Everton (Away) 26.10.2025

After Wednesday’s dull 0-0 draw in Monaco in the Champions League, Thomas Frank made four changes for this visit to Everton, who were unbeaten at their new shiny stadium.  Randal Kolo Muani came in for Richarlison to make his first start, Xavi Simons replaced Lucas Bergvall, Djed Spence took the left back slot from Archie Gray and Brennan Johnson filled in for Wilson Odobert.  Spurs were expecting a tough challenge from a revitalised side under David Moyes, who are now installed in the Bramley Dock ground and have new owners.

Just three minutes in, Ndiaye got past Spence on their right wing and pulled the ball across that Beto missed, but Grealish fired on target beyond the far post, only to see Pedro Porro make a great block to stop his effort.  Two minutes later,  Bentancur made his way into the right side of the box past a couple of players and went a long way before Pickford stopped his progress and then, in the tenth minute, Randal Kolo Muani turned a ball around the corner from outside the D to Xavi Simons in the box, but Keane, who was playing him onside, got back to challenge and defuse the danger.  Tottenham were having trouble getting the ball away, without their being an outlet to relieve the pressure, so the ball spent a lot of time in the company of blue shirts.  We did manage to get the ball around the Everton box, but failed to find a white shirt in space to make any impact on the home defence.

Kolo Muani did well to take a long pass forward down with his chest and turn Tarkowski, but the defender got a foot in to concede a corner on our right.  Mo Kudus took it long beyond the far post, where Rodrigo Bentancur came in unmarked and got the ball across goal with the top of his shoulder that gave Micky van de Ven the simple task of heading it in from a couple of feet out.  The lead was thus established with a set-piece that worked against a side who hadn’t conceded from one up to that point.

From the kick off, Everton went forward and when Simons tried to challenge Ndiaye, his studs got stuck in the turf causing him to jar his ankle.  After treatment and with Spurs down to ten men, the Toffees moved the ball across from left to the middle and Garner took a 20 yard shot that Vicario dived to his left to push wide.  The corner came in to the near post and O’Brien headed in at the near post, although Ndiaye and Grealish were on Vicario that VAR looked at, the referee looked at it and after some consideration the goal was not allowed to stand.  The decision annoyed the home crowd who then booed almost every decision they didn’t get after that.

Beto is a physical player, but when Danso used strength against strength, the Everton support thought it very unfair.  Booed for not taking a long throw as quickly as the Blues fans wanted, Kevin launched one into the box where the ball was then headed up into the air by an Everton player, forcing Pickford to tip it over the bar.  The corner was played in under the bar which Pickford punched clear, but the second phase led to another corner.  This was cleared to the far side, but Kolo Muani took the ball into the box and pulled it back for Bentancur, who flicked it up and struck a volley that went a foot wide.

Six minutes before the break Ndaiye flashed a ball across the face of goal which Beto looked as though he should have got to, but the sole of Micky’s boot had done just enough to deflect it too far ahead of him.  Towards the end of the half, Spurs were giving up possession in midfield, only relieved when Johnson got away down the right and when his cross was cleared, Xavi was brought down on the opposite wing by Gueye.  The free-kick hit the wall and went for a corner, which went over off Bentancur’s head, although replays showed the last touch came off Grealish.  Johnson then ran at Myklenko and won another corner, which forced another.  Played in with pace by Porro from the left side, van de Ven rose high to glance the header past Pickford to make it 2-0 from the middle of the goal.  It was weak goalkeeping from the England international, but at last Micky is making his height pay off in the opposition box.

Gueye’s second cynical foul of the match came when Palhinha ran away from him, giving Tottenham a free kick out on the right 40 yards out.  Taking it short, the whistle went as soon as the dead ball was taken.

Shortly after the second half kicked off, Bentancur won the ball in midfield and it was moved forward through Kolo Muani and Kudus to Johnson on the right, but his pass looking for a colleague went straight to an Everton defender in the box.  The Blues broke away and the ball was played into the Tottenham box where Danso cleared straight at Bentancur and when the ball dropped Dewsbury-Hall made a meal of Kevin’s challenge that didn’t touch him.  Play went on and a cross from the left to the far post was flicked just wide by Ndiaye.  Home fans were shouting for two penalties and neither were forthcoming.

In the 54th minute, a cross from the right deflected up to Beto six yards out and his scissors kick was miraculously saved with Vicario pushing the ball away with his right forearm.  It followed a fine night in Monaco for the Tottenham keeper and this was a great reflex save.  The rain began to teem down and when Garner slid into Kudus late dead centre 20 yards out, the free kick was accompanied by a booking for the Everton midfielder.  Kudus took it and the ball came off the top of the wall and over for a corner which Mo put over everyone and it went off for a throw-in.

Thomas Frank subbed Kolo Muani and Simons with Richarlison and Bergvall just after the hour.  A looping ball played forward by Porro saw Tarkowski head it against Richi and that put him into the box and with only Pickford to beat, but the keeper was quick out and saved at point blank range in the 65th minute.  Moyes rang the changes as Beto went off to be replaced by Barry and Rohl came on for O’Brien, which pushed Garner into the left back position.  It was not hard to see what the Everton tactic would now be as they lifted high balls into the box for the towering Barry to try to win.

Too often Tottenham gave the ball away with careless under-hit passes that stopped good moves and allowed Everton to have possession.  From a Spurs corner, one such concession of possession allowed Grealish to try and bring the ball away, with Bentancur bringing him down halfway up the Everton half.  The Everton midfielder went mad and was booked for his protests.  How many times have you seen Spurs players fouled as they looked to break out of the defensive third and got away with it without being booked ?  It was about time we got away with one.

Vicario was sharp again, getting down low to his right to push wide a Ndiaye shot that took two deflections and then Everton wanted a penalty when Gueye went down under challenge from Kudus that looked dramatic as the Toffees midfielder was in mid-air, but there was no intent on Kudus part and Gueye looked as though he jumped into Mo.  Gueye then had a shot from Tarkowski’s knock down but it was blocked away and then Barry had a shot from outside the box deflected over the bar.  Before the corner could be taken, Kudus went off and Pape Matar Sarr came off the bench.  Spurs got it away and when it came back in Rohl had a free header coming in at the back, but he put it too high.

The only part of this new stadium that wasn’t showing empty blue seats was the corner occupied by the Tottenham fans.  And it was from almost in front of them that Pedro put a cross in to the far post and Richarlison was unmarked, allowing him to head the ball across goal for Pape to make a late run, so, stealing in un-noticed, he had all the time in the world to nod the ball across the keeper to make it 3-0.  It was good use of the substitutes to be involved in a goal that condemned the Merseysiders to the first defeat at their new home.  Not that there were many of their supporters there to see it.

A fine all round performance in which everyone contributed, but not having to face a side playing a low block like we do at home, made this easy pickings for Tottenham, especially now that we are dangerous from set-pieces.  Everton were incredibly one-dimensional considering they have Grealish in their side.  Crosses into the box rained in as heavily as the rain fell down, putting in 34 with only three finding a Blue head.  Spurs defended with every fibre and Kevin, Joao and Micky all won a lot of headers in the Spurs area.  The determination to block and get to the ball first was something that had been missing in a couple of home matches this season, so hopefully that has been ironed out now.

There are still aspects of our game that need work, with the role expected of Xavi needing to be more defined, although Randal worked hard getting back and tried to hold up play up top, while bringing others into play.  With the team changing personnel on a regular basis, it is difficult to develop those partnerships, with Djed’s attacking threat stifled in today’s game, but he did a pretty good job on Ndiaye, who had looked better being played through the middle in previous matches against us.  Grealish was all twist and turn, but on this day, he failed to create too much of danger and his frustration was borne out by his tantrum that got him booked.  To the credit of Moyes and Tarkowski, they both agreed on the decision to disallow the Everton goal, with Ndiaye and Grealish both clearly offside, it was difficult not to.

It is amazing that the media make a big fuss about the injuries Everton had (and the day before the same for Liverpool), but it was only at the end when the game was won that they brought out the fact that we are third in the league without Maddison, Kulusevski, Solanke and Romero.  And that is without mentioning Takai, Davies and Dragusin.  It seems that we suffer from a form of media blindness to our problems, while other clubs get their issues inflated.  Not that it matters, as media hype is what the Premier League is all about and maybe the focus of a club with problems will fall on Liverpool now.

As for Spurs, it’s off to Newcash on Wednesday night for the League Cup tie.  Our good away record will be put to the test in the Toon and Thomas’ changes to the team for that match will be interesting to see as we fight on four fronts.

• Spurs inflicted the first defeat for Everton in a competitive match at Bramley Dock.
• This was Tottenham’s first win away to Everton in seven years.
• It is the first time a Tottenham defender had scored two goals for 12 years with Jan Vertonghen being the last one at Anfield against Liverpool on 10th March 2013.
• This was the first time that Everton had conceded three headed goals since 23rd March 1996 against Wimbledon.