Everton 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur: 3 Talking Points | Premier League 2019-20
Everton came from behind to equalise a Tottenham Hotspur opener in a somewhat boring game that will, unfortunately, be remembered for the horrific injury suffered by Andre Gomes.
Both sides played out a very drab first half in which only one shot managed to trouble either goalkeeper, with Spurs mustering just 2 shots without hitting the target. In the second half, the lacklustre display in attack continued till the 63rd minute when Mauricio Pochettino's men took advantage of sloppy play to claim the lead thanks to Dele Alli.
The game was delayed for a lengthy spell late on as Gomes was tended to for a severe injury. Son Heung-Min was given his marching orders for the foul.
Deep in stoppage time, Spurs succumbed to the Everton barrage as Marco Silva's men made their numerical advantage count, thanks to a goal from Cenk Tosun in the 97th minute of play.
In this article, we discuss some sticking points from the encounter.
#3 Dele Alli to the rescue as Spurs struggle upfront
Mauricio Pochettino was dealt a huge blow before the encounter as his talisman and stand-in captain Harry Kane was ruled out due to an illness. What ensued in the game was a toothless Spurs offence, with the Lilywhites struggling without Kane as the focal point of their attacks.
It was noticeable in the first half especially, with Pochettino's men unable to hit the target from their paltry return of 2 shots.
In the second half, Lady Luck gave the Lilywhites a toothy grin as Alex Iwobi voluntarily hit the self destruct button. He gave the ball away to Son Heung-min who swiftly played Dele Alli through, and the 23-year-old went on to profit from some shambolic Everton defending as he dribbled his way across the edge of the box before placing the ball beyond the reach of Jordan Pickford for the game's opener.
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