Everton were unable to make it five successive Premier League wins as Tottenham ran out 2-1 winners at home this afternoon.
Sean Dyche’s men had been among the league’s most in-form teams following a 10-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) for the season-ending 2021/22.
Consecutive victories over Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Chelsea and Burnley lifted them into 16th place heading into this weekend’s showdown. Furthermore, they sought a fifth straight win on the road, something they hadn’t done in England’s top division since April 1970, a season in which they won the championship.
The game was effectively won before 20 minutes had been played. Richarlison and Son Heung-Min netted within nine minutes of each other to hand Tottenham a third straight win subsequently putting a recent five-game winless run firmly behind them.
Richarlison’s effort was an emotive one as he became the 14th different player to score against Everton in the Premier League having previously played for the Toffees in the competition, and first since Joshua King in October 2021.
His effort also highlighted Richarlison’s recent improvement in form, as the Brazilian forward now scored four goals in his last three Premier League games. Before this, he’d only managed two goals across 39 appearances.
Trademark ? pic.twitter.com/cK8uMAp1su
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 23, 2023
Son bagged his 11th goal of the Premier League season, making it five strikes in just 13 top-flight matches against Everton, who had a Dominic Calvert-Lewin goal disallowed through a foul by the returning André Gomes on Emerson Royal in the build-up.
Gomes would soon make amends in the final 10 minutes when he pulled one back. Arnaut Danjuma then forced Guglielmo Vicario into making another brilliant save. The former Villarreal man nearly stole a point in the final seconds when his first-time volley was millimetres away from crossing the line.