The opening week of the Premier League is finally here, and every fan is excited to witness their teams in action!
Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur will be a really interesting game solely because of the fact that both teams have something to prove. What better way to show everybody what you’re made of than winning big on the opening week, and they will undoubtedly be eyeing a victory.
Team News
Everton
Romelu Lukaku’s form is a huge question mark and it is still unsure as to whether or not he will play this game as he continues to recover from a cut sustained last weekend.
Ashley Williams might also not make his debut, but Phil Jagielka could get in a few minutes as he is recovering fast. Additionally, the fitness of full-back Seamus Coleman is a concern too, as he picked up a problem in training.
Tottenham Hotspur
Jan Vertonghen is expected to return since the injury he sustained at Euro 2016. However, the Belgian could be restricted to a place on the bench with Kevin Wimmer potentially starting alongside Toby Alderweireld.
League Head to Head
03/01/2016: Premier League 15/16 Everton 1 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur
29/08/2015: Premier League 15/16 Tottenham Hotspur 0 – 0 Everton
24/05/2015: Premier League 14/15 Everton 0 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur
30/11/2014: Premier League 14/15 Tottenham Hotspur 2 – 1 Everton
09/02/2014: Premier League 13/14 Tottenham Hotspur 1 – 0 Everton
03/11/2013: Premier League 13/14 Everton 0 – 0 Tottenham Hotspur
Interesting Facts
• No side has scored more than two in the fixture (both home and away) in the last 15 games between the teams.
• Only once in the 22 PL games at Goodison has one team scored more than twice, Everton in the 3-1 win in April 2004.
• There have been five goalless draws between the teams at Goodison in the PL era, two more than any other fixture.
Key Players
Everton – Leighton Baines
Baines extended his contract recently with Everton, much to the delight of the fans. He is the number one left-back for the Toffees and with good reason. He will be extremely important, especially against the force of Harry Kane.
The England international has made over 340 appearances and netted 33 goals during his nine-year relationship with the club, and now, a new deal displays Ronald Koeman’s faith in the talented left-back, who returned to pre-season early to boost his fitness, and is all ready to help improve Everton’s chances this season.
Tottenham Hotspurs – Victor Wanyama
Wanyama looks like he already belongs, based on his pre-season performances thanks to a physical, aggressive approach to the game.
Maybe this is exactly what the Spurs need – an aggressive streak to boil over at some point this season, and Pochettino would want his team to follow this style, as last season, they did end up playing more defensively. With Mousa Dembele out due to suspension, Wanyama could make one of Tottenham’s two central midfield positions his own and make the best of it.
Prediction
Everton’s performances at home last season were lacklustre, but this time around, Koeman knows he must motivate his players to pick up points at Goodison Park and that should result in a high-energy display on Saturday. However, Spurs can never be underestimated and they were very strong last season. The game is likely to end in a 1-1 draw as both teams might neutralise each other.
