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Attendance: 60,124
Spurs logo
Premier League | Gameweek 38
May 12, 2019 at 3pm UK
 
Everton logo

2-2

Dier (3'), Eriksen (75')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Walcott (69'), Tosun (72')

Preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Everton - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Premier League clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, including team news and predicted lineups.

Fresh from booking their spot in the Champions League final, Tottenham Hotspur will bring their 2018-19 Premier League campaign to a close at home to Everton on Sunday afternoon.

Wednesday's incredible 3-2 win over Ajax saw Spurs set up an all-English final with Liverpool, while Mauricio Pochettino's side have already all but secured a top-four finish in the Premier League table.


Tottenham

Lucas Moura celebrates his hat-trick goal as Tottenham Hotspur complete their comeback win against Ajax on May 8, 2019© Reuters

Tottenham looked down and out when Ajax took a 2-0 lead during the second leg of Wednesday's Champions League semi-final; it gave the Dutch outfit a 3-0 advantage on aggregate, and it did appear that Pochettino's side would be leaving the competition at the semi-final stage.

Lucas Moura had other ideas, though, and scored a second-half treble to send Spurs into the final, where they will meet Liverpool in what should be a mouthwatering affair. The final is not actually until June 1, though, and the team's immediate attention will be on their final Premier League match of the campaign.

As it stands, Spurs are fourth in the table - three points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal, who have a worse goal difference by eight. Only an incredible set of circumstances would see Pochettino's team fail to secure a top-four finish on the final weekend, while they can still finish third with Chelsea just one point ahead.

Tottenham's position in the table is even more incredible when considering that they have lost 13 of their 37 Premier League matches this season. It is the highest number of defeats in the top seven, but 23 wins and just one draw have given them 70 points, which will ultimately be good enough for a top-four spot.

Having failed to buy a single player either last summer or in January, many thought that it would be a tough season for the capital outfit. Losing Harry Kane to an ankle injury was also far from ideal, but Pochettino's side have managed to negotiate a tough period.

It is certainly worth mentioning, though, that Spurs have lost three of their last four games in all competitions, and indeed three of their last four in the Premier League. West Ham United and Bournemouth have beaten them in their last two top-flight affairs, but the teams below them have also struggled.

Indeed, the opportunity for either Arsenal or Manchester United to move into the top four has certainly been open, but both teams have had their problems at domestic level, meaning that Tottenham have been allowed to keep their spot in the Champions League positions despite a tough run of results.

It is shaping up to be a very interesting summer transfer window for Spurs, and they could well enter the 2019-20 campaign as Champions League holders. First and foremost, though, finishing their domestic season with a strong performance and a win in front of their own supporters is very much on the agenda.

Recent form: WWLWLL
Recent form (all competitions): LWLLLW


Everton

Everton manager Marco Silva watches the action on April 27, 2019© Reuters

It has been a strange season for Everton, but the Toffees will head to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend off the back of a fine run of form, which has seen them lose just one of their last seven in the Premier League.

A number of supporters were frustrated with Everton's inconsistency in the first half of the campaign, while results were also not exactly brilliant in the early stages of 2019. The team appears to have turned a corner in recent weeks, though, and they will be looking to pick up three more points this weekend.

Since losing 3-2 at Newcastle United on March 9, Everton have won five of their seven Premier League matches - that run of form has included victories over Chelsea, Arsenal and United, with their only defeat coming away to already-relegated Fulham on April 13.

Marco Silva's side have not conceded in their last three Premier League matches, meanwhile, beating United and Burnley, in addition to picking up a point at Crystal Palace.

A total of 53 points has left them in eighth position in the Premier League table - two points ahead of ninth-placed Leicester City. Everton cannot catch Wolverhampton Wanderers in seventh - which should be good enough for a Europa League spot - but eighth would be considered a decent season under the circumstances.

Like Tottenham, the Toffees are expected to be active in this summer's transfer window as they look to move closer to the top six next season. It will be interesting to see whether Richarlison stays at Goodison Park, while a number of players are expected to be moved on, including Cenk Tosun.

When considering that Everton's Under-23 side have done the double this season, the future looks bright for the Merseyside giants. There had been question marks surrounding the future of Silva earlier in the campaign, but the former Watford boss appears to have won over the majority of supporters in recent weeks.

The Toffees have lost nine of their 18 away Premier League matches this season - posting just five wins in the process. The visitors will certainly be the fresher of the two teams this weekend, though, and a victory would only aid suggestions that the team can make a strong play for the top six next term.

Recent form: WWLWDW


Team News

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min pushes Bournemouth's Jefferson Lerma in the Premier League on May 4, 2019.© Reuters

Pochettino will be forced to select an XI far from his strongest on Sunday afternoon.

Indeed, Jan Vertonghen picked up a foot injury against Ajax on Wednesday night, with the Belgium international joining fellow centre-back Davinson Sanchez on the sidelines.

Juan Foyth is suspended following his red card against Bournemouth, meanwhile, meaning that Eric Dier could move back into central defence alongside Toby Alderweireld.

Elsewhere, Serge Aurier, Kane and Harry Winks are all still injured, while Son Heung-min - like Foyth - picked up a red card against Bournemouth and will serve a ban.

Kyle Walker-Peters and Erik Lamela are both in line for starts, while Fernando Llorente is expected to be given the position at the tip of the attack, having impressed off the bench in Amsterdam.

Unlike Tottenham, Everton have few injury concerns heading into the contest.

Richarlison is a slight doubt with the problem that he picked up against Burnley last time out, but the Brazil international is expected to be given the nod in a wide position.

There has been a settled look to Silva's team in recent weeks, and that should again be the case this weekend with Bernard, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Gylfi Sigurdsson all starting.

The Toffees would like to sign both Kurt Zouma and Andre Gomes from Chelsea and Barcelona respectively, but will have to wait to see whether permanent deals for the loan duo can be secured.

Tottenham possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Walker-Peters, Alderweireld, Dier, Davies; Sissoko, Wanyama; Lamela, Alli; Lucas, Llorente

Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Coleman, Zouma, Keane, Digne; Gomes, Gueye; Richarlison, Sigurdsson, Bernard; Calvert-Lewin


Head To Head

Tottenham have won each of the last four Premier League meetings between the two teams - including a 6-2 success at Goodison Park in the reverse clash earlier this season.

Spurs have actually not lost to Everton in the top flight since December 2012, which makes the capital outfit unbeaten in the last 12 league meetings between the two teams.

The last time that Everton recorded all three points away to Tottenham, meanwhile, was back in November 2008, with Steven Pienaar scoring the only goal of the match.


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Tottenham 2-2 Everton

It would not be a surprise to see Everton collect all three points when considering the circumstances heading into Sunday's match. However, we fancy the score draw this weekend, which both managers would probably take if it were offered ahead of kickoff.



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Jan Vertonghen lies on the ground following a clash of heads with Tottenham Hotspur teammate Toby Alderweireld in the meeting with Ajax on April 30, 2019
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16Everton112451017-710
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19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


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