This weekend’s Super Sunday sees a critical clash take place as Europa League chasing Everton welcome third-placed Tottenham Hotspur to Goodison Park.
Victory will see the Toffees move back up to seventh whilst Spurs could find themselves in a seesaw situation of being close to the title fight but still battling for third at same time if get all three points.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesEverton are set to hand Idrissa Gueye a late fitness test as the Senegalese international prepares to return from a groin injury.
Richarlison and Andre Gomes are both available after overcoming illnesses picked up during the week.
Midfielder, James McCarthy is unlikely to feature here but should be ready to make his return in Everton’s Boxing Day trip to Burnley.
Tottenham will be without Eric Dier after the England international needed an operation on his appendix, ruling him out until mid January.
Jan Vertonghen is also absent with a thigh injury but is due back around same time as Dier, whilst Mousa Dembele (ankle) is another player sidelined over the festive period.
Davidson Sanchez however will face a late fitness test as he looks to feature in this match after recovering from a thigh injury.
Vincent Jansson (foot) and Victor Wanyama (knee) are currently sidelined with no clear expected date of return to action.
Form
Everton are unbeaten in five of their last seven but are winless from four games so far this month, with two draws and losses apiece.
At home, the Toffees however are on a six match unbeaten run since losing to West Ham in mid September with Richarlison scoring in three of his last four at Goodison Park.
Tottenham meanwhile have been flying domestically since returning from the first international break with just three defeats in 13 league outings and saw off Arsenal in midweek to reach the Carabao Cup Semis.
Those three defeats all came against their fellow members of the ‘Big Six’ whilst scoring in each game except their 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City.
On their league travels in that time, Spurs have kept four clean sheets in six and conceded only three of which all came in second half.
Stat Attack
- Everton have taken only three points out of a possible 27 from last nine meetings with Tottenham (D3, L6).
- At home, Everton scored in two of their last three against Spurs of which both finished 1-1 (D2, L1)
- Tottenham have scored at least twice in four of their last five away games across all domestic competitions.
- Richarlison has scored five goals for Everton at Goodison Park with 80% of those goals coming in first half.
- Richarlison and Harry Kane have scored 17 goals between them so far this season, more than what Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (12) and Mohamed Salah (11) have individually.
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dele Alli are two of three players who have scored three goals from headers so far this season with the other being Burnley’s Sam Vokes. Only Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham has headed in more goals than these three.
- Everton have made only 48 saves so far this season compared to Spurs’ 58.
Prediction
Everton are a solid side going forward but their defence is quite worrying against fellow attacking teams, which will be exposed here by likes of Heung Son-min, Dele Alli and Harry Kane if not careful.
I am therefore going for a Spurs win but Everton should nick one if continue to play how they normally do.
Prediction: Everton 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Jake predicts: Everton 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Result: Everton 2-6 Tottenham Hotspur
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