published on in Celeb Gist

Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Everton: Richarlison scores again as Spurs go fourth in Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur moved into the Premier League top four after beating Everton in a thrilling encounter.

Richarlison opened the scoring against his former club with his fourth goal in three matches, before Son Heung-min doubled Spurs' advantage soon after.

Everton deservedly pulled a goal back through Andre Gomes, in his first Premier League game since May 2022.

But Spurs move above Manchester City - absent from league action due to the Club World Cup - into fourth.

Defeat for Everton ended a four-match winning run and leaves them just four points above the relegation zone.

Brazilian Richarlison put the hosts ahead after just nine minutes, slotting in Brennan Johnson's low cross at the near post.

Son doubled Spurs' advantage soon after, with Johnson again providing a key supporting role. The Wales international picked the ball up from a short corner and fired in a powerful drive which Everton keeper Jordan Pickford palmed away.

It fell to Son, who slid the ball home with Pickford caught in a crowd of players and unable to intervene.

Everton showed plenty of attacking intent in an entertaining match and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored five minutes after half-time - only for the video assistant referee to disallow the goal following a foul by Gomes on Emerson Royal in the build-up.

Gomes, who spent last season on loan at Lille before suffering a calf injury, made some amends with a fine volleyed strike on 82 minutes to set up a grandstand finish, but Spurs held on.

30 not out for free-scoring Spurs

Tottenham had the chance to give their fans an early Christmas present by moving into the top four, and they delivered in typical Ange Postecoglou attacking style.

Spurs have now scored in 30 consecutive Premier League games and are the only team in the division to register a goal in every league match this season.

The impact of Postecoglou's gung-ho tactics were visible in Spurs' lightning start and in Everton having plenty of chances themselves.

It is also evidenced in the scoring stats of Richarlison. He managed just two goals in his first 39 league games for Spurs, but now has six goals already this season.

The 26-year-old's form has been a welcome boost for Postecoglou in restoring Spurs' top four challenge after it was shaken by poor results in November and early December - although there was worry for the manager as the striker had to be taken off in the second half with an apparent back injury.

Meanwhile, Son's goal was his 11th league goal in 2023-24, more than his tally from last season.

While Everton came away with no points, they contributed plenty with the hosts frequently grateful to goalkeeper Gigi Vicario's saves.

Vicario could do little to stop Calvert-Lewin's strike sweeping past him on 50 minutes - but was saved by VAR - nor James Garner's strike shortly after which hit the outside of the far post.

But after being beaten by Gomes' strike, Vicario proved the saviour once more with a two late stops from Arnaut Danjuma, including keeping a 97th-minute volley out with his thigh after the former Spurs winger struck the bar.

Line-ups

Tottenham

Formation 4-2-3-1

13Vicario

23Porro17Romero33Davies12Emerson Royal

29Sarr4Skipp

22Johnson21Kulusevski7Son Heung-min

9Richarlison

  • 13Vicario
  • 23Porro
  • 17RomeroSubstituted forDierat 45'minutes
  • 33Davies
  • 12Emerson Royal
  • 29SarrSubstituted forLo Celsoat 73'minutes
  • 4Skipp
  • 22Johnson
  • 21KulusevskiBooked at 86mins
  • 7Son Heung-min
  • 9RicharlisonSubstituted forHøjbjergat 63'minutes

Substitutes

  • 5Højbjerg
  • 11Gil
  • 15Dier
  • 18Lo Celso
  • 20Forster
  • 35Phillips
  • 36Véliz
  • 63Donley
  • 65Dorrington

Everton

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Pickford

2Patterson6Tarkowski32Branthwaite19Mykolenko

27Gueye8Onana

11Harrison37Garner7McNeil

9Calvert-Lewin

  • 1Pickford
  • 2PattersonBooked at 83mins
  • 6Tarkowski
  • 32Branthwaite
  • 19Mykolenko
  • 27GueyeBooked at 23minsSubstituted forAndré Gomesat 24'minutesBooked at 75mins
  • 8OnanaBooked at 26minsSubstituted forGomes Betuncalat 79'minutes
  • 11HarrisonSubstituted forDanjumaat 66'minutes
  • 37Garner
  • 7McNeil
  • 9Calvert-Lewin

Substitutes

  • 5Keane
  • 10Danjuma
  • 12Neves Virgínia
  • 14Gomes Betuncal
  • 21André Gomes
  • 22Godfrey
  • 28Ramalho Chermiti
  • 31Lonergan
  • 58Hunt

Referee:Stuart Attwell

Attendance:61,808

Match Stats

Live Text

  • Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, Everton 1.

  • Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 2, Everton 1.

  • Attempt saved. Arnaut Danjuma (Everton) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Dwight McNeil.

  • Attempt missed. Arnaut Danjuma (Everton) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by André Gomes following a fast break.

  • Foul by Emerson Royal (Tottenham Hotspur).

  • James Garner (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Attempt missed. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Brennan Johnson.

  • Corner, Everton. Conceded by Giovani Lo Celso.

  • Attempt blocked. Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by James Garner.

  • Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card.

  • Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Dejan Kulusevski is caught offside.

  • Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Foul by James Tarkowski (Everton).

  • Corner, Everton. Conceded by Guglielmo Vicario.

  • Attempt saved. Arnaut Danjuma (Everton) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Dwight McNeil.

  • Nathan Patterson (Everton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  • Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Foul by Nathan Patterson (Everton).

  • Goal! Tottenham Hotspur 2, Everton 1. André Gomes (Everton) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner following a corner.

  • Corner, Everton. Conceded by Eric Dier.

    • Player of the match

    RicharlisonRicharlison

    with an average of 7.68

    Tottenham Hotspur

  • Squad number9Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating

    7.68

  • Squad number13Player nameVicarioAverage rating

    7.53

  • Squad number21Player nameKulusevskiAverage rating

    7.44

  • Squad number4Player nameSkippAverage rating

    7.27

  • Squad number33Player nameDaviesAverage rating

    7.20

  • Squad number29Player nameSarrAverage rating

    7.15

  • Squad number15Player nameDierAverage rating

    7.15

  • Squad number22Player nameJohnsonAverage rating

    7.10

  • Squad number17Player nameRomeroAverage rating

    6.96

  • Squad number23Player namePorroAverage rating

    6.81

  • Squad number18Player nameLo CelsoAverage rating

    6.57

  • Squad number12Player nameEmerson RoyalAverage rating

    6.32

  • Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-minAverage rating

    6.26

  • Squad number5Player nameHøjbjergAverage rating

    5.88

    • Everton

  • Squad number32Player nameBranthwaite

    Average rating

    6.19

  • Squad number10Player nameDanjuma

    Average rating

    6.17

  • Squad number21Player nameAndré Gomes

    Average rating

    6.03

  • Squad number2Player namePatterson

    Average rating

    5.57

  • Squad number7Player nameMcNeil

    Average rating

    5.44

  • Squad number19Player nameMykolenko

    Average rating

    5.28

  • Squad number6Player nameTarkowski

    Average rating

    5.25

  • Squad number37Player nameGarner

    Average rating

    5.18

  • Squad number11Player nameHarrison

    Average rating

    5.00

  • Squad number1Player namePickford

    Average rating

    4.91

  • Squad number8Player nameOnana

    Average rating

    4.82

  • Squad number27Player nameGueye

    Average rating

    4.73

  • Squad number9Player nameCalvert-Lewin

    Average rating

    4.72

  • Squad number14Player nameBeto

    Average rating

    4.59

    • ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o67CZ5qopV%2BovbC%2B02idqKekl66tuI5vbnBrZWmCdg%3D%3D