Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur: The Aftermath | FA Cup 2020-21
Everton hosted Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park in a match that screamed goal-fest. The FA Cup tie didn't disappoint as fans witnessed a thrilling end-to-end contest.
The Toffees came into the match with a lot of confidence but they started the game poorly. Everton were slow with the ball and lacked intensity from the get-go. They went behind early thanks to a nicely cushioned header by Davidson Sanchez from a Heung-Min Son corner.
Everton started seeing more of the ball after conceding as Jose Mourinho's Tottenham sat back, waiting for a chance to hit the Toffees on the break.
It took a beautifully struck volley from Dominic Calvert-Lewin to bring Everton back into the game. Richarlison then fired a shot through a defender's legs to breach Hugo Lloris' goal for the second time in the space of a few minutes.
This was typical of Spurs under Mourinho, as they allowed the opposition to dictate proceedings after scoring the first goal of the game. Gylfi Sigurdsson made it 3-1 from the spot after Calvert-Lewin was brought down in the box. The dramatic first half didn't end there though, as Erik Lamela capitalized on a mistake from Yerry Mina to make it 3-2 in extra time.
It didn't take long for the second half to start producing goals, with Sanchez getting on the end of another dangerous Tottenham corner to level the score. This Everton side is known for reacting well to setbacks and they did it once again. Richarlison scored his second goal of the night courtesy of a neat left-foot finish to put Everton in front again.
The goals kept coming and Harry Kane soon equalized for Tottenham, with a header at the back-post. The game went into extra time and Everton came out on top in the 30 extra minutes with a goal from Bernard.
Tottenham and Everton served up an all-time classic cup tie that had everything - great goals, comebacks, and a lot of drama. Spurs and Everton will now shift their focus to the Premier League, but how will this result affect both sides?
What does this loss mean for Tottenham Hotspur?
Tottenham have had a whirlwind season and they now find themselves in the same place as every Jose Mourinho-managed team in the past couple of years. Spurs look shaky in defence and they do not have enough spells of sustained pressure against most teams. They also seem to lack ideas with the ball at the moment.
Against Everton, Spurs did perform better than they have in 2021 but it wasn't enough. They will face a currently unstoppable team in Manchester City on Saturday, and if there are defensive lapses once again, it won't be a good night for Mourinho and his men.
What does this win mean for Everton?
Everton's resolute nature under Carlo Ancelotti this season was on display once again, as they came back from behind just like they did in the Premier League against Manchester United. The Toffees have also found a way of playing to Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison's strengths for much of the season.
Everton will host Fulham on Sunday night, in a tricky Premier League fixture, as Scott Parker's side are no pushovers. The match against Spurs will have taken a lot out of the Everton players and with Calvert-Lewin coming off injured at the start of the second half, it would be interesting to see what combination Ancelotti opts for.
One thing is for sure, though - the Toffees do not crumble under pressure as they have in the past few seasons. A win against Tottenham will give them more confidence going into important fixtures.