· Last season's game - Spurs 3 Everton 2, 14.08.1999
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This preview was written by Brian Judson

Full Record of Spurs -v- Everton

Prem           Pl   W   D   L   For-Ag  Pts
Home            8   5   3   0    15-8    18
Away            8   4   3   1     9-5    15
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Total (Prem)   16   9   6   1    24-13   33
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Football Lge
Home (Div 1)   54  25  16  13   107-67   72
Away (Div 1)   54  10  17  27    60-88   38
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Total (Div 1) 108  35  33  40   167-155 110
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Football Lge
Home (Div 2)    1   1   0   0     1-0     2
Away (Div 2)    1   0   0   1     2-4     0
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Total (Div 2)   2   1   0   1     3-4     2
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Total (Prem)   16   9   6   1    24-13   33
Total (Div 1) 108  35  33  40   167-155 110
Total (Div 2)   2   1   0   1     3-4     2
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Grand Total   126  45  39  42   194-172 145
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Following the break because of a designated international date, Tottenham entertain Everton on Tuesday night. Richard Gough, who was captain of Tottenham during season 1986-87, has been injured and is unlikely to play against us. Indeed there are fears being expressed in the Everton treatment room that Gough's career may be over. There has already been speculation that Everton may be lining up a bid for Colin Hendry, now with Coventry City, but who also played for Rangers during their triumphant years.

Last season, Spurs won a thriller when Steffen Iversen struck with a dramatic Tottenham winner in the 85th minute after his side had twice trailed to a pair of penalties by David Unsworth. Both Everton spot-kicks were given for trips on Everton's teenage striker Francis Jeffers by goalkeeper Ian Walker.

Stand-in skipper Tim Sherwood pulled Spurs back into the game with an unchallenged 34th-minute header from a corner 10 minutes after Jeffers had gone sprawling in the box for the first spot-kick. Jeffers and Walker had chased a loose ball that was heading for the dead-ball line having deflected off the youngster's backside from Nick Barmby's shot.

But despite Spurs' constant pressure it looked like Jeffers would pay off big time when 14 minutes from time he latched onto Kevin Campbell's flick and fell over Walker's legs as he attempted to take the ball round him. Unsworth, captaining the side with Don Hutchison left on the bench until those frenzied last few minutes, again showed cold-eyed accuracy with the penalty and Spurs looked stunned.

But Oyvind Leonhardsen pulled them level again with nine minutes left after Everton's excellent keeper Paul Gerrard made his only mistake of the match, failing to hang on to David Ginola's whipped-in cross and only palming it out to the former Liverpool midfielder's feet. And Iversen applied the decisive touch four minutes later when the dangerous Steve Carr raced clear on the right to provide the cross.

In the return game in January 2000, Joe-Max Moore, an American international sent on seven minutes from the end, saved Everton's unbeaten home record in the Premiership with an equaliser deep into stoppage time at Goodison Park.

After 23 minutes, Jeffers cleverly released Hutchison on the right and the Scotland international whipped in a cross for Campbell to head past Walker.

Spurs were behind for barely a minute. Tim Sherwood tossed a free-kick into the area, and although Gerrard and a post kept out Sol Campbell's header, Armstrong forced the ball over the line.

Suddenly Spurs were reinvigorated and, after 29 minutes, went ahead, albeit inadvertently. Ginola, moving in from the right, struck the ball against Watson's foot and then watched in joyous disbelief as it looped up and over the helpless Gerrard into the far corner of the Everton net.

Gerrard denied Spurs a third just before half-time, saving from Steffen Iversen.

In the second half, Barmby and Kevin Campbell gave Spurs a couple of scares and the Londoners withdrew Ginola, intent on protecting what they had, but Moore, a late substitute, claimed the equaliser two minutes into stoppage time.

In recent years, Everton, like Spurs, have been under-achievers. Those of us who can remember their great championship sides have watched aghast as Everton have lived dangerously and had serious flirtations with relegation. Everton have always been a side that, like Spurs, has preferred to play football with a smile. The more ancient of us will be able to recall Harry Catterick's two championship sides of the 1960s. The first side had many great players but Alex Young with the soubriquet of 'The Golden Vision' was the one player who stood out in the side that won the title in 1962-63. Their best side was the one that won the League in 1969-70 with their brilliant midfield of Ball, Harvey and Kendall, which was a joy to watch. And then there are those of us who can remember Everton beating us 2-1 on a mild April evening that more or less settled the 1984-85 championship when Andy Gray headed the vital winner for the Blues.

I make no apology for saluting the memories of those three great sides because I have always enjoyed appreciating football as it should be played. The players in all three sides were hungry and worked hard for their success.

Like Tottenham, Everton have experienced an indifferent start to the season, winning one, drawing one and losing one of their three games played so far. Everton have re-signed Duncan Ferguson from Newcastle United but he is not expected to be fit to play against Tottenham. They have other injury problems so it will be interesting to see what sort of team the Blues field on Tuesday night. My own view is that Tottenham should be capable of beating Everton and should do so, 2-1 at least.

Cheers, Brian

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