Everton 3 – 2 Tottenham Hotspur
Everton came out of the traps, with Calvert-Lewin and Ndiaye scoring two excellent goals, to go in 3-0 at the break, but allowed Spurs to come close after Richarlison scored their second in added time.
The starting lineup includes Lindstrom with Jake O’Brien finally getting his Premier League debut. Harrison and Young are dropped… but not Doucoure or Calvert-Lewin, while Garner, Coleman, Iroegbunam, McNeil, Broja, and Chermiti are all ruled out through injury or lack of fitness.
Mangala got things going and Everton played forward with a bit more intent from the off, but the first attempt to play out from the back saw O’Brien easily dispossessed and Spurs won an early corner, then Ndiaye almost got the Blues into further trouble.
Mykolenko drove forward but his cross was easily intercepted. Doucoure stole the ball and Lindstrom tried to score, forcing a diving save from Kinsky, the corner delayed by a problem for the assistant referee. O’Brien tried to be a nuisance and fell heavily on his back, before springing up to take a throw-in!
A better move driven by Lindstrom saw Ndiaye’s shot blocked after Calvert-Lewin had lost a ball played in to feet. But Gana Gueye next found Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the Spurs area and this time he pirouetted around three defenders to slot it past Kinsky and finally break his months-long goal drought.
Spurs came forward quite strongly in response but Everton defended well and Tarkowski tried to release Calvert-Lewin but he was late getting back onside. Son got past two defenders and bore in on goal, Tarkowski back brilliantly to take the ball off his toe.
Everton again tried to play forward and looked to threaten but when Spurs countered, the overlap was always dangerous and they won another corner that Pickford parried away. Spence’s shot was blocked before they won another corner, taken short, and defended away.
Kulusevski got behind the line far too easily and set up Son but Pickford was down well to cover his shot, when normally the Korean would have buried such an opportunity.
Brantwaite sent Calvert-Lewin off on his way again but his touch on the ball proved utterly abysmal as it came off his knee and was easily grasped by Kinsky. But the call came through to Doucore and his shot was parried by Kinsky onto the post, and Calvert-Lewin headed the follow-up tamely into Kinsky’s hands.
Son got through again but found hos way blocked by Branthwaite who dared to and Son collapsed in a head but the referee was adamant it was not a penalty.
Going the other way and a one-two with Gueye on the half-way line saw Iliman Ndiaye scampering forward, dodging brilliantly past Dragusin and then scooping the ball past Kinsky high into the roof of the net in one continuous movement, a brilliant goal! Such excitement at Goodison Park almost unheard of!
Bergvall tried a shot that floew over Pickford’s goal. Ndiaye almost found Calvert-Lewin with a forward ball but the move was closed down. Gana Gueye had gone over and finally needed treatment.
Bergvall protested too much when he sent Calvert-Lewin flying and got himself booked. But Mykolenko’s deep free-kick did not beat the first defender. To even things up, Calvert-Lewin was booked for a loose elbow that smacked Dragusin, drawing blood and requiring lengthy treatment for a cut above the eye, leading to at least 7 minutes of added time before the break.
Ndiaye picked up a loose pass but turned back this time and the move crumbled. Lindstrøm was clipped by Spence, his free-kick was a beauty, met by a Tarkowski diving header that was straight at Kinsky. Tarkowski went down on the corner, a bit too easily: no penalty.
Another corner was worked around to Lindstrøm whose deep cross was headed back from beyond the far post by Tarkowski, glanced on by Calvert-Lewin, and in off Archie Gray, an own-goal to round off a quite splendid half of football for a rejuvenated Everton after 10 added minutes.
Richarlison replaced Dragusin as Spurs kicked off the second half and immediately put Everton under pressure. Calvert-Lewin was awarded a free-kick to relieve the early pressure. But Calvert-Lewin was then called when he seemed to win a fair header on a long ball from O’Brien.
Maddison wanted to break free in the Everton area but was well-marshalled until he fouled Lindstrom. Then Davies went through the back of Calvert-Lewin. Lindstrom swung the free-kick in, Calvert-Lewin heading well wide.
Ndiaye advanced again, to the bye line, but his cross was cleared before it could reach Calvert-Lewin. Geueye should have got a counter going but artlessly dithered then lost the ball. Maddison drove in, winning a corner, headed behind by Branthwaite. On the next corner, Maddison’s arm caught Ndiaye as the ball was cleared.
Everton got forward but Lindstrom’s low cross went straight to a defender. Ndiaye and Calvert-Lewin broke well but the ball back to Mykolenko saw him fire horribly high and wide.
Spurs tried to clear but Lindstrom leapt on the ball and fed Calvert-Lewin who spun around but clipped the ball just wide. Ndiaye earned another free-kick off Bergvall. A brilliant ball in from Lindstrom into the danger area was just watched all the way through, nobody attacking it.
It got lively when Spurs ran into trouble playing out from the back but Everton failed to capitalize. Everton then had to defend and got away with some questionable challenge.
Mangala drove hard into Kulusevski but Doucoure was booked for delaying the free-kick. Young replaced Lindstrom, who had earned his round of applause. A great spell of football followed with Everton harassing Spurs defenders into a series of mistakes but the ball in to Calvert-Lewin was too difficult to convert.
Spence did well to get to the bye line and the cutback was deflected to Maddison whose shot curled past the far post. Kulusevski’s deep cross then flew inches in front of Richarlison and past the far post.
Pickford got himself into trouble trying to stop Maddison and the ball came out to Kulusevski who calmly chipped a perfect ball over four Everton defenders to spoil the scoreline.
Patterson replaced Ndiaye as Everton continued to come under pressure. Moore got past O’Brien and fed Richarlsion, his fist attempt blocked, his second gathered by Pickford. At the other end, the ball almost fell nicely for Calvert-Lewin but Kinsky got to it first.
Spurs almost got through with Spence but he was stalled. Doucoure was robbed of a corner as the game entered the 90th minute. Moore’s cross was deflected behind for a corner and the ball was delivered on a plate for Richarlison to convert at the far post as Keane and Pickford looked at each other.
Fortunatley, it had come too late for Spurs to get a third as Everton held on for a very precious win and 3 points in the now perennial battle against relegation.
Everton: Pickford, Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, O’Brien (87′ Keane), Ndiaye (81′ Patterson), Mangala, Doucoure [Y:67′], Gueye, Lindstrom (70′ Young), Calvert-Lewin [Y:43′].
Subs not Used: Virginia, Begovic, Harrison, Beto, Sherif, Armstrong.
Tottenham Hotspur: Kinsky, Porro, Dragusin (46′ Richarlison), Gray, Davies, Spence, Bergvall [Y:41′], Sarr, Maddison, Kulusevski, Son.
Subs not Used: Austin, Regulion Yang, Lankshear, (73′ Moore) Ajayi, Olusesi, Hardy.