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Spurs logo
Premier League
Nov 30, 2014 at 4pm UK
 
Everton logo

2-1

Eriksen (21'), Soldado (45')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Mirallas (15')

Live Commentary: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Everton - as it happened

Relive how Tottenham inflicted a first defeat in nine games on Everton with a 2-1 comeback win at White Hart Lane, courtesy of Sports Mole's live text coverage.
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Top-four hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur and Everton met in the final Premier League match of the weekend at White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon.

Both were hoping to move within two points of the Champions League places and it was Spurs who came out on top with a 2-1 comeback victory.

Read how it all unfolded in North London with our minute-by-minute updates below.


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Afternoon folks! The 10th and final game of matchday 13 in the Premier League sees Tottenham take on Everton in North London. Plenty to talk about between now and kickoff, so let's get started with the team news...

SPURS XI: Lloris; Chiriches, Vertonghen, Fazio, Davies; Lennon, Bentaleb, Mason, Eriksen; Soldado, Kane
Subs: Vorm, Kaboul, Paulinho, Lamela, Dier, Dembele, Chadli

EVERTON XI: Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines; Barry, Besic; Eto'o, Barkley, Mirallas; Lukaku
Subs: Robles, Hibbert, McGeady, Atsu, Osman, Pienaar, Garbutt

Mauricio Pochettino makes three changes to his Spurs lineup from last week's 2-1 win at Hull City - Vlad Chiriches, Nabil Bentaleb and Aaron Lennon replace Eric Dier, Moussa Dembele and Erik Lamela.

Everton, meanwhile, have four changes in their XI from the 2-1 victory over West Ham United last Saturday. Leighton Baines returns at left-back in place of Tony Hibbert, while in midfield Leon Osman and James McCarthy are replaced by Gareth Barry and Muhamed Besic. Up front, Samuel Eto'o comes in for the injured Steven Naismith.



So plenty of changes from their last league games, but both of these sides have been in action since in the Europa League. They both won so they're going for three wins in a week here. Spurs got the better of Partizan at home, while Everton went to Wolfsburg and earned a really impressive 2-0 win in Germany.

REFEREE WATCH! The man in charge today is Michael Oliver, who has developed into one of England's top officials in the last two seasons.

It's such a familiar feeling, Spurs playing on a Sunday, isn't it? In fact, 31 of their 51 league games since the start of last season have been played on Sunday.

This afternoon's other Premier League game between second and third in the table has just finished and it's Man City who get the better of Southampton 3-0 to move within six points of Chelsea at the top of the table.


Looking at our readers' poll on our match preview, you really can't separate these two sides today! 31% of you fancy Spurs, 36% went for a draw and 33% plumped for Everton.

So, according to that poll, a Spurs win is the least likely outcome. However, they are unbeaten in five games against Everton at White Hart Lane (winning three, drawing two).

The last game between these two was at White Hart Lane in February and that day Emmanuel Adebayor scored a second-half winner. That was the only goal between Spurs and Everton last season as the match at Goodison finished goalless.

Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen tells Sky Sports News: "We want to start every game well from the first minute. We want to start quick and press them. We want to put them under early pressure & create chances. The support can be important. I'm confident we can start fast."

Spurs have actually been bad starters this season, conceding almost 30% of their goals inside the opening 15 minutes.

They tend to come good late on in games, with three of their five Premier League victories this season down to a late winner.

If Spurs are to win today, they will inflict a first loss on Everton for nine games. The Toffees haven't tasted defeat since they went down 2-1 at Manchester United almost two months ago.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this Everton team plays today. It's a very attack-minded one and perhaps they think that they can prey on Spurs' dodgy displays at home this season. Pochettino's side have lost four of the last five games at home, never scoring more than once in those games.

Players like Barkley and Mirallas will certainly fancy themselves against Spurs' inexperienced holding midfield duo of Mason and Bentaleb.

Click here to see how the table looks ahead of the last match of gameweek 19. Everton have the advantage at the moment on goal difference and can go level on points with Arsenal in sixth with a win. The same goes for Spurs.

PREDICTION TIME! On the Sports Mole Sofa earlier this week I predicted that it would be a 0-0 draw, but looking at the two teams, especially Everton's, I think that might be a bad guess. I'm changing it to 2-2. Watch the full video below.


One man who needs to impress today is Roberto Soldado. Only five Spurs players have scored in the league this season, with Aston Villa (three) the only side with fewer goalscorers. Soldado is yet to find the net in the league.

The two teams are out of the tunnel. Kickoff fast approaching.

Everton are in their deep blue away kit today. Not really sure why they're not in blue tops and white shorts, it wouldn't clash with Spurs.

KICKOFF! We're off at the Lane.

Good start by the visitors as Barry pings it out to Barkley, who has started on the right of midfield surprisingly. Eto'o gets the ball and tries to feed it in to Coleman, but Davies covers well.

Unlucky Mirallas! The Belgian winger takes a fabulous touch to get inside Chiriches and he would have had a free shot at goal had the flag not been raised. A tight call, but the linesman appeared to get it just right.

First shot of the day comes from Mirallas after some neat, patient play from Everton. Baines pulled it back to the Belgian and he sidefooted it high into the stand. Moments earlier at the other end, Kane whipped in a great ball but there was no-one in there.

CHANCE! First real chance of the match falls to Lukaku after some fabulous dribbling by Barkley. The latter ran into trouble on the edge of the box but the ball broke Lukaku's way and he was able to get off a snap-shot that Lloris got down well to save.

Rare bit of skill from Chiriches to appease the home supporters. It doesn't come to anything though and you have to say that Everton have enjoyed the better of the first 10 minutes.

Chiriches with a loopy cross from the right that's easy for Howard to pluck out of the air. The American is yet to be really tested.

GOAL! SPURS 0-1 EVERTON (MIRALLAS)

Beautiful opening goal from the visitors as Mirallas curls home a stunner from 20 yards after a Baines free kick had been half-cleared by the hosts. He won a 50-50 and then cut inside Soldado before curling it into the far top corner. Absolutely nothing Lloris could do to stop that.

Everton are now in search of a second after that fantastic opener. Baines gets forward down the left and Fazio has to clear it out for a corner. Nothing comes of it, though.

Chiriches, who gave away the free kick that led to the goal, almost gifts Everton a second with a backpass that Lukaku is so close to intercepting. Luckily for the Spurs right-back, Lloris was alert and quick off his line to clear it out.

GOAL! SPURS 1-1 EVERTON (ERIKSEN)

All square at the Lane and Martinez won't be happy with this goal. Kane drove forward and sent a fairly tame shot at goal that Howard pushed out straight to Eriksen. The Dane hit it into the ground and was quite fortunate to see the ball bobble into the far corner. Barry was back on the line, but he was wrongfooted and could only watch it bounce in.



Impressive run by Kane as he surges forward from his own half right up to the Everton area. He can't quite work a shooting opportunity as Jagielka makes the tackle. It all came after Besic played a poor ball forward.

Kane again involved as he attempts a cheeky chip but doesn't quite get his angles right. Howard might have been struggling if the ball had been directed to the far corner.

Vertonghen makes a big tackle on Barkley and then charges forward into the Everton half. Kane takes it on and again impresses with his dribbling before a fairly tame shot that Howard saves.

Everton have had more of the possession in the opening half an hour (55%), but it's Tottenham who are doing more with the ball - they've had five shots and four on target, compared to Everton's three, two of which have been on goal.

SHOT! Eriksen's left-foot drive from outside the box takes a deflection and fizzes a yard or so wide for a corner. Spurs on top at the moment.



CHANCES! Attempts at both ends as Coleman drives inside from the right and shoots left-footed to the near post where Lloris makes the save. Spurs go up the other end and are gifted a goalscoring chance when Besic tries to head back to Howard but doesn't see Soldado, who fluffs his lines when trying to prod it home.

Great pressure from Everton in the corner and it looks like Besic might be able to steal in, but Eriksen battles back well and wins the free kick.

BOOKING! First yellow card of the day is shown to Mirallas after he clipped Lennon's ankle and then kicked the ball away after the whistle had been blown.

One minute of stoppage time with Everton on the attack as I type.

GOAL! SPURS 2-1 EVERTON (SOLDADO)

I said that Soldado needed to impress today and he's just slotted the hosts in front with a cool finish after Lennon had slipped him in down the right. It all came after Barry was dispossessed by Kane in the middle. Poor from the experienced midfielder and a terrible time for Everton to concede.

HALF-TIME: SPURS 2-1 EVERTON

It's Soldado's first goal in the league for nine months.


If you're only just joining us and want a quick update on the opening half, you could do a lot worse than reading our half-time report.

Spurs once again, for the sixth time this season, conceded in the opening 15 minutes but they've responded really well. Kane's energy has been the catalyst and he's played a big part in both of the hosts' goals.



As things stand, Spurs will be rising three places to seventh in the table and going level on points with North London rivals Arsenal. Everton will drop to 10th if they lose.

KICKOFF! We're back underway at White Hart Lane. No changes from either side at the break.

Excellent covering from Vertonghen as he tracks the run of Eto'o and clears from Coleman's knockdown. Even start to the half.

Decent couple of minutes from Everton that comes to an end as Barry's cross floats a little too high for Coleman at the back post.

Good defending by Coleman to prevent Soldado getting on the end of a loose ball over the top. The former is certainly seeing plenty of the ball at both ends of the pitch.

BOOKING! Chiriches is carded for clearly hauling back Mirallas. Easy decision for Oliver.

Can Martinez mastermind a comeback, or will Pochettino be smiling come full time?

Manager Mauricio Pochettino of Spurs reacts after Roberto Soldado of Spurs scores their second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at White Hart Lane on November 30, 2014© Getty Images

CLOSE! Spurs work a short corner that Eriksen crosses in low. Fazio can't quite make enough contact at the near post and the ball goes all the way through across goal. Kane, surprisingly, wasn't alert at the back stick.

Lukaku with a shot from distance that's easy for Lloris to save. Down the other end, Kane's persistence wins Spurs a free kick 25 yards out. Eriksen lining it up...

Not the Dane's best effort as he fires it straight into the wall.

SHOT! Eriksen tees up Mason for a shot from 20 yards that he cuts across and watches the ball fizz just over.

SUBS: Changes galore as Everton make two changes and Spurs make one. For the visitors, goalscorer Mirallas and Eto'o come off for Aiden McGeady and Leon Osman. That will see Barkley go further forward. For Spurs, Lamela replaces Lennon down the right.

Coleman with an important block to deny Eriksen's shot getting through after a breakaway from Lamela. Spurs on top, but Everton aren't out of this yet.

Everton can count themselves a little unlucky there as Lukaku was wrongly flagged offside. Spurs left-back Davies was playing him on. The ball dropped to Barkley and he pinged a lovely first-time shot that Lloris saved.

SPURS SUB: Chiriches, who replaced Dier in the team, has to go off with an injury. The latter comes on in his place.

CHANCE! Barkley with a clever through-ball into Coleman but it's just a bit too hard and Lloris is quick, as always, off his line and makes the save.

Coleman continues to be a good outlet for his teammates down the right, but this time he overhits his cross awfully. Time running out for the Toffees.

Barkley, who has been Everton's best player going forward today, stays down after a nasty clip of the heels by Lamela. He's back on his feet though and ready to continue.

Lukaku turns his man on the edge of the box before trying to curl for the far corner but not wrapping his foot around it. Not the Belgian's best game. Far from it.

SPURS SUB: Third and final change for the home side as Soldado is replaced by Paulinho. He'll shore up the middle.



Jagielka with a well-timed tackle to prevent Lamela collecting Paulinho's through-ball. Everton are going to have to push more bodies forward now and Spurs could be a threat on the counter-attack.

BOOKING! Lamela goes into the book for a nasty lunge on Baines.

Everton corner...

BOOKING! It comes to nothing but Everton have another set piece, a free kick out on the right, after Davies barged over Lukaku.

"HANDBALL!" scream the Everton fans and players after Lukaku's header clearly hits Fazio's hand. His arm was away from his body and that, for me, should have been a penalty.

Three minutes of added time.

BOOKING! Eriksen is carded for a cynical foul when Everton were trying to break.

And now Spurs want a penalty as Kane bursts through on goal and is challenged by Besic. It looked like Kane actually wrapped his leg around Besic when trying to win a penalty.

FULL-TIME: SPURS 2-1 EVERTON

Everton's unbeaten run comes to an end at eight games as Spurs fight back from a goal down to win at White Hart Lane.

Pochettino's men rise to seventh in the table and are now just two points off the top four ahead of a trip to league leaders Chelsea on Wednesday.

Time for us to say goodbye, but stick around on SM for reaction from North London as well as match analysis and player ratings. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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Everton's Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku gets past Wolfsburg's Croatian midfielder Ivan Perisic to score the 0-1 goal during the UEFA Europa League Group H football match VfL Wolfsburg vs Everton FC in Wolfsburg, northern Germany on November 27, 2014
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3Liverpool36239481384378
4Aston Villa36207973532067
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs351861169581160
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7Chelsea351591170591154
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd35166135255-354
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham361310135670-1449
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12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves36137164960-1146
13Fulham36128165155-444
14Crystal Palace361110154957-843
15Everton36129153849-1137
16Brentford3699185260-836
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3689194563-1829
18Luton TownLuton3668224978-2926
19Burnley3659223974-3524
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd36372635100-6516


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