Notebook – Spurs v Everton

We return to Premier League action this evening with the visit of Everton (8pm kick-off).

Here in the Notebook, take a look at all the key points of note ahead of the match…

1 - Playing for peace

Ahead of the game, we will be conveying a message of peace in light of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Firstly, our players will warm up in t-shirts calling for peace and displaying the clear message ‘Football Stands Together’, before young people from Haringey Vox will perform ‘One Day’, a song expressing hope that, one day, our world will stop fighting and people will embrace kindness and freedom. The musical performance will be accompanied by a stadium illumination, with a moment’s applause being observed prior to kick-off in a show of support and solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

2 - A rare Monday night game

A Monday night fixture is an unusual occasion for us. Since the start of the 2016/17 season, just 2.3 per cent of our 215 Premier League matches have been played on a Monday night (five matches).

For Everton, however, Monday night fixtures are not quite as rare as this will be their fourth such game already this season. Of those, they have won two, and both of those victories have come at home. Meanwhile, in their only Monday night game on the road so far this season, they suffered defeat at Wolves. Since the start of the 2016/17 season, they have faced 18 matches on a Monday night.

3 - Monday night delights

When we have played on a Monday night though, we have seemed to rather enjoy it. Of our last 12 games to be played on a Monday, we have won nine times while we have lost just once (D2 – that defeat being a 1-0 reverse against reigning league champions Manchester City in October, 2018).

Our meeting with Everton will be the first league fixture we’ve played on a Monday since our 1-0 win at Burnley in October, 2020. Our last home league match on a Monday was coincidentally against the Toffees back in July, 2020 – we also took all three points that day as we triumphed 1-0.

4 - Strong run against the Toffees

And that victory comes as part of a long run of positive results for us against the Toffees. For starters, in the Premier League era, we have earned more points (104) and scored more goals (90) against Everton than any other side, but we have been especially strong in this fixture over the last decade.

In our last 18 Premier League meetings with the Blues, we have lost just once, winning eight times and drawing nine. That sole defeat, though, did come in the last edition of this fixture as in September, 2020, the Merseyside outfit defeated us on home soil (1-0) for the first time in 12 years.

5 - A rough ride for Everton

It has been a difficult season for Everton to date. Having lost just one of their opening six matches, winning four of them, they have since won just two of their last 18 games (D3 L13), picking up nine points from a possible 54.

In that time, they have earned just two points on the road – draws at Manchester United (1-1 in October) and Chelsea (1-1 in December). They have not won away in the league since August when they defeated Brighton 2-0 – that is the only three points they have picked up on their travels so far this season.

6 - Our last meeting

We last faced Everton back in November as we drew 0-0 at Goodison Park. In what was Antonio Conte’s first Premier League match as our Head Coach, we enjoyed the best of the chances in the match, including Giovani Lo Celso striking the post in the late stages, but we couldn’t quite test Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and were forced to settle for a point. Our hosts were reduced to 10 men before the full-time whistle though as, following a VAR review, Mason Holgate was shown a red card in stoppage time for a foul on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

7 - Conte’s near-perfect Everton run

That draw against Everton continued Antonio Conte’s unbeaten run against the Blues. Having faced the Toffees six times in his career to date, he has won four times and drawn twice. Incredibly, in his five Premier League meetings so far with the tonight’s opposition, his teams have yet to concede a goal with five clean sheets recorded.

8 - Kane targeting the Toffees

Harry Kane has a sterling record when it comes to facing Everton. In 13 Premier League appearances against the Toffees, Harry has found the back of the net 11 times – including five braces. Only against Leicester (16) has he scored more goals in the top flight than the Blues while only Alan Shearer – against Leeds – has scored 2+ goals in more games against a specific opponent in the competition than our number 10 (six braces, one hat-trick).
Also, over the last couple of the months, Harry has been finding his form and comes into this game in something of a purple patch as, in his last 11 league games, the striker has been involved in nine goals (seven scored, two assisted).

9 - Wing-backs’ half-centuries

Both Ryan Sessegnon and Matt Doherty could reach significant appearance milestones this evening if they play their part against Everton. Ryan, who has started each of our last five Premier League games, could make his 50^th Premier League appearance tonight if he takes to the field while Matt could make his 50^th appearance for the Club if selected. Interestingly, both players made their Spurs debuts against the Toffees – Ryan in November, 2019, and Matt in September, 2020.

10 - Dele returns

Dele Alli is in line to make his return to N17 for the first time this evening since his January departure to Everton. The midfielder, who made over 250 appearances and scored 67 goals in almost seven years with us, is likely to be part of the opposition’s travelling contingent, as is fellow former Spur Andros Townsend. Since moving to Merseyside, Dele has made four league appearances, all coming as a substitute.