James Impresses On Debut As Everton Sink Spurs
by SL InternationalEnglish Premier League
Report: Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Everton
Date: 13 September 2020
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Everton got their Premier League campaign off to a winning start with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti's three new signings Allan, James Rodriguez and Abdoulaye Doucoure were all handed debuts, while Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes passed late fitness tests to start. Meanwhile, Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho handed starts to off-season signings Matt Doherty Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The Toffees had a wonderful opportunity to take the lead in the 17th minute when Richarlison latched on to an errant pass from Spurs left-back Ben Davies. The Brazilian skipped past Toby Aldeirwereld and took the ball past Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris but the angle was tight and he failed to find the target while shooting off-balance.
Spurs came the closest they had so far in the 23rd minute when Son Heung-Min curled a delightful cross in to the box but it just evaded the outstretched foot of Harry Kane.
And then shortly after the half-hour mark, Toffees shot-stopper Jordan Pickford was called in to action when he was forced to tip Delle Alli's snapshot over the bar after a swift counter-attack from Spurs in which Son did well once again to create the opportunity.
Soon after, Rodriguez showed the promise that made him wanted by Bayern Munich and Real Madrid when he cut inside from the right on to his favoured left and wrapped his foot around the ball but unfortunately for him the effort fizzed narrowly wide of the right-hand post.
Doherty was played in shortly before the interval by Kane but his close-range shot was saved by the legs of Pickford, who did well to come out and narrow the angle. Mourinho replaced Alli with Moussa Sissoko at the break.
The Toffees broke the deadlock in the 55th minute. Luca Digne swung in a peach of a free-kick which Dominic Calvert-Lewin powered in to the back of the net with a textbook header.
Mourinho responded by bringing on Steven Bergwijn for Harry Winks while Ancelotti took off a tiring Gomes for Gylfi Siggurdson. Richarlison then bent the ball just around Lloris' left-hand post after stepping inside on to his right foot from the left-hand side.
Soon afterwards, Rodriguez looped a fine pass towards Richarlison on the left-hand side of the box, and the Everton attacker skipped past Doherty before seeing his low strike skid just wide of the far post.
And in the end, Everton saw out a deserved win, having showed plenty of positive signs for the season to come, with their new signings looking astute acquisitions.