Sun 13 September 2020, 09:30
Tottenham HotspurEverton are first up as we begin the new 2020/21 season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today (Sunday 13 September, kick-off 4.30pm UK).
In our new ‘Then and Now’ feature here on tottenhamhotspur.com, we’ll take a brief look at our history against the opposing side before looking at some of the key pre-match news and views ahead of our impending clash.
Spurs v Everton – Then
Today marks the 11th time we’ve faced Everton on the opening weekend of a top-flight season – that’s three more than any other fixture in the division’s history.
One such occasion was on 20 August, 1960, when goals from Les Allen and Bobby Smith gave us a 2-0 win over the Toffees at White Hart Lane. Little did we know as that season began that by the end of it, we’d have won the Double!
Looking further back through the archives, we’ve played Everton just once before on 13 September – that was nearly 100 years ago as the sides battled out a goalless draw at the Lane.
In more recent history, we’ve remained unbeaten against Everton in our last 15 Premier League meetings and have won more matches in the division against them (27) than against any other side. We last faced them on the opening weekend as recently as 2016, drawing 1-1 at Goodison Park with Erik Lamela cancelling out Ross Barkley’s opener.
Our clash with the Toffees at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 6 July this year marked our first ever home league match in the month of July, owing to the suspension of the national game in March over the COVID-19 pandemic. Giovani Lo Celso’s strike deflected home off Michael Keane to give us a 1-0 win.
Here are our five most recent results against Everton…
6 July, 2020 – Spurs 1-0 Everton – Premier League
3 November, 2019 – Everton 1-1 Spurs – Premier League
12 May, 2019 – Spurs 2-2 Everton – Premier League
23 December, 2018 – Everton 2-6 Spurs – Premier League
13 January, 2018 – Spurs 4-0 Everton – Premier League
Spurs v Everton – now
Everton arrive in N17 with a clutch of new signings as they bid to start their 2020/21 campaign off with a bang.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti, who took over at Goodison Park in December, 2019, has opted for the familiar, bringing in Colombian international attacking midfielder James Rodriguez from Real Madrid and Brazilian midfielder Allan from Napoli – both players who have worked with him before.
Rodriguez played under Ancelotti at both Real and Bayern Munich while Allan worked with the Toffees boss at Napoli, playing 61 games under his stewardship.
Our visitors have also recently brought in midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure from Watford.
All three players could feasibly feature against us today, although defender Mason Holgate is out with a toe injury.
“They are all in good condition and I am happy they have no problems,” Ancelotti said of his new acquisitions. “They have trained all week and are ready to play. I don’t know if they are able to play 90 minutes or if they are going to start, but they are available. Allan and Doucoure were training at their clubs before coming here, so were already in good shape physically. James started to fully train this week but he is fit.”
Allan and Doucoure were training at their clubs before coming here. James started to fully train this week but he is fit.
From our point of view, we’ll be looking to win four consecutive opening-weekend games for the first time since 1968 – we’ve triumphed at the start of the last three seasons in a row, seeing off Aston Villa at home last August and Newcastle United at St James’ Park in the two years prior to that. Everton, however, are unbeaten in their last eight opening league games.
Jose Mourinho has won 11 league matches against Everton during his career and has overseen more games on the opening weekend of a Premier League campaign without losing than any other manager (nine wins and one draw from 10 matches).
“I feel really happy to start what I used to call real football,” said Jose. “We’ll miss the fans, but real football means playing for points, and to feel that adrenaline back, that emotion. I’m always happy before the first game of the season, but I don’t think even experience helps and can change the fact that you have that little anxiety before the first match of the season.”
