PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 15TH OCTOBER, 2022
(5.30pm)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2(0) EVERTON 0(0)

Scorers:-
Kane (pen), 59
Hojbjerg, 86

Attendance:- 61,812

Referee:- Paul Tierney
Assistants:- Constantine Hatzidakis, Harry Lennard
Fourth official:- Stuart Attwell
VAR:- Andre Marriner
Assistant VAR: Mark Scholes.

Teams:-
Spurs (3-4-3/3-5-2):- Lloris (Capt.); Romero (sub Sanchez, 87), Dier, Davies; Doherty (sub Spence, 90+3), Bentancur (sub Skipp, 90+3), Hojbjerg, Perisic; Richarlison (sub Bissouma, 52), Kane (sub Lucas Moura, 90+3), Son

Subs not used:- Forster; Lenglet; Sessegnon, Gil

Booked:- Bentancur (foul on Gray)

Everton (5-3-2):- Pickford; Coleman (Capt.) (sub Garner, 67), Tarkowski, Coady, Mykolenko, McNeil; Iwobi, Gueye (sub Rondon, 81), Onana; Iwobi, Maupay (sub Calvert-Lewin,66)
(Armband to Pickford)

Subs not used:- Begovic; Keane, Welch, Vinagre; Doucoure, Davies

Booked:- Maupay (foul on Dier), McNeil (foul on Doherty), Gueye (foul on Doherty), Mykolenko (foul on Doherty)

Spurs in control- most of the time

Apart from a couple of first half blemishes when a better team would have scored at least one goal, Spurs were in control throughout this game against an Everton side which played five at the back and had clearly come for a point. Spurs showed flashes of skill in the first half and once the unfortunate Richarlison had to withdraw through injury and was replaced by Bissouma, Spurs thoroughly dominated their opponents with two goals in the last half-hour.

Harry Kane, playing his 400th game for the club, scored his 30th Premier league penalty and his 192nd Premier League goal. It was also his 258th club goal, taking him to within just 8 of Jimmy Greaves’ Spurs record. With 8 games to be played before the break for the World Cup, Harry might just have that record before he goes to Qatar.

Matt Doherty took the right wing-back position again and had an excellent game. It was his stinging shot which Pickford failed to hold, leading to the penalty incident. Ivan Perisic played on the opposite side and was seen up and down the pitch and even in the middle to good effect. Richarlison has a calf injury which has still to be assessed, but Yves Bissouma was excellent in a formation which allowed both Bentancur and Hojbjerg to advance more. They combined for an excellent second goal. Spurs are secure in third place and a point behind the leaders overnight. This is their best 10-game start to a Premier League season, and indeed since 1963, but Spurs fans will never forget the fact we won the first eleven games in the 60-61 Double season.

Spurs kicked off and played towards the North Stand. Richarlison was trying clever touches against his old team. After three minutes Perisic received the ball in a good central position in the Everton box, but the defence won the day on that occasion. A minute later, Son crossed from the left and Harry Kane tried a glanced header, but that went out for a corner off an Everton defender. Another header by Richarlison, deflected over Pickford’s left post won another corner following a cross by Perisic. After a good run down the left flank by Perisic and a ball inside to “Sonny”, the Spurs’ Golden Boot holder went down in the box, but VAR supported referee Paul Tierney’s decision not to award a penalty.

Son took a free kick after Richarlison was fouled about 25 yards out, but that was blocked by the Everton wall. A header by Perisic was easy for Pickford after Kane and Richarlison’s approach play. The referee had words with Everton skipper Seamus Coleman regarding Pickford, who possibly had too much to say for himself as well as slowing the game down whenever he could. Spurs had a free kick in the middle.

Romero put in a great tackle against the advancing Onana and even won a goal kick out of his challenge, winning applause from the south Stand. After an advance by Ben Davies and his ball inside, Kane hit a right foot shot but that was deflected and went for another Spurs corner. After that corner, it was Kane who lost the ball in midfield allowing an advance by Gray, who fired over the target when he got to goal-scoring range.

Hojbjerg hit a shot well over the target at the other end after a Davies cross. Everton won a corner at the other end following a free kick and a couple of attempted Spurs clearances. After a great tackle and win by Bentancur in the middle, Perisic fed the ball to Kane in the middle, but his shot from an angle on the right was blocked. Romero tried a shot, but that was over the target after Son’s cross and a header by Richarlison. Another shot by Richarlison won us a corner.

There was some debate over a dropped ball deep in the Everton half, but Spurs failed to win the ball in the middle (Hojbjerg was the chief culprit on this occasion) and Onana was able to run towards goal, thankfully putting his chance over the target too. A couple of Everton’s bookings were for fouls on Doherty and Spurs won a corner from a free kick after a late first half foul. In added time Son passed short to Kane whose cross from the left was met by a Richarlison header. Spurs hadn’t hit the target much in the first half but had clearly been the dominant side.

Son won a corner on the left and it wasn’t long before Richarlison required treatment. He had to hobble off, winning applause from both home fans, and those from Everton. On came Bissouma and Spurs reverted to the formation they had used successfully last week at Brighton. Kane had a right-footed shot saved by Pickford following Perisic’s ball from the left and Son’s follow-up attempt passed over the goal.

Son had a near-post header saved before another attack down the left flank led to our first goal. The cross reached Doherty whose stinging shot was not held by Pickford. Kane followed up and was pulled down by Pickford. Mr. Tierney pointed to the spot and Pickford escaped further sanction. Harry has failed with a couple of recent penalties, and Pickford went the right way, diving towards his right post for this one, but Harry’s shot was low, powerful, and accurate inside that post.

Bissouma released Son with a good pass, but his shot was blocked. Frank Lampard took off Maupay for Calvert-Lewin and James Garner replaced Seamus Coleman as “The Toffees” sought a way back into the game. However, Bissouma was very influential for Spurs in the midfield. Pickford made a reactive save from Kane’s shot after a good ball by Romero. Kane had an advance down the left channel with his shot being blocked after another good midfield win and pass by Bissouma. Now Rondon came on for Gueye, but Spurs were totally in charge now.

The points were secured with an excellent move and goal. Kane sent Bentancur away down the right side and his cross was to the feet of Hojbjerg who was outside the Everton box about 22 yards out. After a touch or two to get the ball onto his right foot. Hojbjerg beat Pickford to his left with a shot which was deflected off ex-Arsenal man Iwobi, giving Spurs fans extra satisfaction.

As we entered five minutes of added time, Lucas Moura, Skipp, and home debutant Djed Spence were prepared to come on, but they got little more than a minute on the pitch.

Spurs’ Premier League domination over Everton continues and Hugo Lloris gained a third consecutive clean sheet against this opposition, making 126 in all. Clean sheet number 127 would be most welcome at Old Trafford on Wednesday!

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