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Match Preview
Premier
League: Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur
Kickoff
Time: 2024-02-03 20:30 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/
ISABEL INFANTES
Everton
have faced significant challenges recently, including a deduction of 10 league
points for breaching Premier League financial regulations. As a result, they
are currently engaged in a battle to avoid relegation. Their form has been
poor, going win-less in the last five league matches and failing to score a
league goal since the start of 2024. Furthermore, Everton are dealing with a
shortage of midfielders, with Andre Gomes and Abdoulaye Doucoure still on the
injury list, and Idrissa Gueye having just completed her African Cup of Nations
campaign. From a tactical standpoint, Everton’s strength lies in their
midfield, as they average 19.9 steals per game, placing them fourth in the
Premier League. They also average 9.6 interceptions per game, ranking them
second in the league. However, due to the current passive reorganization of
Everton’s midfield, their overall strength may be significantly reduced. In
terms of goal distribution, a notable 45.83% of Everton’s league goals were
scored from set-piece attacks, indicating a potential reliance on such
situations rather than strong scoring ability during open play.
With
the return of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, Tottenham have successfully
resolved their central defender crisis and experienced resurgence in form,
earning 16 points in their last seven league games. Under the guidance of Coach Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham’s tactics are
characterized by an open and attacking style of play. This approach often leads
to exciting matches with numerous scoring opportunities, but it has also
exposed Tottenham’s vulnerability in defending against aerial attacks, as
opponents have frequently targeted them through this. To address this weakness,
Tottenham made a move during the winter transfer window by signing Radu
Dragușin, a 1.91-meter Romanian defender. Dragușin possesses exceptional
physical attributes and is particularly dominant in aerial battles. According
to statistics from this season, he wins an average of 3.17 aerial duels per 90
minutes with a success rate of 69.5%. Furthermore, his wide defensive coverage
can help fill gaps left by Tottenham’s attacking players when they push
forward. In addition, Tottenham received a significant boost in the form of the
return of core midfielder James Maddison during the midweek. Maddison’s
presence has revitalized Tottenham’s offensive capabilities, unveiling
previously unseen spaces on the field and introducing new attacking patterns.
Their improvement in the offensive aspect has become evident with Maddison’s
influence.
In
the first leg of the league, Everton managed to score against Tottenham through
a set-piece offense. However, with the addition of Dragusin to Tottenham’s
defense, it will be challenging for Everton to do it again. Breaking through
Everton’s midfield requires strong individual abilities, excellent passing and
coordination, as well as effective off-the-ball movement. Fortunately,
Tottenham possesses all these qualities. Therefore, it is expected that
Tottenham will have the upper hand and secure an easy victory.
Everton’s
Last 5 Games: DLWDD
24-01-31
Fulham 0-0 Everton
24-01-27
Everton 1-2 Luton Town
24-01-18
Everton 1-0 Crystal Palace
24-01-14
Everton 0-0 Aston Villa
24-01-05
Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton
Tottenham
Hotspur’s Last 5 Games: WLDWW
24-02-01
Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 Brentford
24-01-27
Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Manchester City
24-01-15
Manchester United 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
24-01-06
Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Burnley
23-12-31
Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Bournemouth
Head
To Head Record:
23-12-23
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Everton
23-04-04
Everton 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
22-10-16
Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Everton
22-03-08
Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 Everton
21-11-07
Everton 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur to win