Relegation-threatened Everton are all set to host Tottenham Hotspur, who are pushing for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Everton, who are currently 17th in the English top flight, will square up against fourth-placed Tottenham on their home turf. Both teams will be desperate for a win in this encounter for different reasons. The Toffees search for a win in hopes of surviving in the Premier League, while Spurs look to stay alive in the race for a Champions League spot.
The home team have accumulated 26 points out of their 28 matches and are just one spot above the relegation zone. Things have not gone according to plan for Everton, who in general are within the top half of the table. But, this time around, they are fighting relegation.
The Toffees have managed just five points out of their last five matches. They have won one, drawn two and lost two. Sean Dyche, who recently took charge of the club, has done a decent job. But he needs a few more big wins before the end of the season to save them from the drop.
Everton will head into this encounter high on confidence, given the fact that they have been unbeaten in their last three league matches. Their last outing was a 2-2 draw against a strong Chelsea unit. Dyche will hope for a similar performance from his team when they square up against a deadly Spurs outfit.
The visitors have been the talk of the town of late. From their UCL exit to their manager blasting the players in his press conference, things have gone wrong in all directions for the London club. Spurs recently parted ways with Antonio Conte and are now taken care of by Cristian Stellini.
Tottenham are currently fourth with 49 points out of their 28 fixtures. They are two points above fifth-placed Newcastle United, who have two games in hand. While Spurs might be sitting in a UCL spot at this point in time, they are well aware that this is not an easy battle to win.
Tottenham are on a decent run in the league, amassing ten points out of their last five fixtures. They have won three, drawn one and lost one over these five outings. Stellini’s team are heading into this match on the back of a rather disappointing 3-3 draw against Southampton, post which their manager was sacked.
Both teams are desperate for a win and it might not be as easy for Tottenham to claim all three points as they did in the reverse fixture when they won 2-0. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at this fixture and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Everton
Getting set for Monday night. 💪 #EVETOT
— Everton (@Everton) April 1, 2023
Sean Dyche will be without the services of Andros Townsend, who is out due to an ACL injury. Apart from Townsend, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is another player who might not make it to the squad due to his muscle injury.
Everton are expected to start with the 4-3-3 formation, where Jordan Pickford will be in goal. Seamus Coleman and Ben Godfrey will be the full-backs. Michael Keane will pair up with James Tarkowski in the heart of the defence.
Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gueye, and Abdoulaye Doucoure will form the midfield three in front of the defence. Gueye will take the holding role, while the other two will feature in a box-to-box role.
As far as their attack goes, Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwobi will start out wide on the flanks. And, Demarai Gray will be leading the attack for the Toffees.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Tarkowski, Godfrey; Gueye, Doucoure, Onana; Iwobi, Gray, McNeil
Tottenham
Caretaker manager Cristian Stellini has a few injuries to deal with as he heads into this fixture. Ben Davies, Emerson Royal, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ryan Sessegnon, Yves Bissouma and former Everton star Richarlison are all out injured.
Finishing touches ahead of #EVETOT 👊 pic.twitter.com/uUP96ksB6y
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 1, 2023
Meanwhile, they do have a boost, as Hugo Lloris has resumed training and is expected to take charge in the goal. Stellini might start with a 3-4-3 formation.
Cristian Romero, Eric Dier and Clement Lenglet are expected to form the back three. Pedro Porro and Ivan Perisic will start as the wing-backs. And, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will pair up with Oliver Skipp in the centre of the park.
The duo will look to control the pace of the game and supply the ball out wide to the wingers Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min. The wingers will look to stretch the opposition’s defence, cut inside and supply balls for their leading marksman Harry Kane.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Lloris; Romero, Dier, Lenglet; Porro, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Perisic; Kulusevski, Kane, Son
Key Stats
- Tottenham Hotspur love to square up against Everton as they have won more Premier League games against the Toffees than any other opponent (29).
- Harry Kane’s record against Everton is outstanding. He has scored 14 goals in 15 Premier League against them.
- Everton have won three of their four home games in the Dyche era.
- Everton have failed to defeat Tottenham in the league at home since 2012.
- The Toffees’ last win against Spurs came away from home back in 2020. It was their only win in 20 meetings.
Player to Watch
Son Heung-min
The highly sought-after Son Heung-min could be the difference between the two teams when they square up against each other. Son has not had the best of seasons so far, and he will be eager to prove his worth when they travel to face Everton.
The South Korean international has 14 goal contributions in his 37 outings in all competitions this season. The 30-year-old forward will look to add to it on Monday. And Cristian Stellini will expect his star winger to rise to the occasion as they fight for a UCL spot.
Prediction
Everton 1-3 Tottenham
Tottenham head into this encounter on the back of a disappointing draw against Southampton, post which Antonio Conte was sacked. Cristian Stellini has the responsibility to guide them into the top four of the Premier League. And, a win in this fixture is a must for that to happen.
As far as the home team are concerned, they are desperate for a win as their survival might depend on such fixtures. It is a must-win for both teams due for different reasons. But Spurs seem to have better quality in their ranks and as a result, The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the visitors.
