Everton 2-2 Tottenham: What Were The Key Talking Points As Spurs Suffer Last-Gasp Heartbreak At Goodison Park?

Missing out on the chance to shore up their spot in the top-four chase, Tottenham were forced to settle for a last-gasp 2-2 draw away at Everton on Saturday lunchtime.

With the red-hot Richarlison opening the scoring against his former club after just four minutes, chances quickly fell at both ends of the pitch as ex-Leeds forward Jack Harrison levelled the score on the half-hour mark.

However, it was Spurs who entered the half-time break with a 2-1 lead as Richarlison doubled Tottenham’s advantage with a wonderful finish from outside the box.

Although Ange Postecoglou’s men might have been seconds away from widening their spot in the top-four chase, Spurs suffered injury-time heartbreak as Jarrad Branthwaite bundled over the line with essentially the late kick of the game.

While the Toffees might have salvaged what could be a crucial point in their bid to avoid the drop, Everton have recorded just a single win from any of their previous 10 showdowns against Premier League opposition.

In what was an action-packed affair from Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon, we have taken a glance at the key talking points.

Postecoglou’s issues on the road

While Tottenham might have continued to gain a string of plaudits since they appointed Postecoglou last summer, the former Celtic boss will have a mounting headache over his side’s extended issues outside of north London.

Although Spurs might still find themselves battling it out in the race to clinch a lucrative Champions League return this season, Saturday’s guests have now managed to muster just a single win from any of their previous six domestic appearances on the road.

With that away day struggle stemming all the way back to a 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace on October 27th, Tottenham have also gained a reputation for their defensive problems away from the capital.

Signing off 2023 with an action-packed 4-2 defeat at the hands of Brighton, Postecoglou will know the importance of finding some crucial stability on their travels.

Remarkably recording just a pair of Premier League clean sheets outside of north London over the past 13 months, Spurs will certainly feel that they missed out on a golden opportunity this weekend.

Richarlison continues on his purple patch

Although Richarlison might have drastically struggled to find his feet after initially completing a £60million move from Everton in the summer of 2022, the Brazil international is enjoying a stellar domestic romp.

Coming back and haunting his former employers here after bagging a classy first half brace at Goodison Park, the one-time Watford starlet has done a stellar job of filling Son Heung-min’s void in the final third.

With Spurs’ influential skipper still away with South Korea at this month’s Asia Cup, Richarlison is clearly relishing his leading role and will have a leading role to play in Postecoglou’s Champions League charge.

Once again finding the net during Tottenham’s 3-2 victory against Brentford earlier in the week, Richarlison has now bagged nine goals in his last 10 appearances against Premier League opposition.

Receiving a string of praise following another standout display on Merseyside, the 48-cap international is certainly starting to live up to his £60million price tag.

A point that could be crucial for Everton

Hit with a hugely controversial 10-point deduction back in November and dealing with some public financial issues behind the scenes at Goodison, Sean Dyche’s men remain firmly at the heart of another relegation scrap.

With another potential sanction hanging over their heads, the former Burnley boss appears to have a real job on his hands during the second half of the campaign.

Although Saturday’s hosts might have shown some real signs of life during their six-week flurry between November and December, Everton have largely come crashing back down to earth.

While the Toffees might have snatched a crucial last-gasp point here, Dyche’s side have managed to muster just a single win from any of their previous 10 straight meetings against Premier League opposition across all competitions.

With that extended wobble stemming all the way back to a 2-0 win away at fellow relegation scrappers Burnley on December 16th, Everton must use their late escape as a platform to build on.

Match Report

Everton: Pickford, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Young, Hueye, Garner, McNeil, Harrison, Calvert-Lewin

Subs: Dobbin, Chermiti, Coleman

Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Hojburg, Johnson, Maddison, Werner, Richarlison

Subs: Gil, Dragusin, Skipp, Kulusevski, Sarr

Goals: Everton: Jack Harrison (30’), Branthwaite

Yellow Cards: Godfrey Garner, Dobbin

Red Cards: N/A

Referee: David Coote