Everton eased their relegation worries with a narrow 3-2 win over an error-ridden Tottenham Hotspur, piling more pressure on Ange Postecoglou in the process.
The Toffees had not beaten Spurs at Goodison Park since 2012, when injury-time goals from Steven Pienaar and Nikica Jelavic sealed a memorable comeback win for David Moyes.
Moyes' return to Everton The dugout hadn't gone to plan in midweek against Aston Villa, but there was a completely different feel on Merseyside as Dominic Calvert-Lewin opened the scoring with a smart low finish after good work from Idrissa Gueye.
Calvert-Lewin had gone 16 games without a goal, yet he showed incredible confidence to turn Archie Gray and Ben Davies past wrong-footed keeper Antonin Kinsky.
Tottenhamthe missing striker Dominic Solanke after picking up a knee injury in training should have equalized through Son Heung-min ten minutes later, but his effort softened by Dejan Kulusevski's cut-back was smothered by Jordan Pickford. The Spurs captain was made to pay for his profligacy soon after Everton ruthlessly exploited more pupils defending from the visitors.
Iliman Ndiaye spun behind Gray and after Radu Dragusin failed to engage the 24-year-old, he darted into the penalty area with a trick before firing past Kinsky into the roof of the net.
Orel Mangala was denied by the post before Ndiaye's goal, but Everton were not denied a third before half-time as the hapless Gray, drawn into a back three along with the hapless Dragus and Ben Davies, deflected Calvert's shot- Lewin. along the sixth yard box.
Spurs introduced Richarlison for Dragus at the break – the latter having picked up a nasty knock on the head late in the first half – but James Maddison's effort high and wide with just over 15 minutes remaining was their try first of any kind for 40 minutes. .
Spurs, perhaps aware of how ordinary their performance had been, found a way to get on the scoresheet moments later through Kulusevski – the Swede's brilliant chip over a wall of Everton players a moment of quality really.
Everton, who had been an attacking threat throughout, retreated into their shell as Moyes made defensive substitutions and former hero Richarlison set up a stand-up finish when he converted a Mikey Moore cross from point-blank range.
However, Everton held on, securing a big win to build a four-point lead over Ipswich Town ahead of their clash with Manchester City at Portman Road.
|
Player |
ASSESSMENT |
|---|---|
|
GC: 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 Lindström |
7.9/10 |
|
AM: Abdoulaye Doucoure |
6.6/10 |
|
LM: Indian education |
8.0/10 |
|
CF: Dominic Calvert-Lewin |
8.4/10 |
|
UNDER: Ashley Young (70' for Lindstrom) |
6.1/10 |
|
UNDER: Nathan Patterson (81' for Ndiaye) |
N/A |
|
UNDER: Michael Keane (88' for O'Brien) |
N/A |
Subs not used: Asmir Begovic (GK), Joao Virginia (GK), Harrison Armstrong, Jack Harrison, Beto, Martin Sherif.
|
Player |
ASSESSMENT |
|---|---|
|
GC: Antonin Kinsky |
6.5/10 |
|
CB: Archie Grey |
4.7/10 |
|
CB: Radu Dragusin |
5.1/10 |
|
CB: Ben Davies |
6.0/10 |
|
RWB: Pedro Porro |
7.0/10 |
|
CM: Pope Sarr |
6.6/10 |
|
CM: Lucas Bergvall |
7.2/10 |
|
LWB: Daddy Spence |
7.4/10 |
|
AM: Dejan Kulusevski |
7.8/10 |
|
AM: James Maddison |
6.7/10 |
|
ST: Son Heung-min (c) |
6.6/10 |
|
UNDER: Richarlison (46' for Dragus) |
6.9/10 |
|
UNDER: Mikey Moore (74' for Sarr) |
6.8/10 |
Subs not used: Brandon Austin (GK), Malachi Hardy, Callum Olusesi, Min-Hyeok Yang, Sergio Reguilon, Damola Ajayi, Will Lankshear.