everton
Everton have been treated with some good news ahead of their trip to North London as Djibril Sidibe has recovered from his injury and is available for selection. Richarlison, who picked up a knock against Leicester last time out, is also expected to be available. However, they continue to be without the services of Theo Walcott, Fabian Delph and Jean-Philippe Gbamin.
Ancelotti should continue to set his team up in a 4-4-2 formation in front of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. There is no looking past Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne in the full-back slots for the Toffees, while Michael Keane and Mason Holgate should continue at the heart of the defence, although the fit-again Yerry Mina is an option.
Andre Gomes is a certainty to feature in central midfield for Everton. While Gylfi Sigurdsson started last time out and scored from the penalty spot, he is likely to drop to the bench, with the more industrious and energetic Tom Davies expected to start.
19-year-old Anthony Gordon has been heavily involved since the resumption of the season, but could make way for the experienced Bernard against Spurs. The Brazilian should slot in on the left flank, with Alex Iwobi lining up on the right.
With Richarlison expected to be available, he should continue to partner Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the two-pronged strikeforce. Moise Kean will be the backup option.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Holgate, Digne; Iwobi, Davies, Gomes, Bernard; Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison
Key Stats
- Tottenham have lost just three of their 27 Premier League home matches against Everton (W16 D8). The Lilywhites are unbeaten in their last 10 such games against the Merseysiders.
- Everton are without a win in their last 14 Premier League meetings with Tottenham (D7 L7). Their last victory against the North London outfit came in December 2012, a 2-1 win at Goodison Park.
- Tottenham’s current 14-game unbeaten run against Everton is their joint longest run without defeat against a specific opponent in the Premier League.
- Since Carlo Ancelotti’s first game in charge of Everton on Boxing Day, only Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City have earned more points in the Premier League than the Toffees (25).
- Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has never lost a home game against Everton in his career, winning seven and drawing two of his nine matches.
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
It has been a difficult season for Harry Kane, having spent much of the second half of the campaign out on the treatment tables. Now, back on the field since the resumption of the campaign, the England captain has shown signs of slowly getting back to his best. The 26-year-old found the back of the net in the last two matches and will be looking to build on that.
Kane certainly relishes playing against Everton, having scored twice in each of his last four Premier League matches against the Merseyside outfit. Should he bag a brace on Monday night, he will become the first player ever to score 2+ goals in five consecutive games against an opponent in the competition.
Prediction
Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Everton
Tottenham’s form has been up and down for the majority of the season and it has followed a similar pattern since the resumption of football. With just one win in their last nine matches in all competitions, things don’t look good for the North Londoners at the moment.
Everton, on the other hand, have won two of their three matches after the Premier League returned last month. Having managed to hold off a formidable side like Liverpool, the Toffees are very much capable of frustrating Spurs, who looked devoid of any creativity against Sheffield United and in Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison they have two forwards who can hurt the hosts.
And hence, The Hard Tackle is predicting Carlo Ancelotti’s men to pick up another narrow win on Monday night, heaping further misery on Jose Mourinho & co.
