Jose’s verdict on Everton

Jose Mourinho was left to reflect on decisive moments going against us as Everton won our Premier League opener 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Jordan Pickford made the difference for the visitors in the first half with two outstanding saves to deny Dele and debutant Matt Doherty. Heung-Min Son also pinged in a cross-shot that Harry Kane was inches away from sliding home, the ball zipping inches wide.

It might have been a different story had we forged ahead in an even game. Everton did just that 10 minutes into the second half when Dominic Calvert-Lewin powered home the only goal from Lucas Digne’s free-kick.

Jose, who handed debuts to Doherty and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, described a ‘different game’ once Everton were ahead.

“There were decisive moments,” he said. “Dele’s shot in the first half, Doherty’s shot, great saves. Of course, the goal was the top moment of the game.

“We had great opportunities and in spite of a very difficult game, we were there, and clearly in some moments better than them. Pickford made a difference. Hugo sometimes makes it for us. That’s for the goalkeepers to do that.

“After the goal there is a different game, a game of a team that is confident, that is winning and a team like we were, with a little bit of belief and a little bit of solutions.”

Summing-up the performance, Jose added: “It wasn’t a very good performance, not a consistent performance, not a performance that leaves me a very good feeling that all of my players gave everything, that all my players were in the right frame of mind, that all of my players were there really to leave what you have and what you don’t have. I don’t go home with that feeling. I go home with the feeling that some of the boys could do more.”