Tottenham got their campaign off to the perfect start with a comfortable 2-0 triumph over Newcastle United on the opening weekend, but two subsequent games at their temporary Wembley home have yielded just a single point. A 2-1 defeat by Chelsea was a little unfortunate – Spurs probably deserved a share of the spoils on the balance of play – before Mauricio Pochettino’s men were held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley prior to the international break.
Dele Alli gave the hosts the lead on that occasion, but a failure to convert their chances allowed the Clarets a route back into the game, with Chris Wood’s strike in second-half stoppage earning the underdogs a point. Pochettino may privately be glad that his side’s next game comes away from north London, but he will know that emerging from Goodison Park with all three points will be a tough ask – after all, the Toffees only lost two Premier League games in front of their own fans last season.
Everton have won one, drawn one and lost one of their three matches so far, with their most recent encounter ending in a 2-0 loss to Chelsea. Ronald Koeman will have been disappointed with his team’s showing that afternoon, with the defending champions noticeably superior to their opponents in all departments; there were several positives to take from Everton’s previous matches against Stoke City and Manchester City, though, so the Dutchman has plenty to work with going forward. The Merseysiders have already used numerous formations this season, so it will be interesting to see which one they opt for this weekend.
Spurs will have to make do without Danny Rose (knee), Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (foot) and long-term absentee Erik Lamela (hip), while Kieran Trippier and Victor Wanyama are doubts with ankle and knee problems respectively. Serge Aurier could make his debut at right-back in place of Trippier, but fellow newcomer Fernando Llorente will have to settle for a place among the substitutes as Harry Kane continues up top. Son Heung-min may drop out after starting the game against Burnley, particularly as he is coming off the back of a long trip to Asia for South Korea’s latest World Cup qualifying fixtures.
Everton, meanwhile, will not be able to call upon Ross Barkley (hamstring), Ramiro Funes Mori (knee), Seamus Coleman (leg), James McCarthy (knee) and Yannick Bolasie (knee), but goalkeeper Jordan Pickford should be fit to feature despite developing a muscular injury towards the end of last month. Mason Holgate and Davy Klaassen are hoping to shake off ankle and knee ailments in time to play, while Morgan Schneiderlin is available once more following a one-game ban.
This is a difficult game to call, which is why a draw could be the best bet in terms of predicting a result. Both teams tend to be defensively strong, which could lead to a low-scoring match; fewer than 2.5 goals being scored in total is therefore another wager to consider. If you are feeling particularly brave, consider a 1-1 draw in the correct scoreline market – that is how this fixture ended up last term and a repeat would fetch a healthy profit.
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