Many thanks to Declan Mulcahy for this report

Sunday 26 October 2025, 4:30pm
Premier League
Everton (0) 0 Tottenham Hotspur (2) 3

Spurs scorers:-
Van de Ven 19, 45+6
Sarr, 89

Everton (4-2-3-1): David Moyes
1 J Pickford; 15 J O'Brien (34 M Rohl 66), 6 J Tarkowski (c); 5 M Keane, 16, V Mykolenko; 27 I Gueye (24 C Alcaraz 86), 37 J Garner; 10 I Ndiaye, 22 K Dewsbury-Hall, 18 J Grealish; 9 Beto (11 T Barry 66).

Subs not used: 12 M Travers, 39 A Aznou, 23 S Coleman, 20 T Dibling, 42 T Iroegbunam, 7 D McNeil

Booked: Garner (58 foul on Kudus), Grealish (71 dissent requesting the referee to book an opponent)

Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1):
1 G Vicario; 23 Pedro Porro, 4 K Danso, 37 M van de Ven (c), 24 D Spence; 6 Joao Palhinha, 30 R Bentancur; 22 B Johnson 11 (M Tel 93), 20 M Kudus (29 P Sarr 78), 7 X Simons (15 L Bergvall 61); 39 R Kolo Muani (9 Richarlison 62).

Subs not used: 31 A Kinsky, 67 J Byfield, 14 A Gray, 28 W Odobert, 44 D Scarlett

No bookings

Hill Dickinson Stadium, Attendance: 52,501

Referee:- Craig Pawson
Assistants:- Lee Betts, Mat Wilkes
Fourth official:- Tony Harrington
VAR:- Stuart Attwell
Assistant VAR:- Constantine Hatzidakis

Spurs win the battle of the set plays

Thanks to Greg Smith for this picture

Spurs created a piece of history today when they became the first away team to win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. It is a record that will stand forever.

It wasn't a game of fast flowing football. However once Spurs took the lead they were never seriously threatened. A second goal deep into time added on before the break gave them a comfortable 2-0 lead at the interval. Everton displayed intent in the second half but lacked a player who could turn an opportunity into a goal. Spurs added a third goal just before the end of normal time, all three goals coming from headers.

Spurs made two changes from the team which lost to Aston Villa last weekend with Johnson and Kolo Muani replacing Odobert and Tel. It was Kolo Muani's full debut. There was a third change from the team which played in Monaco during the week with Simons instead of Bergvall. The front three midfielders were expected to line up from the right as Kudus, Simons and Johnson but instead it was Johnson, Kudus and Simons.

Everton had lost 2-0 away to Manchester City last weekend. They hadn't been able to include Jack Grealish who has been their most effective player so far this season because he was on loan from City. He returned today in place of Alcaraz, the only change from last week.

Thanks to Greg Smith for this picture

Everton had an early chance from Ndiaye's cross from the right but Porro blocked Grealish's effort. Another cross from Grealish was well-defended by Spurs. In between Simons made a run into the Everton box but was stopped by Keane.

Spurs first goal came in the 19th minute. Kudus's corner from the right was aimed towards the far post. It reached Bentancur and he directed the ball off his shoulder towards the centre of the goal where van de Ven scored with a header. This was the first goal that Everton had conceded from a corner in the Premier League this season.

Simons went down in his own half after a tackle and needed fairly lengthy treatment before resuming.

A few minutes later Garner had a shot from outside the box which was going slightly wide. Vicario wasn't certain it wasn't on target and conceded a corner. Everton players crowded around Vicario before the corner was taken. O'Brien put the ball in the net with a header following the corner.

VAR assessed the goal for both offside and obstruction of Vicario by Grealish and Ndiaye. It was a long investigation and the outcome was that referee Craig Pawson was advised to view the incident on the pitch-side monitor. His decision was to disallow the goal. The Everton players, management and supporters were aggrieved but without any real cause. Moyes admitted in his post-match press conference that the decision was correct.

The injury to Simons and the VAR check on the disallowed goal led to seven minutes of time added on before the interval. During this time Spurs won a corner which was taken by Porro on the left. It was an in-swinging corner from which van de Ven rose above Pickford to head the ball home for his second goal of the game

There were no changes after the break. There was steady rain throughout the second half.

Thanks to Greg Smith for this picture

Everton's best chance came when Beto had a bicycle kick from the centre of the box following Ndiaye's cross but Vicario made an outstanding save.

Garner was booked for a foul on Kudus.

At the hour mark Thomas Frank withdrew Simons and Kolo Muani and replaced them with Bergvall and Richarlison.

Soon Richarlison made a good run past Tarkowshi but Pickford saved his shot.

Bentancur fouled Grealish. The latter earned a free kick but was booked for asking the referee to book his opponent.

Everton were trying to reduce the deficit without effect. A Ndiaye shot took deflections off two Spurs players including Danso but Vicario still saved it. Palhinha blocked a shot from Gueye. An effort by Barry who had been brought on ballooned of a Spurs player.

Pape Sarr replaced Kudus.

With five minutes remaining the Everton supporters had given up hope and started leaving in large numbers.

A couple of minutes later Porro made progress down the right. He crossed to the opposite side where Richarlison headed the ball goalward for Sarr to score with a header. Both players had been second half replacements so the substitutions had an impact.

The third goal produced a mass exodus and by the final whistle there were very few Everton supporters left.

Thanks to Andy Park for this picture of the third goal celebrations

Van de Ven played a captain's part scoring two of the goals. He has scored five times so far in 14 games this season. In the last campaign he failed to score in 22 matches so this is an aspect of his game that has improved.

Once Spurs took the lead they were never in danger of losing. There were four "big chances" in the game according to the Premier League statistics. Three of these fell to Spurs; van de Ven's second goal, Richarlison's effort and Sarr's goal. Everton only had one which was Beto's bicycle kick.

This was Spurs first win at Everton since winning 6-2 in December 2018 having failed to win on any of their last six visits.

Everton conceded three goals in a Premier League game for the first time during David Moyes' second spell in charge (28th game). Today was their heaviest home defeat in the competition under him since a 4-1 loss to West Bromwich Albion in November 2010.

Spurs have won four of their five Premier League away games this season (D1), just one fewer than they managed across the whole of the 2024-25 campaign (W5 D2 L12).

Spurs are still a work-in-progress under Thomas Frank. They still need to improve up front and in fixtures at home. There are mitigating circumstances.

Simons needs to adjust to the Premier League. Liverpool are having similar issues with their signings from the Bundesliga this season too.

Given that the club has a new manager and there have been injuries and players who need to settle in, third place in the league table after nine matches is very satisfactory. There is a resilience to the team which has been missing for some seasons.

Next up are two challenging fixtures, away to the Carabao Cup holders Newcastle United on Wednesday night in the fourth round of that competition, followed by Chelsea at home next weekend in the Premier League.

There were some surprising results in the Premier League this weekend. It was the first time that Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City had lost in the same round of matches since December 2016. Meanwhile the three newly promoted teams all won for the first time in the same match week since November 2020.

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