In a dramatic Premier League encounter at Goodison Park, Everton secured a crucial 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, easing their relegation worries while simultaneously piling more pressure on Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou. Despite a spirited second-half effort, Tottenham’s abysmal first-half performance and individual errors ultimately cost them dearly.
This result marked a significant moment for Everton and manager David Moyes, as it was his first win in his second tenure with the Toffees. On the other hand, Postecoglou’s Tottenham side continued their disappointing form, having now lost seven of their last ten league matches.
The game was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Everton going 3-0 up at half-time, largely thanks to goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Iliman Ndiaye, and an own goal from Tottenham’s Archie Gray. Despite a second-half rally that saw Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison score for Spurs, Everton held firm to secure a vital win. Here’s a closer look at the player ratings for both teams.
Everton Player Ratings (4-2-3-1)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| GK: Jordan Pickford | 6.7/10 |
| RB: Jake O’Brien | 7.0/10 |
| CB: James Tarkowski (c) | 7.7/10 |
| CB: Jarrad Branthwaite | 7.1/10 |
| LB: Vitalii Mykolenko | 6.7/10 |
| CM: Orel Mangala | 7.4/10 |
| CM: Idrissa Gana Gueye | 8.7/10 |
| RM: Jesper Lindstrom | 7.9/10 |
| AM: Abdoulaye Doucoure | 6.6/10 |
| LM: Iliman Ndiaye | 8.0/10 |
| CF: Dominic Calvert-Lewin | 8.4/10 |
| SUB: Ashley Young (70′) | 6.1/10 |
| SUB: Nathan Patterson (81′) | N/A |
| SUB: Michael Keane (88′) | N/A |
Everton’s First Half Excellence
The first half was a dream for Everton, who took a commanding 3-0 lead into the break. The Toffees were clinical and efficient, and each goal reflected a perfect blend of attacking quality and Tottenham’s defensive vulnerabilities.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who had been without a goal for 16 matches, broke his drought in style. The striker was fed by Idrissa Gana Gueye, who showed excellent vision to pick out Calvert-Lewin with a precise ball. The Everton forward demonstrated great confidence and composure to twist past Spurs defenders Archie Gray and Ben Davies before calmly finishing past goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.
Everton’s second goal came courtesy of Iliman Ndiaye. A lapse in concentration from Tottenham’s defense allowed the Senegalese forward to sneak in behind the backline. After a couple of nifty touches to control the ball, Ndiaye calmly slotted home to double Everton’s advantage. The third goal was an unfortunate own goal from Spurs’ Archie Gray, who deflected a Calvert-Lewin cross into his own net under pressure.
Idrissa Gana Gueye was particularly influential in the midfield, breaking up Tottenham’s attacks and ensuring that Everton had control of the game. His tireless running and passing were crucial in establishing a strong foundation for the Toffees.
Tottenham Player Ratings (3-4-2-1)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| GK: Antonin Kinsky | 6.5/10 |
| CB: Archie Gray | 4.7/10 |
| CB: Radu Dragusin | 5.1/10 |
| CB: Ben Davies | 6.0/10 |
| RWB: Pedro Porro | 7.0/10 |
| CM: Pape Sarr | 6.6/10 |
| CM: Lucas Bergvall | 7.2/10 |
| LWB: Djed Spence | 7.4/10 |
| AM: Dejan Kulusevski | 7.8/10 |
| AM: James Maddison | 6.7/10 |
| ST: Son Heung-min (c) | 6.6/10 |
| SUB: Richarlison (46′) | 6.9/10 |
| SUB: Mikey Moore (74′) | 6.8/10 |
Tottenham’s First Half Disaster
Tottenham’s first-half performance was disastrous. Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin were both culpable for Everton’s early goals, with Dragusin in particular failing to engage Ndiaye in the build-up to the second goal. Spurs’ backline was caught out too easily, with little pressure on the ball and poor positioning throughout the opening 45 minutes.
Son Heung-min, Tottenham’s captain, also missed a golden opportunity to level the scores after Calvert-Lewin’s opener. A smart cutback from Dejan Kulusevski found Son inside the penalty area, but his weak shot was smothered by Pickford, wasting a chance to put his side back into the game. That missed chance proved costly as Everton capitalized with two more quick goals.
Tottenham’s midfield, including Pape Sarr and James Maddison, struggled to assert any control over the match. Lucas Bergvall was perhaps the brightest of Tottenham’s midfielders, but overall, Spurs lacked cohesion, and they were lucky to only be three goals down at the break.
Second Half Fightback
Postecoglou made changes at halftime, bringing on Richarlison for Dragusin, who had suffered a head injury, and the Brazilian immediately offered more attacking thrust. Tottenham started the second half better, and within minutes, Dejan Kulusevski produced a moment of quality to reduce the deficit. The Swedish winger curled a superb free-kick over the wall and into the net, giving Spurs a glimmer of hope.
Despite some late pressure and Richarlison’s close-range strike that made it 3-2, Tottenham struggled to break down Everton’s defense. The home side, under the guidance of Moyes, tightened their defensive structure, and even with Spurs’ late surge, they held on for the win.
Everton’s Defensive Resolve
While Everton’s first-half attacking play was the standout feature, their defense also played a key role in the win. Despite Spurs’ late pressure, James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite were solid at the back, and Jordan Pickford made key saves when required, particularly from Son Heung-min in the first half. Vitalii Mykolenko and Jake O’Brien were also dependable in their defensive duties, and the substitutions of Ashley Young and Nathan Patterson helped to shore up the defense when Spurs were pushing for an equalizer.
Ange Postecoglou’s Struggles Continue
This loss added to Postecoglou’s growing list of struggles since taking charge at Tottenham. The manager will be under increasing pressure to turn the team’s fortunes around, especially after yet another poor first-half performance. Tottenham’s defense continues to be a major issue, and Postecoglou will have to find a solution to their defensive frailties if they are to contend for European places.
While Spurs did show some fight in the second half, it was too little too late, and Everton’s early dominance meant the game was out of reach by the time Tottenham found their rhythm. Richarlison’s goal came too late to make a meaningful impact, and the result left Spurs with more questions than answers.
Key Talking Points
Everton’s Vital Win and Moyes’ Resurgence
David Moyes will be relieved to have secured his first win since returning to Everton, especially in such a crucial match. The victory provides the Toffees with much-needed breathing room in the relegation battle, and it also restores some optimism around Goodison Park after a difficult start to Moyes’ second tenure.
Tottenham’s Defensive Woes
Tottenham’s defensive vulnerabilities were once again exposed, and this match highlighted the need for improvements in both individual and collective defending. Radu Dragusin and Archie Gray had poor games, and Spurs’ failure to defend set pieces and wide crosses was evident throughout.
The Pressure on Ange Postecoglou
With this loss, Postecoglou’s future at Spurs is now a topic of concern. Tottenham have been disappointing in recent weeks, and with expectations high following the manager’s appointment, the pressure on him is mounting. Spurs need to respond quickly if they are to get their season back on track.
Conclusion
Everton’s 3-2 victory over Tottenham was a crucial result that eased their relegation worries and handed David Moyes his first win since returning to the club. For Tottenham, it was another disheartening defeat that highlighted their defensive issues and continued inconsistency. While Spurs showed some resilience in the second half, the damage had already been done in the first 45 minutes. As the season progresses, both teams will be looking to improve, but only one came out of this game with the three points they desperately needed.
