Premier League: Toffees in Tottenham is a Christmas Treat

Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton

Sometimes in football timing is everything, and when it comes to this weekend’s Premier League fixtures, Tottenham against Everton looks set to be a festive cracker.

Over the past two seasons we’d look at this fixture and say “home win” for Spurs. Maybe even earlier in this campaign it would have been a safe bet, as Spurs trailed a spectacular blaze at the top of the Premier League and Everton stuttered in lower mid-table.

Well, a few weeks is a long time in football. Tottenham’s charge was derailed in November, while Everton copped for a 10-point penalty and fought back with real ferocity.

But both clubs will come into this clash in high spirits. Spurs have won their last two, while Everton are the in-form team with four league wins on the bounce.

The Toffees did have a Carabao Cup loss to Fulham on penalties on Tuesday, but they are a tough bunch and will be ready to go again on Saturday.

Talking Points

Can Spurs recapture their early season form?

Nobody really expected Tottenham to run away in the title race over the opening two months, but that’s exactly what they did as they went unbeaten, winning eight and drawing two of their first 10 games.

Then, in November, the wheels fell off and Spurs picked up just one point in the next five games and that from a last-gasp equaliser in a 3-3 draw with Manchester City.

But after beating Newcastle United 4-1, Tottenham’s visit to Nottingham Forest last Friday was a good chance to get going again for Ange Postecoglou’s side. And they did just that as goals from Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski saw off Forest and led to the sacking of their popular boss Steve Cooper.

Those positive Premier League 2023 results have lifted Tottenham to within a point of the top four places, and another victory on Saturday will show that their early season form was not just a brief interruption to 15 years of inconsistency.

Postecoglou hates the suggestion that his team is still “Spursy” and will be flaky when things get serious, so this is a big moment in his season.

Tottenham will be without midfield ace Yves Bissouma, who picked up his second red card of the campaign at the City Ground.

Everton’s happy travels

Tottenham have been superb on the road this season, picking up 18 points, and they are the only team to have been more profitable away from home that Everton.

The Toffees have 16 points, though they have won 26 only to have 10 deducted for historical breaches of financial fair play. And 16 of these points have been picked up on their travels, one more that they earned away from home throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

They have won their last four away games, against West Ham, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, and Burnley so, while the Premier League 2023 betting odds back a home win, there is a fairly compelling argument that the Toffees can grab a result.

Sean Dyche has put together a team in his own image: tough, well-organised, full of charisma, and supremely confident.

They have picked up four clean sheets in the last four games and have scored 10 goals from set pieces this season, more than any other club excluding penalties. And while they lost to Fulham on penalties on Tuesday, every single Everton player offered to take a spot-kick.

The 2-0 win at Burnley was a classic away victory as the Toffees struck twice from set pieces in the first half and then snuffed out the Clarets in the second.

Even with a change in defence since Michael Keane is returning, Everton are devilishly difficult to break down, while winger Dwight McNeil and striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin can punish any mistakes by opposition defenders.

History

With 28 wins to 10, Tottenham have had the better of the head-to-head over the past 30 years. But in terms of recent form, the Toffees have been stronger for longer.

Everton have won five of the last six games before they drew in 90 minutes with Fulham on Tuesday, while Spurs have won two, drawn one, and lost three.

Betting Tip

Spurs are at SBOTOP odds of 1.82 to win this game with the Toffees at 3.45, and the draw at 3.48.

Everton had an energy sapping Carabao Cup tie in midweek of course. But with the way their players feel at the moment, they are raring to go at every opportunity. And under Dyche, they are bound to be supremely fit.

Tottenham need another win if they are to keep pace with the leaders, and that completes a tasty cocktail which will provide plenty of fizz in North London on Saturday.

 

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